“My son chose a birthday party over his father’s funeral. That night, I opened the letter my dying husband left behind—and discovered a clause that gave me the power to decide whether our only child would inherit everything… or nothing at all.

By 3:15 p.m., Thomas stormed into headquarters.

Security called upstairs. Eleanor told them to send him to Richard’s office.

He entered without knocking.

“You locked me out of my own company’s systems.”

“Your father’s company,” Eleanor said from behind Richard’s desk. “And you are still employed by it, which means you have duties you appear to have forgotten.”

“You had no right.”

“I had every right as executor and majority voting trustee during probate. You contacted Maris without authorization and jeopardized a major contract.”

“I was protecting my future.”

“You were damaging the company to improve your legal posture.”

Thomas began pacing. It was so much like Richard that Eleanor almost looked away.

“This is absurd,” he said. “I’m fighting for what should have been mine.”

“No,” Eleanor replied. “You are fighting for what you believe you are owed.”

He stopped.

“Victoria says you’ve always resented me,” he said. “That you were jealous because Dad wanted me to take over. She says you wanted power all along.”

Eleanor almost laughed, but there was no humor in it.