chapter 1 part 2/3

Everything came to head the week before Belindas 20th birthday. All four of the Colton women (Lavinia had taken on the Colton name and changed her daughters as well) had met with the family lawyer. It had not gone well for.

It seemed Christopher had added a clause to his will shortly before he died, one that no one knew and it was only reveled then. Maybe he had suddenly realized he had made a mistake, maybe he was beginning to see just who it was he married, but it pulled a rug out for Lavinia for sure.

Belinda was set to inherit all of her fathers part of the company as soon as she graduated college. The plan was for her eventually take a place on the board, she was help her aunt run the company in whatever capacity they both deemed fit her (it all depended on her aptitudes and academic choices). And regardless of her choice of study, she would be so well off she could have chosen to forgo all the work and just enjoy being rich. That was perfectly OK as well

But Lavinia had thought that she was going to be entitled to something too. Boy was she wrong.

It seemed that once Belinda got her half of the company, it was up to her to dole out as much or as little to her step family as she saw fit. When or if she she graduated college, she would be in total control.

Lavinia was livid. She would no longer have free range and if Belinda was suddenly part of the Colton Companies board the world might realize that she not only existed as more then a footnote, but Margaret would no longer be able to ride the cache of "only heir to half the Colton fortune". At first she thought she would have at LEAST four more years to come up with a backup plan, and a way to possibly hide how much she had been spending her herself and her daughter (not to mention a certain airplane mechanic she had paid off).

Lavinia tried to smother her anger and cover it, she started talking about how Belinda hadn't even finished high school. This whole meeting was unnecessary because it would be forever for her to finish college and that the families arrangements should stand as they were. She might never actually graduate from college so Lavinia would remain in charge of the funds for now and possibly for the long term.

As for Jennifer, for the first time since she had come to the meeting and seen her downtrodden niece and the horrible blonde bitches that had glommed onto her family, her face split into a huge smile. A glint gleamed in her eye as Lavinia rattled on about how Belinda couldn't take care of herself and she would let them know if it looked like her step daughter was even close to getting INTO a college, but it was doubtful there would be a change in control anytime soon


"Oh, you didn't know" Jennifer nearly purred with excitement. She smoothed her dark auburn hair back behind her ear and resettled her curvy figure in her executive chair. She leaned back looking Lavinia dead in the eye. "Lavinia darling, Belinda didn't drop out. She graduated early."

Lavinia opened her mouth to say something but Margaret beat her to the punch.

"That lard ass?? She's been doing nothing but sitting on said ass for the past three years"

Belinda felt a tear or two building in her eyes "Umm actually, did. I just... you made such a big deal about Margarets birthday, and it was around the same time as graduation so I kind of... just didn't want to bother". She didn't mention that she had told Lavinia, and tried to get Margaret to celebrate with her after but both had ignored her and conveniently forgotten the conversation ever happened.

"And I've been taking classes online so I actually.. I was going to tell you next week, I'm done with undergrad, I got into a graduate program in Kansas for bio-

"YOU GRADUATED COLLEGE?!?!?!" Lavinia screeched her eyes bulging out.

Belinda looked terrified. Jennifer looked pleased. Margaret looked shocked. Lavinia was furious.

Because it was true, the lawyer had the paper proof. Belinda had fulfilled the obligations of the will and was now in full control. True, Belinda hadn't know till today, but the moment she had turned in that last paper, she became the one in charge.

Albert, the lawyer felt an anger rising in him. He was one of the few people not under Lavinias thumb. She had kept him only because Christophers will stated she had to. But he hadn't seen Belinda for years until she had shown up in his office earlier that week. She had wanted to give them to him because she felt it was a legal document that he might need regarding the family trust. He had been surprised how pale she had been, how soft spoken, how apparently brilliant and unaware of her own virtues. He was also surprised at how large she had become, but she still seemed to move around with an spring in her step. Now he was coming to understand why he saw Lavinia and Margaret all over the tabloids, but never anything about Belinda. He was getting an idea why Belinda looked downtrodden, and why Lavinia had refused to let him see the family for all those years.

"I have the papers actually" Albert smiled knowingly at Jennifer. The two of them had only recently become reacquainted. "She did quite well actually, and the program in Kansas is splendid. Bioengineer, medical research, you should be proud. Belinda is quite brilliant, I'd say genius level"

"Huh.. she only got me an A- on my last english paper" Margaret sneered.

Belinda paled "i told you, I tried, but the romance era isn't my strong point" she said softly and apologetically. She didn't mention that she had been trying to finish her own final project. And that she was exhausted from doing both a complicated overacheving high school load for exceptional students, and an advanced undergrad load. She had dropped her second major just to keep up. The high school stuff wasn't that hard. It was just time consuming and tedious. It didn't help that she tried to make it sound like Margaret was actually doing the work.

The entire meeting developed into a series of accusations and screams. Jennifer claimed abused, Margaret called Belinda names and told her she was a liar and a horrible sister, Lavinia claimed everything was a lie and was throwing threats every which way. She swore up and down that she would hire her own lawyer to prove this was all a big hoax. The clause in the will AND Belindas achievement

cont.

But it wasn't this meeting that lead to Belindas painful binge a the dinner.

No, it was the events of that very evening. The day after the lawyers meeting. Margaret had knocked on her bedroom door and offered a peace treaty. She said she was sorry and wanted to throw her step sister a birthday party and actually get to know her. She wanted to take Belinda shopping for a new outfit and not to worry, because she would handle everything. Belinda was so surprised she nearly went into shock. Margaret said all the right things. She called in for Belindas favorite take out every night that week. She took her out to the most exclusive store and picked out a gorgeous tight silver dress for Belinda. And the day of the party she took her for a all over makeover and pampering day. Just the two of them. She apologized that Lavinia wasn't there, but promised she would help her mother come to understand that things with Belinda needed to change. She never mentioned money, and Belinda never thought that this might have to due with the allowance. She was just so excited and thrilled. Her sister was there for her. Maybe the shock of everything had made her realize she needed her.

Then it happened.

Belinda had felt like the dress was a bit tighter when she put it on at the hotel where the party was. Margaret assured her that it looked amazing, she even convinced her to skip the mirror under the guise of it being a super fun makeover revel at the party. Belinda asked who would be there, and Margaret told her it was her friends, but they would love her and become her friends in no time.

So when Belinda walked into the rooftop club, and took of her coat off she was not prepared.

**more to come. comment if you like or want more, or if you have suggestions or ideas etc.