I stare at the precious letters in my hands. I’ve already figured out that she never accepted his money. I’m guessing since he left me this inheritance, he wanted to support her at one time, too, and she must have turned him down.

I suddenly understand why she went to work looking so plain, when in reality, she was beautiful. At least to me she was. But when she’d go to work as a nanny, she always tied her hair in an unattractive way with too many barrettes, and wore loose fitting clothes whose colors washed her out.

I used to say, Why don’t you put on some lipstick or something, Mom? She’d always reply, I feel better this way, Rue. Trust me. I look fine.

She must have done that so she never attracted an unfaithful husband again. But I’ve always wondered if hiding herself the way she did, didn’t give her the cancer.

Now I have to wonder, maybe it was sadness at loving Maxwell Stone that took her away from me when she was so young.

I’ll never know…

“I want to go home and read these letters. That’s all I want to do,” I say, under my breath. Looking up into Mr. Henderson gravely curious eyes, I tell him, “It’s obvious my mother never took his money. Why should I?”

He purses his lips and considers this. “That’s a good question. One I didn’t expect to ever hear in my lifetime, but a good question, nonetheless. The thing is, Ms. Calliwell, you’re right about your mother turning it down. Max told me he’d tried very hard to give it to her. She threatened to never speak to him again if he did, and that’s what staid his hand.”

I blink at this. “You mean they spoke after I was born?” A lump of pain is in my throat, so sharp it has edges. My stomach turns over and I moan, “Did they continue the affair? Please tell me.”

The old man tilts his head with compassionate patience. “She sometimes took his calls, but they never saw each other in person again. He would search her out, and watch her from afar, but he was sure she never knew. If she did, is unclear.”

“He stalked her?” I’m picturing handsome Maxwell Stone in his car watching my mom go into the bank, the post office, or taking me to the park. I can’t get my mind around it! It’s just too bizarre and awful. “He must have loved her.”

Mr. Henderson pauses. “I’m glad the boys are gone. Can I trust you to keep what I say next, between us?”

“Of course!”

He regards me for a couple seconds, and then says on a long sigh, “I’ve known this family my whole life. My father used to be their grandfather’s lawyer. I took over and… oh, well, you don’t care about an old man’s ravings. What you care about is the truth. I can see that. So if you’ll allow me, I’ll tell you on the one condition you don’t tell Jack or Sean. Do I have your word?”

I nod, clutching the letters tightly. “Yes. Yes! I promise.”

He licks his lips, the raisin-like skin shifting around them as he considers how to say what he’s about to. He glances to his desk and moves two pens into a container, one at a time.

“I’m telling you this because I don’t want you to ever think your mother was any of the things the press will surely call her. Maxwell pursued her. He told me about it all when I tried to convince him that his will would cause a lot of pain, and not just for you. The whole family. But he looked into my eyes–and mind you, Max Stone was not a gentle soul. He was shrewd. Romantic is something I never would have called him. But he looked into my eyes and said, I’ve only ever loved one woman. And she had my child. I’m not allowed to see that child, nor the woman who has my heart, Tom. Do you understand I must do something for the girl?” Mr. Henderson stares at me as I take this in, a tear falling down my cheek again. “I asked him why didn’t he divorce his wife if he loved Olivia so much. He shook his head and said that he hadn’t been brave enough. He knew the press would tear them all apart. He said–and it broke my aging heart to hear it–I was a coward. And I’ve paid for that mistake with my soul.”

I wipe my cheek, looking again at the enigmatic letters. What kind of answers do these thin, worn envelopes conceal?

“He wanted to see me?”

“He did.”

I nod, gulping down the ache. “And the brothers. Why don’t you want to tell them the truth?”

“They think their father loved their mother.”

“Oh. Of course.” I stare off into the city behind him. “Well, thank you for telling me. It doesn’t change the fact that I can’t take the money. But...”

He makes a noise. “Ms. Calliwell, I have bad news. Although most people wouldn’t understand why I’m calling it that, but still,” he mumbles.

“More bad news?”

“I’m afraid you can’t turn down the money. Max expected you would turn it down, to be like her. He said dignity was your mother’s greatest asset. So, in preparation, he stipulated that if you turned the money down, it would go to the K.K.K.”

My mouth drops open. “What??!!”

Mr. Henderson smiles, his hands clasping on his stomach again. “Yes. The K.K.K. will benefit from your refusal. And I assure you, it’s very legal. So, if you’re a fan of their organization, by all means, let them have fifty million to fund their future endeavors.”

Horrified, I lean back in the huge chair. “Are you serious?”

“Very serious.”

“What am I going to do with fifty million dollars?”

He leans over and retrieves one of the pens. “You’ll find something. And between you and me, I can’t wait to find out what.” On a glance, he hands me the papers to sign, and says, “Maybe you’ll pay to have Jack taught some manners.” He reaches over to his phone and hits a button. “Can you please send Sean in? Just Sean.”

“Certainly,” comes the scratchy speaker voice.

The door opens and Sean returns, a quizzical look in his eyes. “How’re things going?”

Mr. Henderson motions to me. “Ms. Calliwell is going to need help acclimating to her new world. Can I rely upon you to help her? She’ll need someone she can trust.”

With the pen like a key to a magical door in my hand, I’m frozen and watching the famous Sean Stone slow his approach as he realizes what this means. “I can manage that.” He’s so much more handsome than in a photograph, and when he smiles at me, I’m flabbergasted to know that I’m actually related to these people. “So, you came around?”

Insecurity is dripping all over me and I answer in rapid fire, “I didn’t cave! Your dad was going to give the money to the K.K.K. if I didn’t accept.”

Sean’s head goes back like he just got punched. Then he says on a laugh, “Oh my God. Dad!” He rolls his eyes up to the ceiling like his dad is in the room with us, listening. “You always were a shrewd old bastard.” I look up, too, glancing around to see if I can see his ghost. I might be losing my mind a little. It’s a definite possibility.

“This is a lot of paperwork. I guess I should read it, but after what you just told me, I’m going to trust you.” Page after page, I sign myself into a whole new chapter of life. As I’m signing the final highlighted ‘X,’ I mutter under my breath, “If a flock of unicorns burst in through those bookshelves, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“What?” Sean asks from behind me.

“Nothing.” I hand Mr. Henderson his pen back, and turn to my half-brother who up until today was an abstract idea rather than an actual human being. A strange figment of fantasy talked about with co-workers, friends, and even complete strangers. To be famous purely for being rich and gorgeous–how weird is that? But here he is, in the flesh, looking at me with a kindness not shown by his brother… who I guess is my brother, too. Brain scrambling. “So now what?”

Sean glances to the door, then back to me. Quietly he asks, “Have you thought of going red?”

“Red? Like red hair?” Sean shrugs like he’s about to recant it, so I quickly assure him, afraid to lose an ally, “No, I like it. Could work. I don’t know why we’re talking about my hair color, but right now nothing can surprise me. What do you think of red, Mr. Henderson?”

The old man smiles serenely. “Why not blue?”

The first smile I’ve felt all day spreads on my lips. “I like you.”

His wrinkles crinkle extra deep around his eyes. “I like you too, Ms. Calliwell.”