Chapter 1

H. BLACKWOOD

It was morning in New York...

The funeral had already finished and I was saying my final goodbye to my dear brother. I am dressed in dark clothes because of my mourning and the intense pain that suffocates me more and more for his absence. My brother and my best friend is dead. He died in a car accident while returning from a meeting downtown. His name was John Blackwood.

After saying goodbye to John and moving away from the flower-filled tombstone, I enter the waiting car and my driver looks at me through the rearview mirror. His name is Ian, my driver, who was always there when I came home to visit John, and it was through him that I learned the sad news that shook me.

Ian was a forty-year-old man, his skin was fair, his hair was blond, and his eyes were brown. He had an elegant posture and was friendly.

Ian continues to look at me, his expression filled with sadness because he was very attached to John, as he had been working for him for a long time.

I see my face in the rearview mirror and tears stream down my face. My green eyes are swollen from crying while attending the funeral. My skin is fair and my hair is black, and everything around me seemed to match that sad moment.

"Miss Blackwood... John's friends are still saying their goodbyes." Ian says and waits in silence.

"What does that have to do with me?" I ask with a raspy voice.

"Miss... you should go talk to them because you're the only relative of John present, it would be a way to connect. But I know that you never knew John's friends because you always traveled on business at his request."

"Ian, they are not my friends... I don't want to talk to anyone. I want to go home."

"Very well, Miss." Ian goes silent again and starts the car. Then we head towards home.

***

Two weeks after the funeral...

KNOCK, KNOCK...

Someone knocks on the door of my office, which is in a secluded part of my house, and I tell them to come in. I am sitting in my comfortable chair reading an important document.

The door opens and Ian enters with a cup of unsweetened coffee on a tray.

"Here's your black coffee, Miss Blackwood." he places it on the table away from the computer, as there are some messy papers and pens because of my disarray.

"Thank you, Ian."

"It's a pleasure, Miss!"

"Ian..." I stop reading for a moment and pick up the cup. I take a quick sip. "You don't have to be so formal, just call me Hannah!"

"Alright, Miss Hannah."

"Ah?"

"I mean... Hannah!" he smiles a little embarrassed.

"Much better!"

I take another sip and Ian stands silently. Ian, besides being a driver, sometimes does things beyond his obligation, that's probably why John never fired him. He is a reliable person. I can count on him for everything.

The phone rings and Ian quickly answers, saving me the effort. I just listen to the conversation...

"Yes?... This is from the house of the gentleman... I mean... Miss Blackwood, how can I help you?"...

I continue reading the document while he talks to the person on the other end. That document was actually a copy of John's will. The executor brought it to me earlier for my signature. After signing, I became the new head of the Blackwood company and owner of all John's belongings.

But before receiving that gift from John, I had a long conversation with the executor. He told me that John had made the will because he was suffering from an incurable illness and could die at any moment. This was a secret between the two of them. Still, John left before his time.

At first, I was upset and cried a lot knowing this from others. John didn't have the courage to tell me, but later I understood the suffering it would have caused if he had. I would have suffered twice because the idea that he could die at any moment would have left me devastated. My life would become dark. Loneliness would be my friend.

I am suffering from having lost my safe haven. The wealth he left me does not compare to a sincere embrace or the affection he had for me.

Ian hangs up the phone and says:

"Miss Lisa Mitchell wants to speak with you at a restaurant downtown."

"Did she say why?"

"She said it's about business."

"Business my ass! That b*tch..." I stop myself from saying such language to him, as he seems surprised by my aggressive tone.

"Sorry, miss."

"Don't apologize... I just lost control." I speak normally after calming down.

"Okay... but are you going to the meeting?"

"No! She doesn't deserve to see me. I need to sleep because tomorrow I'll have to take my place in the company."

"

All right. Then I'll call back to let her know you won't be able to attend."

"

Don't do that. Leave her hanging."

"As you wish, miss."

I take one more look at the copy...

"Do you want something different for dinner, miss?"

"Yes... but have Lili choose. I'm not in the right state of mind to think about it."

"Okay. I'll take my leave now."

"Yes. Rest well!"

"Today I'm going to visit my mother, miss, but only if you allow me, of course."

"Yes... don't worry. If I need to go out, I'll drive."

"Thank you very much. Well... excuse me."

"Have a good night."

Ian leaves my office and I finish drinking my coffee. I stand up and place the copy of the will in the safe behind a painting with a beautiful picture. That painting belonged to John and now it belongs to me. Everything that was his has become mine.

I leave my office feeling exhausted, passing through the large room and admiring the luxurious furniture, then I climb the long staircase. I go straight to my room.

In the house, there are several bedrooms. It's not a mansion, but it's almost at the same level. John liked to live well. A millionaire, a hard worker, a business owner, what's the result? A life more than organized.

I go to the suite. I prepare the water in the bathtub, take off my clothes, and get in. The hot water relaxes my muscles and erases all my exhaustion. That exhaustion was the sad result of my tears throughout the week of mourning, and I still feel like I will cry more times. It's a terrible pain. Losing the only person who made me happy and the only one I genuinely showed all my sisterly love to.

And that night, I cry again.

After the hot bath, I leave the suite dressed in my white robe and come across a silver tray on my bed. It's a meal - the one Lili had prepared for me. The smell of that marvelous dish is delicious and immediately arouses my appetite. Lili knows how to catch my attention with food. There is also a glass of red wine and some red fruits.

I sit on my gigantic bed and sit next to the tray. I start eating the fruits but before that, I notice a small note underneath the plate.

I pick it up and read...

Note: "With love. Enjoy."

Lili always taking care of me...

She is a petite, dark-skinned woman with wavy hair in a bob cut. She always wears floral dresses and a silver watch on her left wrist. She has been working for John for many years but now she works for me. She has helped me many times, as if she were my mother, and I have never mistreated her because she is a wonderful person.

I eat, drink, lie down, and decide to rest after that long day.

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