Page 49 of Reckoning

“Excuse me?” I reply. My lawyers have been more than clear that I don’t discuss it with anyone. That I keep my mouth shut. I doubt hers are offering differing advice.

“You heard me.” She says folding her arms. “You were barely married to Otto for any significant time, do you really think you deserve a third of his wealth?”

I blink back and I swear my jaw hits the ground.

“He has a son.” Valentina continues. “My son. He deserves that money far more than you do.”

Her son.The memory comes flooding back. It hits me like a tidal wave and it’s all I can do to keep breathing. Her son. I know of her son. Otto made sure of that. He’s one of the few I can name, one of the few I can raise my hand and openly accuse, and yet, I don’t dare admit it. I don’t dare speak of what Otto told him to do. Of what he willingly participated in.

I reach out, taking a hold of my cup, needing to do something to distract myself as something inside me starts to grow, starts to stir, starts to rampage.

“…it’s not like you need it.” She continues. “Besides, we all know what you’d spend it on.”

“What the fuck are you saying?” Rose snarls loudly and I swear half the room falls silent. That buzz of conversation around us dies.

“Oh, come on, you can all pretend as much as you want, but we can all see it.” Valentina half laughs. “Your sister-in-law is an addict. All those millions will simply be spent on drink and drugs. At least if my son has it…”

“How fucking dare you.” I snap.

I don’t even mean to say it, but something seems to explode. Some sort of control that I didn’t realise I had, just breaks.

I’m on my feet, though I don’t remember standing up. I don’t remember moving.

Valentina stays where she is, looking up at me the way a queen does from her throne, with all that smug superiority.

“Do you really think I want his money?” I hiss. “Do you really think I want anything of his?”

“You kept his house.”

“I burnt it to the ground.” I snarl, clenching my fists. “I burnt everything of his. And all that money, everything you so desperately want, if I get it, I’m going to donate it. To turn his disgusting legacy into something good.”

“Bullshit.” Valentina retorts. “No one would be stupid enough to…”

“I want nothing of his.” I repeat. “You of all people should understand what it was like to be married to him. What he was like. You really think a few million would make up for it?”

“Oh don’t play the sob story.” Valentina says. “You married him…”

“Like I had a choice.”

She scoffs more.

“I think you’ve said enough.” Rose states. “Perhaps you should go.”

Valentina narrows her eyes, glancing from Rose to me. “I haven’t finished.”

“Oh, I think you have.” Rose says getting to her feet. Behind her, her bodyguard moves to ‘assist’ Valentina in leaving.

I don’t know what makes her do it, I don’t know where the audacity comes from but one minute she’s facing Rose down and the next she’s grabbed my cup, yanked it from my hand and tossed it right in Rose’s face.

“You always were a whore.” She cries. “Marrying your late husband’s uncle, you should be ashamed.”

I don’t think. I don’t hesitate, I raise my hand slapping her hard across the face.

She splutters, stumbling back and it’s my bodyguard who’s grabbing her, hauling her out of the door while a waitress quickly ushers us to a more private room.

They hand Rose some napkins. She thanks them, patting down her clothes which are now stained black.

“Are you burnt?” I ask.