Chapter 2 The Inheritance

Daisy's POV

I woke up to golden sunlight streaming through my window, the chirping of birds a cruel contrast to the storm raging inside me. My eyes were swollen from crying-a reminder of last night's betrayal. I dragged myself out of bed, forcing my legs to carry me to the shower. All I wanted to do was scrub away the setbacks.

First, it was Mom. Then Dad. And now Trey.

The hot water did little to wash away the ache in my chest, but it helped me pull myself together.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror, still feeling hopeless. What could I do? Go against the great and powerful Anna and her little pet, Trey? I was wounded, and unlike Anna, I had no money to fight back.

Still wrapped in a white towel, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I glanced at it briefly-Nanny Divine. Again. I rolled my eyes and flipped the phone over, ignoring the call.

But the buzzing didn't stop.

Without thinking, I picked up. "Nanny Divine, I thought I made myself-"

"Hello, Miss Daisy," her voice came through, sharp and urgent, stopping me before I could say something worse. "There's an emergency board meeting at nine. I tried messaging and calling you earlier, but you didn't reply."

I took a deep breath, my stomach churning. "I'll be there in twenty. Thanks, Hazel."

I hurriedly opened the drawer, and my hand landed on a black pleated gown. And yeah, I wasn't in the mood to try out colors.

---

The heavy traffic on the road was no joke. It had already been over thirty minutes, and I was still ten minutes away from Turner Empire, stuck in gridlock.

"Come on, hurry," I muttered as soon as I saw the green light.

A few blocks from the parking lot entrance, my phone rang repeatedly. It was Hazel again. Losing focus, I picked up the call, my concentration solely on it.

"Where are you? All the board members are here waiting for you," Hazel sounded frustrated.

"I'm almost there, just a few blocks ahead. I'll be there in-"

I suddenly looked up and saw an elderly woman crossing the road. My heart stopped.

I slammed my foot on the brakes, the wheels screeching as the car jerked forward.

"Daisy!!" Hazel yelled through the phone. "Are you okay? What just happened?"

"Give me a minute. I'll call you back," I said breathlessly, dropping the call. My hands trembled as I unbuckled my seatbelt and flung the door open.

Without thinking, I hurried to the front of my car, praying I hadn't injured someone. My heartbeat pounded in my ears.

"You should be careful next time-you almost ran her over," a young man's voice cut through the chaos. I turned to see him standing at the side of the road, the elderly woman wrapped protectively in his arms.

His icy gray eyes locked onto mine, sending a strange shiver down my spine.

I shook my head, quickly breaking whatever that was. Just because I'd cried all night didn't mean I needed some Jack or Jill to pity me.

"I'm so, so sorry. I hope she's okay," I said hurriedly, stepping toward the old woman, desperate to reassure myself that she was fine.

The moment his eyes softened, something in his expression shifted.

"Thank you so much," I said. "I really have to go, but here's my card. If there's anything I can do, please let me know."

I handed the card to the grandma and rushed back to my car. As much as I felt bad for her, I couldn't afford to be any later than I already was.

---

Arrival at Turner Empire

The parking lot was nearly empty when I arrived. I parked my car and checked my reflection in the rearview mirror.

"You can do this. You can do this. Just breathe in and out," I whispered like a mantra until my nerves finally calmed.

My makeup had done a decent job of hiding the puffiness around my eyes, but nothing could mask the fire burning behind them.

I stepped out, my Christian Louboutin heels clicking against the pavement.

"Miss Daisy Turner!"

The familiar voice made me freeze. I turned to see Mr. Samuel, my father's lawyer, striding toward me. His presence was unexpected, and my pulse quickened.

"Miss Daisy, it's been a while," he said, reaching for a hug.

"Mr. Samuel," I replied, forcing a smile. "It's been so long." I paused. "How was London?"

He adjusted his glasses before responding. "Well, according to my sources, London should be doing pretty well today," he said with a chuckle.

I laughed. "Oh, Mr. Samuel, I'm so glad you're finally back in the country. Welcome home."

His brows furrowed as he looked at me like I had grown two heads.

"Hold on, I should be the one welcoming you home. I never left the country," he said, his tone laced with confusion.

My smile faltered. "Wait, what? You mean to tell me you've been in the States all this time?"

He gave me a strange look. "Where else would I be, young lady? I've been here all my life."

A chill ran down my spine.

"It's nice to finally have you back in the country," he added.

I frowned. "Back in the country? I haven't been out of the country either."

Mr. Samuel's brow furrowed. "But Anna told me you were abroad for the past year. She said you were unreachable, which is why I couldn't get in touch with you about your father's will."

My stomach dropped. Of course, Anna had lied. She had been scheming behind my back, just like she'd been sleeping with Trey.

"Anyways, I was just from a meeting with Anna regarding your big day. I hope you're taking your 26th birthday seriously."

My stomach dropped. "I'm sorry, I'm confused. What's so special about my 26th birthday? It's just an ordinary birthday"

He raised an eyebrow. "Didn't Anna tell you?"

"No," I said, my voice tight. "And I'm not following. I'm actually quite lost."

Mr. Samuel sighed, shaking his head. "It's about your father's will. It states that if you're not married by your 26th birthday, you'll lose half of your inheritance to charity and the other half to Anna."

The world seemed to tilt. So all this time, she kept my very own inheritance from me, just to get a share.

"Miss Daisy?" Mr. Samuel's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"What else is in the will?" I asked, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. My brain deeply calculating on what to do next.

He pulled a document from his briefcase and adjusted his glasses. "In the event of my passing, 25% of my shares in Turner Empire go to my wife, Anna Turner, and 50% to my daughter, Daisy Turner. My remaining fortune-mansions, yachts, cars, skyscrapers, and other businesses totaling $250 billion-goes to Daisy. However, to access her inheritance, Daisy must be married by her 26th birthday. Otherwise, half goes to charity, and the other half goes to Anna."

The world seemed to tilt. Anna had not only stolen my boyfriend but also kept this critical information from me.

He closed the briefcase and gave me a pointed look. "For your sake, and for everything your father worked for, I hope you take this seriously."

His phone rang, and he answered it briefly before turning back to me. "I have another client. Have a nice day, Miss Daisy. I hope the next time we see each other, it'll be about your marriage."

"You too, Mr. Samuel," I said, watching him walk away.

I stood there, my mind racing. Anna had stolen my boyfriend, lied to my father's lawyer, and was now trying to steal my inheritance. Well, she could try. But she had no idea who she was dealing with.

"I thought of my father, the man who built this empire from nothing. Would he be proud of me? Or would he see the cracks in my armor, the unspoken pain I am feeling.

---

The boardroom was silent as I walked in, my heels clicking against the polished floor. All eyes turned to me, but I kept my gaze fixed on the empty chair at the head of the table. My chair.

Then I saw him.

Trey.

He was sitting beside Anna, his smug grin making my stomach churn.

"When did Turner Empire hire him?" I thought. Oh, let me guess-his sugar mommy, Anna, pulled the strings.

My breath hitched for a moment, but I quickly composed myself. Stay calm. Don't let them see you break.

Anna stood, her smile dripping with fake sweetness. "Now that we're all here, I'd like to make an announcement."

I clenched my fists under the table, my nails digging into my palms. Stay calm. Don't let her see you break.

"Miss Daisy," Anna said, her voice syrupy sweet. "Would you mind standing?"

I rose slowly, my chin held high. Let her play her games. I'd play mine.

"The new app you created has been causing significant losses," Anna continued, her tone sharpening. "As president of Turner Empire, I cannot allow such incompetence to go unchecked. Effective immediately, you are demoted to probationary associate production manager."

The room erupted in murmurs, but I didn't flinch. My eyes met Anna's, and for a moment, I saw a sly smile spread across her face.

"And please welcome our new product manager," Anna said, gesturing to the man beside her. "Mr. Trey Baker."

"No way-you can't replace me with him!" I shot up from my chair, pointing at Trey.

What sick game was this? Slowly trying to kick me out of the company that belonged to me?