The Billionaire Concealed Secrets

EVELYN'S POV

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It can't be. "Father won't possibly write this and leave me with nothing." I murmured to myself as I grabbed the paper that had been faxed to me through my mail. I rushed to the table and grabbed my phone.

Tell me this isn't my father's will," I said with tears streaming down my face.

I am sorry, Miss Evelyn, but that is exactly what your father left you with." Mr. Greenwood, who happens to be my father's lawyer, said in a solemn voice. "I am sorry, but you have to deal with it." Alice and Veronica are now the sole owners of the company, and they alone have the final say.

But I built this company even when my father was on his dying bed." I worked alone for the company where it is today. "Are you telling me all of my hard work has gone down the drain?" I shouted, digging my nails into my palm. "I am sorry, Evelyn. There is nothing I can do."

That was the final answer of Mr. Greenwood before he finally ended the call. I fell onto my bed, not sure of what I was supposed to feel. Ever since my mum died and my father remarried, Alice and her daughter have done everything to make sure my father hated me. The man that dotes on me now couldn't even bear to look at me.

I shut my eyes and sighed. If I could have my way, I would rather wish my father had died of cancer earlier than my mother. That was the last thought on my mind before I drifted into a long slumber. My body was weak, and so was my heart.

[8 AM THE FOLLOWING]

The chirping sound of the birds woke me up, not to mention the irritating alarm by my side. I yawned lazily as I got out of bed. Mr. Greenwood told me yesterday he was coming to read the will today. It was now two weeks after the death of my father. I got into the bathroom and was out in forty-five minutes. I dressed up, and as I strolled down the stairway, I could hear the cracked laughter of Alice and Veronica.

But they looked at me with a disdainful look. "Witch." Veronica said silently, but I didn't care. I took my headset and gently placed it over my ears as we awaited the lawyer. I prayed silently a miracle would happen, and I would be given everything I had labored for, but I knew that it was not possible.

The door opened with a man in his late fifties; he had a bag strapped to his armpit and some files in his hands. "We have been expecting you." Alice said with a wide grin. "What can we offer you?" Veronica said, charging forward. I sat down with a motionless expression on my face. I knew what was going to happen already

There is no need for that." "I am just here to tell you the will of the late Frank Milton," the lawyer said, meeting my gaze.

Yes, please tell us. "What does it say?" Alice asked with her legs crossed. "Well." Mr. Greenwood said with a sigh. "There is nothing much to discuss." Mr. Frank had made you his next of kin, and not only that, he had willed the company in your name. "While Evelyn takes charge of the house," he said, opening the file he was holding.

"Everything here is documented." Mr. Greenwood said, tapping the file he was holding. Veronica smiled, flashing a set of chocolate teeth towards me. "Please, you both need to sign." Mr. Greenwood said, looking at our faces. I hesitated and looked at Alice. "Not the company," the word slipped from my mouth.

"What?" "What did you say?" Alice asked, shifting her gaze from the lawyer back to me. "You can have everything, even houses, but not a company. I worked my ass off for that."

"Really? Do you think I am stupid enough to give you that? And didn't you listen to what he said? Alice looked at the lawyer and went back at me.

He said, and I quote," Frank only gave you the house and nothing else. So why should I trade a whole company for this? Alice looked at the house like it was some kind of garbage. "House," she finally let out.

I gritted my teeth in anger; this house had cost my mother, who toiled hard with my father to build it. And here was a woman who didn't sow but yet reaped all the hard work.

I walked towards the lawyer and took the pen. "Where should I sign?" I asked. Mr. Greenwood pointed to a place on the paper, and I penned my signature. "Well, the board of directors still needed to pick who was going to govern the affairs of the company. "I am sure you know that, right?" I said with a mischievous smile on my face.

I knew the board of directors would pick me if it came down to me and Alice. "I have proven over time that I can handle the company and take it to greater heights, although we were having a setback." "Really?" "We are going to see about that," Alice replied.

I grabbed my headset and jogged out of the compound. The gatekeeper immediately had the gate opened as he saw me running towards him.

I ran into the street exercising and also trying to get my mind off things. Not only is the company having a setback, but we are slowly running out of funds, and we might have to shut down permanently or maybe even be sold off to the highest bidder in the business world.

At least that was what most of the executives wanted. I had managed to talk them out of it, but then selling the company seemed like the only solution. I was lost in thoughts when I heard a bash. I fell to the ground trying to gasp for breath. My vision became blurry as I saw a man bending over me. "Are you alright?" he asked in a grim voice before darkness engulfed me.

Evelyn's POV

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The throbbing pain in my head woke me up. The last thing I remembered was being hit by a car before I passed out. I couldn't forget the voice of the man that hit me, though. "Where am I?" I let out slowly, trying to catch a glimpse of where I was. The house was enormous and well-decorated.

As I slowly opened my eyes, I found myself in a grand, opulent bedroom. The room was enormous, with high ceilings that seemed to stretch up to the sky. The walls were painted a soft, creamy white and adorned with intricate moldings and ornate frescoes.

The floor was made of polished dark wood and covered with a plush, cream-colored carpet that felt like silk beneath my feet. The bed I was lying on was a majestic four-poster, with intricately carved posts and a canopy draped with luxurious fabrics.

As I looked around, I noticed a few pieces of elegant furniture, including a beautifully crafted wooden dresser, a comfortable-looking armchair, and a small, ornate desk. The room was tastefully decorated with a few pieces of artwork, including a beautiful landscape painting above the fireplace.

Despite the beauty of the room, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of my stomach. Where was I? And who was the man who had hit me with his car? I tried to remember, but my memories were hazy and unclear. All I knew was that I had to get out of there and find a way back home.

The door opened slowly, and I quickly shut my eyes. "Is she still asleep?" a voice asked. It was commanding but yet pleasing to the ear. "Just get her out of my house before I get back." The voice said again.

I frowned a little and tried to open my eyes, but all I could see was the muscular back.

"Make sure you pay her handsomely," the voice ordered, walking out of the door. A man in white robes walked in. I could hear his footsteps approaching my bedside.

"She should be awake by now," the doctor said, looking at his wristwatch.

"Will she be alright?" a young man's voice boomed through the room. Without being told, I knew it was his assistance.

"What about Mr Alexander?" The doctor turned to meet his gaze. "He has gone out to work." Felix replied, staring at the man in his mid-fifties.

"Work? But correct me if I am wrong. Shouldn't he have been here to make sure his victim was properly attended to? "He almost had her cropped," Doctor Albert said almost in anger.

Everyone knows Alex was temperamental. "He actually told me to see to it that she was properly attended to, and he gave me a cheque of fifteen million dollars as compensation." Felix replied.

"Fifteen million what?" The doctor asked with a slight cough.

"Money is not everything, you know. Showing a little kindness would sort out a lot of things."

My eyes flickered open at the mere thought of getting fifteen million dollars. The money was little compared to the debt the company was owing, but then I could pay part of it. If there is any chance I could save the company, then I have to give it my best shot.

"Are you alright, Miss..." The doctor looked at me.

"I'm fine; I feel good." "In fact, can I be on my way home?" I said quickly, getting out of bed.

"Miss..." the doctor asked again. "I need to run a few tests to make sure you are fine, and then I need to also..."

I looked at the man who was having a bothering look on his face and smiled. "I am fine, doctor. My name is Evelyn."

Felix looked at me, and I watched his mouth drop in awe. "Is there something on my face?" I asked, looking at the young man who seemed mesmerized by what he was looking at.

"No, nothing." Mr. "Alexander asked me to give you this." Felix said, handing the check over to me.

My heart thudded as I looked at the zeros. Fifteen million dollars was a lot of money. I would have said no to this type of money if my father had been alive, but then he was not, and all I got from him was just the house. I am not sure selling it off would land me a sum of fifteen million dollars. "I'm sorry," Felix said with his head bowed to the floor.

"Why do you need to be sorry?" "You didn't hit me with the car," I replied, trying to get my sneakers on. "Your boss is quite rude." "How dare he treat me like I am just a piece of trash?" I said with anger after collecting the cheque.

The doctor looked at me and back at Felix. "Piece of trash? But he gave you a hefty sum of money?"

"Why, if I had died?" "Would the money cut it?" I said with anger. "I could have him sued."

"Trust me, you don't want to do that. "I would just take the money if I were you," Felix said, looking back at me.

Even if I was going to take the money, I needed to put on a bit of a show. "Thank you, doctor," I said, strapping back my hair with a bond.

I walked out of the house without saying goodbye with the check in my hand. I don't know if I should say it was luck that brought me fifteen million dollars, or if I was just being lucky. I took out my phone and I saw ten missed calls from Mr. Greenwood. "What does he want!" I said with anger boiling up in me.

The will had been read, so what else could be the matter?

My phone rang again, and I immediately had it picked up. "What is it?" I said, rubbing the front of my head. But the next word hit me like a blow to the gut. "The company is being auctioned off again at the moment." Mr. Greenwood said before the line went dead.

Tell them to wait!" "I am coming." I shouted at Mr Greenwood as I waved down the taxi in front of me. I clutched the cheque I was holding in my hand like it was my lifeline.

The fifteen million dollars should go a long way," I said to myself. At least that was what I thought as the car took off. "Can you go faster?" I said each time to the driver who was doing his best to get me to my destination.

I fell in front of my apartment and I rushed in. I saw another call from Mr Greenwood and I ignored it. I was reeking of the excess sweat. I had run down the street when he called. I went into the bathroom to have my bath and rushed out without applying any make-up.

I looked at the time before me and raced out. As I got in front of my father's company, I heaved a sigh. It was going to be a battle between me, Veronica and Alice, but I was ready. The cheque in my bag gives me some kind of hope.

As I walked into the company, I could see a lot of employees whose lives depended on me winning the boards and executives not to sell the company that was now wallowing in debt. I felt my legs weakened as I got closer to the boardroom where I could hear murmurs and heated arguments.

I pushed the door open and I saw my stepmother with Alice seated at the far end of the table. "You arrived just in time to witness the company being sold off." Veronica said with a smug grin on her face. The thought of having to sell the company scared me. The company was all that was left of my father. It was the family's legacy and here was a woman who knew nothing about it trying to pawn it off like it was some kind of time.

"Why are we wasting our time when we have a lot of potential buyers who are willing to pay more than we want for it," Veronica said, looking at the old men and women at the table in front of her. "How much did you say the company is owing again?" Alice asked the finance council.

The woman looked at me before she could answer her. "We are one hundred and fifteen million in debt." She replied and I dropped my head in regret. " Did you hear that? "How is the company going to get back up from that?" Veronica looked at their faces.

"I say we should sell off the company and settle the workers," Alice added. Don't tell me you are just going to give up the company without fighting hard for it. I am sure there are things we could sell. "Why don't we merge with other companies that are willing to work with us?" I said, trying to make the board's reason with me, but it looked like Veronica had broken their spirit.

I can sell some of my shares and raise a sum of thirty million dollars," I added when I noticed they were not talking. The tension was high as we all stared at each other. "Okay fine. Give me a week to work things out. After that you can have your way." I looked at Veronica.

"You seem to be forgetting that I have the final say here and when what I say is final." Veronica looked at me.

We are selling the company no matter what you say," Alice added. "Why don't we put this into a vote." I said immediately, thinking I would win. "You really think you can win?" Veronica asked with confidence in her voice.

If you win, then you can have the company and also the house. "But if I win, you and your daughter will leave the company alone and let me sort it out," I said, staring at Veronica and Alice from where I sat down.

Fair enough," Veronica replied. Little did I know I was walking into a trap. We immediately cast the vote. I watched as the boards were all in favor of Veronica and Alice.

For a moment, everything felt unreal. I had lost the house in a wager and I could not even save the company and the workers.

I grabbed my bag and walked out of the meeting like a zombie. My head down and my heart heavy. I don't know if I should curse my father, who left everything to my mother and suffered for my stepmother and her daughter, or if I should curse my ill fate.

I walked into my car and cried as I stared at the cheque I was given. The thought that it could have saved the company was all I could think about as I raced down here.

I cleaned my face, as I drove out of the company to a nearby bar.

I looked around and saw the faces of strangers-people laughing, drinking, and drowning in their own worries. I walked to the counter and ordered a drink, my fingers trembling as I reached for the glass.

The bitterness of the alcohol matched the bitterness in my chest. How did it come to this? Everything my parents had worked for, everything they had sacrificed for, was gone. A legacy reduced to ashes, stolen by Veronica and Alice.

As I sipped my drink, my mind raced. I couldn't let this end here. I had to figure out a way to fight back, no matter what it took. If the board wouldn't listen to reason, then maybe I needed to stop playing by the rules.

"Rough day?" a deep voice asked beside me, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I turned and saw a man sitting next to me, his sharp suit and confident smirk making him look out of place in this dingy bar. His piercing gray eyes studied me with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"That's none of your business," I said coldly, taking another sip of my drink.