Chapter 2 - WHAT LENORA CAME FOR
Richard Bellamy woke up in the hospital at 2:13 the next morning.
Audrey was waiting beside him.
Still in her wedding dress.
Still wearing one shoe stained with champagne.
Richard opened his eyes and groaned.
“You look terrible.”
Audrey didn’t smile.
“What is Harbor Street?”
Richard closed his eyes again.
“Go home.”
“No.”
“Audrey.”
“You almost died at my wedding.”
“Not my worst wedding experience.”
“Dad.”
His eyes opened.
She leaned forward.
“Why did Lenora agree to be humiliated for a piece of property?”
Richard stared at the ceiling.
“You made her work your wedding?”
“Yes.”
“Jesus Christ.”
“She agreed.”
“That doesn’t make it normal.”
Audrey laughed once.
“You’re giving me morality lessons now?”
Richard flinched.
Good.
She wanted him to.
“You cheated on Mom with her.”
“I know what I did.”
“You destroyed our family.”
“I know.”
“Then answer me.”
Richard was quiet for a long time.
Finally, he said, “Harbor Street belonged to Lenora’s father.”
Audrey froze.
“What?”
“Her family owned an old warehouse district near the marina. Forty years ago, nobody wanted it. Your grandfather did.”
Audrey stared.
“So he bought it.”
Richard looked away.
“Not exactly.”
Her stomach tightened.
“What does that mean?”
“It means the Bellamys are very good at paperwork.”
“Dad.”
“We acquired it.”
“How?”
Richard didn’t answer.
Audrey stood.
“How?”
“He pressured Lenora’s father into signing during a debt crisis.”
“That sounds like theft.”
“It was legal.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Richard closed his eyes.
Audrey suddenly understood why Lenora wanted Audrey’s claim.
Not romance.
Not revenge.
Ownership.
“How much is Harbor Street worth?”
Richard exhaled.
“About forty-eight million.”
Audrey sat back down.
“Forty-eight million dollars?”
“With redevelopment approvals, maybe sixty.”
Her mind raced.
“And you were going to leave part of it to me.”
“Yes.”
“So Lenora believed I could sign my share to her.”
“Yes.”
Audrey looked at him.
“Why didn’t she sue?”
“She did. Years ago. She lost.”
“Because?”
“Because we had better lawyers.”
Audrey felt sick.
Her father smiled bitterly.
“Welcome to the Bellamy family.”
Across town, Julian was having a very different conversation.
Lenora sat wrapped in a blanket on his couch.
Julian paced.
“You never told me you knew her.”
“I knew her father.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Lenora rubbed her temples.
“I didn’t know Audrey was your Audrey.”
“You saw her last name.”
“You told me you were marrying Audrey. You never said Bellamy.”
Julian stopped.
“That’s a lie.”
Lenora looked up.
“What?”
“My invitation was on your kitchen counter.”
Silence.
“You knew.”
Lenora’s eyes dropped.
Julian stepped closer.
“You knew exactly who I was marrying.”
“I knew two weeks ago.”
“And you said nothing?”
“I was going to.”
“When? After the honeymoon?”
Lenora stood.
“You don’t understand what that family took from us.”
Julian laughed in disbelief.
“So this was about money.”
“It was about getting back what belongs to us.”
“You worked her wedding because she promised you property?”
“Yes.”
Julian stared at his mother.
“And you let me marry her without telling me?”
“I thought once you were married, Audrey would be protected from Richard.”
Julian’s anger stalled.
“What?”
Lenora hesitated.
Then she said the sentence that changed everything.
“Richard Bellamy is dying.”
Julian’s face tightened.
“I know he’s sick.”
“No. He’s dying.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he called me three months ago.”
Julian stared.
Lenora continued.
“He wanted to settle Harbor Street before he died.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s scared of what happens if Audrey inherits everything.”
Julian laughed.
“That makes no sense.”
“It will.”
Lenora went to her purse and pulled out an old envelope.
Inside was a photograph.
Richard Bellamy.
Lenora.
And a baby.
Julian frowned.
“Who’s the baby?”
Lenora’s hands began to shake.
She looked at her son.
“You.”
Julian stopped breathing.
“No.”
Lenora’s eyes filled.
“Richard Bellamy isn’t just Audrey’s father.”
Julian stared at the photograph.
Then at his mother.
May you like
“No.”
Lenora whispered, “He’s yours too.”
