Page 145 of Fierce-Matt

“That isn’t awful. I felt the same way with my first big win. You can’t believe you did it. It’s a relief, a sense of accomplishment, and pride.”

“I’m more excited over this than my first sale, but I know I wouldn’t have gotten it if it wasn’t my parents’ building, so I’m not going to get too excited.”

EJ was already throwing a fit over it, but there wasn’t much he could do.

She earned this money. It was her job. She was wrong to want to waive it.

Her brother was back on the other side of the world and with any luck no one would talk to or see him for a long time.

Her mother threatened to have him removed from their will completely over his stunt and that was enough to send him packing back with his tail between his legs with a red face and tears in his eyes.

EJ knew he got lucky that Matt didn’t press charges, halting his return to his job and life in Australia.

She’d like to think EJ learned his lesson, but he never would. As long as her brother stayed there and limited his communication with her parents, it was all she could ask for.

She was positive her mother would stick to her guns and remove EJ from their will if he did anything like this again. It was a threat that carried weight with substantial consequences.

“You have every right to celebrate,” Matt said. “Both of you do. Here is the paperwork for the lawsuit. The funds are in the DA’s hands. It will be released to you within a week.”

Her mother’s shoulders relaxed and tears filled her eyes. “Thank you for everything, Matt. I’m not positive we would have gotten everything back and then all the interest she’d earned on the investments in the process.”

“Don’t forget to mention I got the legal fees covered,” he said. His smile was wider than hers.

Matt hadn’t wanted to take the money from her parents, but it was his job too. Getting the firm’s thirty percent tacked onto what was owed just let her parents get the full amount they deserved.

The fact Shelly had more money hidden away only sweetened the pot.

Her father’s ex-employee had been lying about her financial struggle for years while she sat on some big nest eggs.

All that would be gone and Shelly was going to have to wait on the results of her sentencing.

Her mother signed the necessary documents and then pushed them back to Matt.

“It’s been a wonderful week,” Anya said. “Mom, you and I need to go get a nice celebratory lunch today.”

“We can do that,” Amber said. “I’m going to get on my way, but I’ll text you soon. I’ll see how your father is this morning and share the good news.”

“Give him a hug for me,” she said. “I’ll stop over in a day or so.”

She didn’t go daily like her mother. She didn’t want to upset her father’s routine since she had never seen him daily prior.

“I’ll be back,” Matt said.

He got up with his papers and left. Anya stood with her purse. She could go see him in his office and not stay in this room.

Grace came in when she was ready to leave.

“Hi, Anya. I haven’t seen you in a few weeks. Congrats on the sale and closing. Even the win for your parents.”

“It’s for them, not me,” she said. “But I’ll pass it along.”

“It’s for you too,” Grace said. “I tell Matt all the time, that you’ve got to put the past behind you and grow. You two have figured it out. Both of you have grown and it does my heart well to see you together. Your mother and I always joked about it in the past.”

“She told me that too,” she said, smiling. “We’ve got a good thing.”

“I told him that. When he saw Macy again last month, I was annoyed. The nerve of that woman to come in here and ask Matt for help and then say what she had out loud trying to tarnish his name. I took care of that though. Us mothers, we know our kids.”

Anya had no idea what Grace was talking about but wouldn’t give away that Matt never told her. “You both do.”