The Heirs She Denied

Everyone was staring at me.

The scandal had cut clean through the weight of the funeral.

Damon Price stood pressed against Vanessa Carlisle's arm, the two of them arranged like husband and wife, and he put on his most considerate voice.

"Julian, why don't you go home and rest? Everyone's watching you. That can't feel good. There's no reason to give people a show on a day this important."

Vanessa reached over, unpinned the black family ribbon from my lapel, and took the white rose out of my breast pocket.

"Damon's looking out for you. Staying here only embarrasses you.

"He brought Dad's granddaughter with him. He belongs up front more than you do."

Her voice stayed quiet, but there was no room in it to argue.

Five years of silence between us, and this was the most she'd said to me in all of it.

We'd become strangers who knew exactly where to cut.

In the beginning her affairs left me frantic, sleepless, hollowed out, barely able to function. Now I could look at her and feel nothing at all.

Evelyn Carlisle watched me coldly and aimed her words at Vanessa, making sure every one of them landed on me.

"How many times have I told you? Hesitate, and it always costs you more.

"A Carlisle son-in-law is supposed to give this family children. Ten years in the seat and nothing to show for it. He's got no right to stand up front with us."

Vanessa frowned when I didn't move.

"Are you really not going? Do you have to humiliate yourself like this?"

She kept her voice down for appearances.

I didn't.

"Why should I leave? I'm your husband, Vanessa. Legally, publicly, on paper."

My eyes moved over the executives and public faces filling Rosewood Heritage Chapel, past Harold Carlisle's portrait, and came back to her.

"As long as that's true, I have every right to be standing here."

I paused and let my gaze settle on Damon.

"Do you have a marriage license?"

Anger flashed across his face for about a second before he buried it under an understanding expression and made a show of backing down.

"Vanessa, he's right. I don't have a license. We have a beautiful daughter together, but I don't have a license, and I don't want Lily growing up hearing what I hear. I don't want anyone calling her a bastard.

"We should go."

He turned like he meant it.

The little girl in his arms pressed her cheek to his and started pleading with Vanessa.

"Mommy, you said Daddy would never be sad. You said you wouldn't let anybody be mean to him."

She pointed at me. "He was mean to Daddy. He's a bad man. Don't let him hurt my daddy."

The performance did exactly what it was built to do. Vanessa turned on me.

"Apologize to Damon. Apologize to my daughter.

"I decide who stands beside me in this family.

"And if you can't behave, I have no problem replacing the man on that license."

Her last warning.

She still believed I was clinging to the marriage, that I'd swallow anything to keep her.

She had no idea that everything in me had died years ago.

I was standing there for one reason. My sons were going to take this family, and I intended to hand it to them.

"Are you filing for divorce today?

"Even if you file this afternoon, the court still has to serve it, process it, and enter a judgment.

"Until a judge signs that, I'm your husband, and the seat reserved for your father's son-in-law is mine."

Harold had been good to me while he lived. He'd opened doors I couldn't have opened myself. Fighting to see him off properly was something I did gladly.