Chapter 8
"That can't be right?" he snaps before he bolts to his feet. "That bastard wouldn’t leave you anything."
The words bite through me even though I know they shouldn't. Mark and I were over. We had ended our relationship more than a year ago now but knowing that he named me as the sole beneficiary of his will mean something to me. It had nothing to do with the business or the properties. It just meant something.
"That has to be an old copy of his will." His arms cross. "He wouldn't leave you a red cent after what happened between you two."
"He did." I stand and reach to retrieve my heels. "The will is valid. I'm the sole beneficiary. Everything he owned is now mine."
"You're happy about it?" The words sting more than any slap on the face could have. I don't deserve the question. I don't deserve his insistent need to remind me that I almost married a cheating a*shole.
I drop my heels to the hardwood floor with a dull thud. "Why would you ask me that?"
"Answer the question, Ivy." The challenge in his voice is clear. He's speaking in a measured tone. He's not showing any emotion whatsoever. This is the Jax Walker who always appears when Mark becomes a part of the conversation. Even in death he was impacting the most substantial relationship I'd ever had.
"No." I push my hands onto my hips. "It's insulting."
"It's insulting that you'd consider taking anything from a man who treated you like shit."
I feel my stomach turn at the words. I pull my hand to my lips, push Jax aside and race to the bathroom. I just make it in time as I feel my body reject the food as my mind tries to reject the harsh words of the man I adore.
***
"Do you think you should see a doctor?" I feel the bed shift as he sits on the edge.
I roll over, not wanting to face him. "I'm fine. It's been a very stressful week." The words are a veiled lie. Most of the stress I'm feeling is being thrown at me by Jax, even if he's not aware of it. Anticipating his reaction to my news about Mark wasn't nearly as bad as the reality.
"We need to talk about Mark." His tone is clipped and determined.
"It's late and I'm not in the mood." I feel numb. I can't even find the strength within me to cry. I didn't ask Mark to leave me anything. The fact that he did has now impacted everything.
I feel his arms encircle me from behind as he presses his body into my back. "I'm sorry." The words are so faint, but the meaning is there. I know he's being genuine. I know he feels badly for what he said.
"I don't know why he didn't change his will." I pull his hand to my lips. "But he didn't."
I only feel a nod against my shoulder in response. The silence is overbearing. He's waiting for me to confess to him that I'm going to refuse all of it.
"Nathan is going to help me sort through it all with a probate attorney." I know his reaction to that news isn't going to be well received either so I continue, "I'd like you to be involved too. I want you to help me with this."
I feel his entire body tense at my request. I almost whimper out loud when his hands pull away from me. "I can't. I just can't."
I listen in silence for what feels like hours until I hear his breathing slow. He's fallen asleep. He's abandoned me with the burden of having to deal with Mark's estate all alone.