Heiress in Disguise

ALEX’s POV

The drive to Manhattan felt quicker when you have a million questions running around inside your head. The car drove past a suburb and then headed straight for the hills. I frowned.

“The Harrington Estate is on a mountain?”

Henry turned to me. “A hill. But yes.”

“Why didn’t Reginald Harrington build one at the suburb. There are lots of space there.”

Henry just smiled, his eyes trailed on the wrought-iron gates that were approaching. “This house was built long before any of the other houses in Manhattan existed. If you’re going to ask a question, it should be ‘why they didn’t build one near the estate’?”

“So, why didn’t they build—”

“Because all of this is private property.”

“The hill?”

“Yes. The hill.”

I looked out the window. It shouldn’t even be called a hill. It’s massive. Though it wasn’t much of a slope, it totally towers over the suburb.

“Where does the private property start?” I tried to press my face against the glass to get a better look.

“Five minutes ago,” came Henry’s reply.

My eyes widened. Five minutes ago we were still at the bottom of the hill. “You mean Reginald Harrington owns an entire mountain?”

“Yes. And now, it’s yours.”

I felt bitter. I should be happy because now I’m filthy rich but… for some reason, I felt bitter. It’s like something is stuck in my throat, some thought is just beyond reach. It was unpleasant. I feel like vomiting.

The car entered the automated gates and we drove off through a forest lined with pine trees. This would’ve been marvelous any other day if it weren’t just for the fact that I’m way too distracted to take it all in.

After a few short moments, the long winding road finally gave us a glimpse of the house. If you can even call it a house.

The Harrington Mansion loomed ahead like something torn from a storybook, its pale stone walls lined with tall windows and elaborate carvings, its roof bristling with chimneys and turrets.

A wide drive curved into a roundabout at the front of the mansion, its center marked by a stone fountain crowned with a marble statue. It was the Archangel Michael, his wings spread wide, sword lifted toward the sky. Beyond it, broad stone steps led to double doors, the kind that seemed built to make visitors feel small.

We pulled up at the roundabout and I got out of the car. Looking up at how massive it was, if I hadn’t known any better, I’d think a European royalty lived here.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” Henry said as he stood beside me at the foot of the stairs.

I looked around, taking in the vast grounds, the garden maze, and all the trees that lined the property neatly. “I think impressive is an understatement.”

He smiled. “Come. I’ll show you to your room.”

If the outside of the mansion was already intimidatingly beautiful, the inside was even more spectacular.

The doors opened into a vast marble foyer. A sweeping grand staircase curved upward on either side, leading to a mezzanine that overlooked the hall. The chandeliers of cut crystal hung overhead, scattering light across the walls paneled in pale cream and gilded gold.

Paintings of stern-faced Harrington ancestors also lined the gallery above. As we passed them, I couldn’t help but think that maybe Claudine and her sister was right. The dead billionaire might’ve really gone crazy.

Imagine leaving all of your fortune and legacy to some orphan. If what Henry said was right and this house was already here long before any of the other houses were, then their legacy must’ve spanned a few centuries. Hell, maybe even more.

So, why leave it to someone like me? Because I’m a long lost granddaughter? He can’t even be bothered to go to Chicago and pick me up. With his money and resources, if he did a quick google search, he will probably find me in the website of the orphanage.

So, why now? Was this just his way of cleaning out his conscience before he leaves the world forever? Because if it is, it’s fucked up.

“We’re here.” Henry’s voice cut through my thoughts.

I looked up. We were standing in front of the room at the farthest end of the hallway. It was a double door with gold trimmings and had the initial H in the middle. He opened it and the room inside looked like it belonged to a French chateau.

I walked in, my hair getting caught in the breeze from the opened balcony doors. “This is my room?” I asked.

Henry nodded. “But there are other rooms, of course. If you want the master’s bedroom, you can have it.”

“Reginald Harrington’s bedroom?”

“Your grandfather’s bedroom, yes.”

My jaw tightened for a bit at the mention of the word ‘grandfather’. Seems really foreign to me. I’ve never even known I had one. And then now, all of a sudden, I have it all.

“Do you want to settle in first? Or should I have the chef start serving dinner?”

I scoffed. “Of course there’s a chef.”

“Yes. He’s been instructed to cook every meal you desire to eat.”

I rolled my eyes and sat down on the bed. It was soft. Too soft in fact that I’m scared if I lie down long enough it might consume me. “So, what now?” I turned to him.

He raised both eyebrows. “I’m sorry, come again?”

“I said, what now? What do I do now?”

Henry smiled at this. “You can do whatever your heart desires, Young Lady. Everything is at your disposal.”

“Even you?”

That question seemed to catch him off guard. “Er, not exactly. But I am here to serve you. I will be the chairman of the board until you are ready to assume the role. I will also be your guardian until you are of age. So, for now, you will need me.”

I stared at him for longer, my eyes not even focused on him. I was just thinking about what he said. “You mean, he’s dumping all of his responsibilities on me?”

He blinked, his smile wavering. “Unfortunately—”

“Did any of you even think that maybe I just want to live in a way that I wouldn’t have to think about starving the next day?”

“Well—”

“Look, I’m like any other starving orphan, alright? I’m just happy to get money, or even eat something delicious. I don’t wish to become the chairman of some company or become a slave to someone else.”

“You’re not a slave. You’re going to be the boss.”

“Really?” I stood up, facing him. “You really think that? A poor orphan with little to no education would be a boss? My chances here are slim, Henry. At best, I’d be a puppet to those rich bastards running the company.”

Henry sighed, his eyes trailing elsewhere. “You may be right. But I assure you, that will never happen.”

“Yeah, right. Every single one of his family hates me—”

“Your family.”

“—and even though I hate them back, it still stings.” I gritted my teeth. “All my life, I thought I had no one. And now that I do know that I actually had family elsewhere, somehow, it hurts even more. It would’ve been better if they were dirt poor and didn’t have any means of looking for the four year old kid that was orphaned when her mother shot herself dead.”

Henry didn’t look at me. He swallowed, his eyes distant.

I sat back on the bed, the corner of my eyes stinging. “I am not a chess piece, alright? If the dead bastard wanted me here to teach his ungrateful family a lesson, sorry, but I don’t want to be a part of it.”

“You can have everything you want.”

“Well, this isn’t what I want.”

Henry finally met my gaze. I sniffled, trying to blink away the tears that were forming.

He gave me a sad smile. “I promise you, from now on, no one will look down on you ever again. You will receive my assistance in every step. We will start with giving you the best education there is.”

I rolled my eyes again. “Let me guess, you’re throwing me away into a boarding school full of rich snobs?”

“Exactly.”

A laugh escaped me. Henry chuckled, too.

“Don’t worry, Young Lady. Before I became an attorney and financial advisor to the late Mr. Reginald Harrington, I was just like you.”

“Orphaned?”

“No, not exactly. I had family but let’s just say they were incapable of giving me a decent life.”

“At least you had one.”

“Having one isn’t always the best.” He looked out at the balcony again, his eyes wandering like he’s remembering bad times. “And I think you got lucky, too, Miss Carter.”

I scoffed, kicking my shoes off so I could lay on the bed. “Lucky isn’t a word that anyone could use to describe what I’ve been through.”

“Maybe. But I think you’re lucky you didn’t grow up with this family.”

“Were they that f*cked up?”

Henry looked around, making sure no one else was with us to hear him say, “They are.”

My head perked up. “Yeah? How f*cked up?”

Henry gave me another one of his knowing smiles. “You’ll find out soon enough. At least now, though, you’ll have a fighting chance.”

My eyebrows knitted together at what he said. I mean, from what I saw earlier at the office, with the way they reacted and all that, I know they were f*cked up. But how f*cked up exactly are we talking about?

Henry straightened from where he was standing and put on a professional expression. “I’ll leave you alone now to gather your thoughts. Oh, and by the way, next week you will be leaving for the school.”

“What school?”

“Montfort Academy for the Elites. Don’t worry though, I will make sure you are well taken care off while in there. Also, you will have a chance every once a month to come home. I will be there personally to see you off.”

My face soured and I pushed myself up. “You’re seriously chucking me into a boarding school with snobs?”

“Yes.”

“Can’t I like… just go to a normal school?”

“A normal school will not suit you, dear. Besides, if you are anything at all like your mother, you will be brilliant. Nothing to worry about in terms of academics.”

“Academics maybe but—”

“No buts. I will be heading off now. I still have a lot left to arrange for you.”