Chapter 249 Bonus – The Will
Chapter 249 Bonus – The Will
Two months after the Honeymoon
Lainey’s POV
Six hours in surgery. What a way to start a Monday at the clinic. I’m exhausted, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I was back in my office eating my lunch, which included a lot of pickles, the biggest craving in my second trimester. Word had gotten out around the office to my patients and co-workers, and now I’m receiving pickle gift baskets instead of flowers. Not that I’m complaining about it. Ben had told me he would buy a pickle factory if I really wanted him to. I was mid-pickle when Thomasina walked in.
“Geesh, girlie,” Thomasina smirked. “You already get enough pickle at home, don’t be bring that to the office.”
“Ha ha, very funny, Thom,” I giggled.
“There is a Mr. Steven Markham here to see you,” Thomasina advised, handing me a business card.
Shit. He’s a lawyer from Jonah’s office. Well, Jonah’s old office. There was no love lost between Jonah and me, but I still can’t believe he’s dead. What a horrible way to go as well. He must have bled out really fast, with the shark severing his leg at the thigh. I hope it was fast and not a drawn-out agonizing death. As much as I hated him, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. I shivered at the thought.
“Bring him in, Thom,” I advised.
Thomasina left my office and returned a few minutes later with Mr. Markham.
“Mr. Markham, please, come in, have a seat,” I said, standing up and motioning to the chair in front of my desk. “You’ll have to excuse my eating. I was just in surgery for 6 hours, and the babies are a little cranky about the lack of food.” I laughed and placed my hand on my stomach.
“No worries, Dr. Halesten, I only require a few moments of your time,” Mr. Markham replied, smiling, “and please call me Steven.”
“Only if you call me Lainey,” I responded. “What can I help you with, Steven?”
“Lainey, as you may have heard, our law firm suffered a great loss with the death of Jonah Marceaux recently.”
“Yes, Steven,” I answered sympathetically. “My husband, Ben, and Jonah were childhood friends. Such an awful accident.”
“Yes, devastating for everyone who knew him,” Steven sighed. “Even more tragic is the fact that his father died mere hours before he did.”
“I was actually the person who heard Mindy call out for help, as we were attending the reunion he was supposed to speak at,” I informed him.
“Oh, really?” Steven asked.
“Yes, unfortunately, he had been deceased for at least 20 – 30 minutes before Mindy found him,” I revealed.
“Well, both of their deaths are the reason that I’m here, Lainey,” Steven declared.
“I’m not following you. Is there a question you need to ask about either of their deaths?” I queried.
“No, Lainey,” Steven uttered. “When Phillipe Marceaux passed, his will stated Jonah Marceaux as the sole heir to his estate.”
“What about Mindy?” I asked, puzzled. “Mindy was his wife.”
“Actually, Mindy was not his wife,” Steven notified. “She had a separate residence and no legal marital connection to Phillipe Marceaux. It will be a quick probate as Phillipe’s assets are transferred to Jonah.”
“Wouldn’t it go to the next living relation, since Jonah is deceased?” I asked curiously.
“No, Phillipe’s will didn’t have a survival clause, which means even if Jonah had only survived him by even 30 seconds, his estate still transfers to Jonah, and in this case, Jonah’s estate.”
“That’s very interesting, but I’m sorry I don’t really understand what this has to do with me, Steven,” I stated.
“Well, Lainey, I need to confirm your legal maiden name was Madelaine Forest, correct?” Steven asked.
“Correct,” I answered, puzzled.
“Born in New York City, USA on November 1st?” Steven asked, looking at his paperwork.
“Yes, but I still don’t understand what this has to do with me,” I stated.
“Madelaine Halesten, nee Forest, you are the sole heir to Jonah Marceaux’s estate,” Steven informed.
“Excuse me?!?” I questioned, flabbergasted.
“You, Lainey, are set to inherit just over 456 million dollars,” Steven said bluntly.
“That’s not possible,” I said on the verge of hyperventilating.
“It is possible, and it is happening,” Steven notified. “Jonah left this letter for you just in case he passed.” Steven handed me a sealed envelope with ‘Madelaine Forest’ written in Jonah’s scrolled handwriting. “After probate is completed on both estates, we will contact you as soon as possible.” Steven stood up and reached across my desk to shake my hand.
“Thank you for stopping in, Steven,” I responded, shaking his hand.
“Thank you for accommodating me on such short notice, Lainey,” Steven said, walking towards the door. He paused in the doorway. “Lainey, don’t overthink it. Jonah talked about you constantly at the office. You were the one person he seemed to have the most faith in and the most admiration for.” He walked out into the hallway, leaving me sitting in my office, too shocked to move.
I sat there for the longest time, gripping Jonah’s letter in my hand. My mind swirled with a thousand thoughts.
“What was that all about?” Thomasina asked, walking into my office and dropping into one of my chairs, while holding her cup of coffee.
“Um, it seems I might have just inherited 456 million dollars,” I said, a stunned look on my face and my hands shaking.
“Say, what?” Thomasina said, almost choking on her coffee.
“I’m the sole heir of Jonah’s estate, and he was the sole heir of his father’s estate,” I revealed.
“HOLY SHIT!” Thomasina exclaimed. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I expressed. “It feels like dirty money to me. It comes from two men who had no regard for women and their rights or feelings.”
“Then make it clean,” Thomasina advised.
“Make it clean?” I questioned.
“Put it to use somewhere that it makes a difference to women and survivors,” Thomasina declared.
I smiled widely. “Thomasina, you are brilliant.”
“I know,” Thomasina smirked. “Extremely humble as well, don’t you forget that.”
“Of course,” I laughed.