Inheritance With a Catch: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (Billionaire Inheritance Series Book 1)

by Denise Daye

  “Isn’t she a wonderful young lady?”

  “Who? Ava? She’s the gardener’s daughter. Are you joking?”

  His grandfather rose abruptly.

  "What is it? Did I say something wrong?" Ben was baffled.

  "I think I want to turn in now. I want to hold a big fundraiser next week and I should rest for that. Good night, Ben."

  Ben watched his grandfather walk off in a slow but determined pace. What did I do this time? Unlike so often when it was crystal clear why his grandfather was upset with him, this time he had absolutely no clue. It couldn’t be because of his remark about Ava Burns... could it?

  Elijah tossed in bed. Not because he was restless or the meds made him uncomfortable—and they did—but because he could almost hear the slow ticking of time around him; the steady shrill of the hourglass that was his life, running empty.

  I need to do something before I go, he told himself. One final act of good. One that would outdo all others. Not for charity and not for himself, but for his grandson who he loved dearly and had failed in so many ways before.

  “I will do what I can, Ben, but the rest is on you,” he mumbled to himself as he finally drifted back to sleep again. “The rest is on you...”

  T

  he cancer was eating his grandfather from the inside, a slow flame consuming his health little by little. Most days, his grandfather would sit in his study or take a stroll around the gardens. Often, he’d have Benjamin with him as it seemed to comfort both of them.

  It was the evening of the second week since the cancer revelation when Elijah called Ben into his study. Things seemed to hasten terribly when the clock was ticking, and his grandfather tried hard to move as fast as his final days allowed.

  Benjamin met his grandfather’s lawyer, Walter, emerging from the study, briefcase in his hand. Growing up, this was a man Benjamin had seen around quite a lot. Walter was a slender older gentleman, his silver hair glistening and his pale white skin somehow always radiating energy.

  “Benjamin,” he said, “how are you today?”

  He nodded at the lawyer. “I’m as good as I can be in this trying time.” His eyes drifted to the briefcase. “Had a little meeting with my grandfather?’

  Walter shook his head and sighed. “I wouldn’t say little.” He rubbed the back of his head.

  “God, I don’t know how I’d handle it if I had terminal cancer. He is a strong man, but he needs all the help he can get during this period.”

  “I know. I just wish this didn’t have to happen…”

  Walter gave him a gentle tap on his shoulder. “He needs you right now, especially with everything he’s planning. See you around, Benjamin.”

  “You too, Walter.”

  With everything he is planning?

  He watched the slender lawyer walk down the hall and disappear before he faced the door to his grandfather’s study.

  His grandfather’s eyes lit up as soon as he entered the room. He was sitting by the window with a book on his lap.

  “You seem happy,” Benjamin noted.

  “Content and relieved,” his grandfather said. Benjamin walked to his side and they both stared out the window. Benjamin’s eyes moved to one of the buildings where he saw Ava’s father James working in the garden.

  His grandfather wasn’t even staring outside anymore; his eyes were buried in the book he now held, his lips moving slowly as if he was in the middle of a silent prayer. He suddenly closed the book with a snap.

  “Books are magical. Dying sure gives you a whole new perspective on things. But let’s not talk about death. Grab a seat, there are two very important things I wanted to talk to you about.”

  Benjamin nodded and pulled up a chair. Lately, death always came up in their conversations—always. It was depressing, though hardly surprising. At least his grandfather seemed pretty calm about the whole thing. No one would guess that he had just a few weeks to live, or less than that.

  Benjamin opened his mouth to speak, but his grandfather gestured towards the sideboard where a small array of extremely expensive whiskies stood. Benjamin hesitated.

  “Really? Aren’t you supposed to be drinking freshly pressed vegetable juices or something?”

  With a loud scoff, his grandfather shook his head. “Those things will kill me faster than the cancer. And besides, boy, a drink won’t hurt. I’ve told you this before. I’m dying. What’s the worst it a drink will do to me—make me die faster?”

  “Fine, but just a little,” Benjamin warned.

  “Don’t worry, son, if anything happens, I’ll just tell them you didn’t know any better.”

  Benjamin chuckled as he poured two glasses. “Here you go, sir,” he offered his grandfather a whiskey. The old man took it with a smile.

  They sat and sipped the drinks. It felt nice taking in that fresh scent of flowers through the open windows. No wonder grandpa loves this garden so much.

  Benjamin looked up at his grandfather, whose gaze remained fixed on the garden as if there was something or someone standing there.

  “Grandpa, are you alright?”

  “Sarah,” his grandfather gasped as soon as he touched his hand.

  “It’s me, Benjamin. You should get some rest, grandpa.”

  As had happened so often lately, Benjamin felt the all too familiar tingle of fear in his chest. He held his grandfather’s hand as if letting go would see him float away. The room felt hot.

  “I’m alright, son. I just—yes!” His grandfather exclaimed, beaming with excitement. The sudden switch in emotions was jarring for Benjamin.

  “Am I missing something, grandpa?” he asked with a soft voice.

  “Yes, yes,” his grandfather said, waving his hand in the air. “There is a world out there in need; a world that has helped me become the great man I am today. I want to give back to that world, Benjamin. I have arranged for a big charity event here on Sunday. Every heavy checkbook of New York will be there.”

  “That’s great... but Sunday?” Benjamin muttered. He already had plans for that Sunday evening.

  “Yes, this weekend. It’s going to be a very big deal and it will be a part of my legacy. You will be there, won’t you?”

  Darn it.

  “Of course… is that what you wanted to talk to me about?”

  His grandfather nodded. “Amongst other things.”

  “What is the other important issue you wanted to talk to me about?”

  “As yes, that,” his grandpa took another sip from his whiskey. “Nothing to worry about. You’ll find out soon enough. I want you at that event. It’s going to be big and I need you there, not just for appearances, all right?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  His grandfather let out a soft sigh and made his way to the bed that had been placed in the study for him. Benjamin followed and tried to give him a hand, but his grandfather kept slapping him away and reminded him that he wasn’t exactly dead yet.

  Benjamin left the room thinking of his grandfather’s vague words and that charity event on Sunday. Why Sunday? He hated those gatherings, and he had been looking forward to meeting with his friends for a change. A nice distraction from home life. Well, that was that.

  His grandfather was his priority—no doubt about it.

  Benjamin stared at the mirror as he adjusted his bowtie. His hair was combed neatly, and he’d shaved off his stubble. He’d inherited his father’s great looks, at least according to the ladies who often describe him as ‘incredibly handsome,’ even ‘breathtaking’ at times.

  He let out a sigh and promised himself that he would take off as soon as he got the chance. These events were tiresome. Rich people pretending they cared about others as they dropped chunks of change into a hat, feeling good about themselves. Not that Ben was known for his work with charity, but he also didn’t play Ghandi at these events touting about money he donated on TV, like many others he could name. If he would ever give something, he w
ould only do so if it came from his heart without making a big fuss about it.

  “Definitely, worth the trouble,” he complemented himself and frowned when his phone rang. He walked over to see who was calling.

  “Roger,” he muttered and scoffed. He still felt bad for cancelling on such short notice on his friend, so he decided to pick up.

  “Hey, Roger. I’m kind of busy right now.”

  “I know, the local news is buzzing about it,” Roger’s loud voice screamed through the phone.

  “Yeah, I’m not surprised. When Elijah Radcliff does something, the whole world stops to see what it is.” He blew out his cheeks and sat on the bed.

  “I guess that really means you aren’t going to join us tonight?”

  “Nope. My grandfather really wants me there.”

  “Yeah, we totally understand,” Roger said sounding harried and out of breath. Ben almost couldn’t hear him.

  “Roger?” He sputtered and leaned forward. "Are you skydiving while making this call? I can barely hear you.”

  He could almost see Roger’s eyes roll.

  "I just wanted to call and see if you want to cut that fundraiser short and come out afterwards or something. Nothing better to help with losing a loved one than booze," Roger joked.

  Benjamin grew silent. Was this call real or was he imagining it? He had known Roger for years; they had met at a VIP party in Paris. This was the first time that their friendship would be tested by tragedy—and so far it did not look good.

  "Ben, you still there?”

  “Hey… em, I gotta go. I won’t make it tonight. Talk to you later…”

  “Ben… I am sorry if—”

  Ben hung up and stared at his phone. Was the tragedy of his grandfather’s cancer spreading into every aspect of his life? Even his so-called friends?

  Mr. Radcliff heard a soft voice whisper though his door, “Hello?”

  “Yes, come in.”

  The door opened and Juliana, one of the maids, carefully stepped inside. Her feet moved over the carpet as if it was made of thin ice. “Your grandfather said he is ready and waiting for you in his study.”

  “Thank you, Juliana. I will be out in a minute.”

  She nodded and left again. Ben stood up and straightened his jacket. Things were tough right now, but there was nothing he could do about it. And if it made his grandfather happy to see him at this daunting charity event, then he would do it. But this would be the last charity event the Radcliff’s will ever hold, he swore to himself. At least until the tax cuts and loopholes improved enough to write them completely off, Ben thought to himself with a smirk before he too left and joined his grandfather downstairs.

  One of the perks of being rich—insanely rich—was that you never had to worry about matters related to money. Charity events like Elijah’s would barely make a dent into a rich donor’s bank accounts while at the same time make them look incredibly good in front of the public. So, it was no wonder that everything with money and a name was fighting over an invitation to one of the biggest events of the year. People already speculated how much the dying billionaire would give away. A million? Tens of millions? ALL his wealth?

  Hundreds of cars were parked inside the huge compound; a lucky few were admitted to the underground garage, while most others had to park outside the gate and take a shuttle.

  Walking around the place, gave the familiar feeling of attending the Oscars. Stars mingled with the faceless wealthy, camera lights flashing into people’s faces for interviews, and wild chatter mixed with music from the gardens.

  The main event was being held in the large event hall on the estate that was built for seminars and events just like this one.

  The night was cool and the temperature perfect. It would been a peaceful summer evening if it weren’t for the hundreds of guests making the estate’s grounds their personal playground. Ben had barely made it out the door and had already been hit on by several ladies. Some of them he already knew, while others were complete strangers trying to leave a lasting impression with the famous Radcliff grandson—who was even more handsome than he was rich.

  He found his mother outside the hall. The chatter rose around them, soft music and a fresh scent filling the air.

  "I should wear a tux more often," he joked as he placed a business card from a young, pretty model into the pocket of his coat.

  "You look amazing, sweetie," she said waving over at the governor’s wife, “but stop that nonsense with the women. This is not a dating retreat! It’s a charity event.”

  Ben grinned. "Gosh, I had no idea. Does that mean I won’t get to go through a catalog of mail-order brides tonight?"

  His mother rolled her eyes.

  "We have seats in the front and there seems to be an interview on the red carpet before we go in. How do I look?"

  She brushed her hair with her fingers and clutched her dazzling silver purse, which of course matched her silver gown perfectly. Her brown hair and her skin were evenly toned. When the light hit her from a certain angle, she sparkled a bit like a disco ball but she still looked pretty good for her age – granted, countless plastic surgeries had helped with that. Lucy Radcliff wasn't as tall as her son nor was she quite as attractive as he was, but standing side by side one could easily identify them as mother and son.

  "There's going to be a lot of people in there," Benjamin noted with agony in his voice. His mother agreed, touching his shoulder.

  "I know… I honestly dread it too," she whispered to him, in a tone that almost sounded sincere. “I just hope he won’t give away too much of our fortune,” she added with a weak smile.

  "What?" he said out loud in an amused tone causing a few heads to turn their way. “You don’t want to give to the poor?”

  “Shhh!” Lucy pinched him savagely before she turned and rushed away with a big, fake smile. Benjamin chuckled as he braced himself for the horde of cameramen, already priming their cameras, sending flashes his way.

  Elijah Radcliffe felt much better; at least he looked like he did. He wore a black, well-tailored suit, his wrist adorned with his favorite Rolex and his index finger with a gold signet ring—an old family heirloom.

  He scanned the crowd, sitting calmly as he waited for his speech. It felt good seeing so many people around, and it felt even better when he saw his daughter-in-law walk in with his grandson. He chuckled when he saw Lucy pushing Ben out of the way to get more camera time. People around the hall had already taken their seats. A man walked up to Elijah and handed him a printed page. “The program, Sir.”

  “Thank you,” he muttered and glanced at it. “What the hell do we need a program for? I just want to give away my money, it’s as simple as that.” The man chuckled, unsure if the billionaire was joking or not.

  The hall was arranged with white circular tables and chairs, decorated with flowers and wine bottles. Elijah didn’t worry himself about all those tiny details; he preferred to leave them in the hands of his capable staff. He had to admit that the place looked fantastic.

  He leaned back in his honorary chair and watched speakers go on and off the stage, the crowd listening eagerly nodding. These charity organizations would have hundreds of millions pumped into their non-profit accounts in a matter of hours, maybe minutes. People were already speculating that the money raised might even break a world record.

  “My legacy,” he said under his breath and shifted his gaze to his grandson. Their eyes met and he got a small smile from the young man. He looks like a proper gentleman for once. His attention shifted back to the podium.

  “Without wasting any more of your time,” the man on the podium announced, “let’s all get on our feet and welcome our benefactor, the great and generous Mr. Elijah Radcliff.”

  Show time. Chairs screeched against the floor as people rose to their feet, clapping wildly. Elijah walked on stage waving to the crowd and then gave the man on the podium a curt nod, his smile soft. The clapping grew quiet
.

  “Thank you all for coming,” he said, his voice echoed through the hall. “Please, be seated.” He paused, his eyes moving over the crowd as everyone focused on him, eagerly awaiting his speech.

  “By the end of this night, we will have a number. A number that will change the lives of so many forever. We have countless organizations on this board here to my right,” he said pointing at a large poster. “They serve many worthy causes, ranging from helping children in Uganda all the way back home to local domestic violence shelters. They all will benefit from your kindness and selflessness here tonight.” His left hand clutched the microphone tight as a round of loud applause echoes through the room.

  “I know rich people are notorious for holding on to every penny as if it was their biological child.” Loud laughter broke out briefly before going silent again. “But just like real children will venture out into the world someday, money which we have plenty of, should do the same.” He had their undivided attention now, at least he hoped, “Don’t be mistaken, this event is not about me and it’s not about money.” His voice was bold and steady. “It’s about love and those in need of love. It’s about -"

  A phone rang, piercing though the silent crowd like a sword. It threw Elijah off track. People had been instructed to put their phones on silent. Who the hell is this rude person? He frowned, his eyes searching for the source.

  A wave of disappointment went through him when he saw the culprit. It was none other than his own grandson, Benjamin. He was fumbling with his phone, his fingers moving fast as he tried to shut off the sound.

  Lucy covered her face with her left palm. The ringing continued for a solid five seconds, drawing everyone’s attention to it. While trying to get the sound to stop, the phone slipped out of his hand and hit the ground by his feet before it finally silenced itself.

  An awkward cough from someone behind Ben snapped Elijah back to his speech.

  “A-anyways…” He scrambled for his words, feeling a little disoriented. “T-The helpless women and children—”