Peterson lifted a document from his portfolio. Harold has gifted Jillian Blake $5 million in liquid assets and real estate holdings, including the Westbrook development, the Sheffield apartment complex, and the Newport vacation property. The room began to spin slightly.
Those were the exact properties I had been managing for the past 5 years. Properties that were supposed to be divided among all the grandchildren. And the Westbrook development wasn’t even completed yet.
It was the project I had poured my heart into. Researching environmental impact, working with local officials, and designing a mixed-use community that would provide both luxury and affordable housing. These assets, Peterson continued, have been removed from the estate distribution and are now solely owned by Jillian Blake.
That’s not possible, I said, my voice sounding distant to my own ears. Those properties were specifically mentioned in Grandpa’s original estate plan as being divided among all of us. My father stepped forward, his expression of practiced mix of sympathy and firmness.
Amanda, your grandfather, and I discussed this at length. The reality is that Jillian has demonstrated exceptional business acumen over the past year. Furthermore, with you and David both having established careers and Ethan pursuing his music, Jillian simply has greater financial needs at this stage.
Greater financial needs, Ethan repeated incredulously, finally engaging with the proceedings. She lives in a company-paid penthouse and has never worked a day in her life outside the cushy job you gave her. Jillian’s face flushed with anger.
That’s not fair. I’ve been working closely with dad on major projects. Just because I don’t broadcast every little accomplishment like Amanda doesn’t mean I haven’t earned this.
Earned. I couldn’t help but laugh, though. There was no humor in it.
Jillian, you couldn’t even explain how a cap rate works last year and suddenly you’ve earned 5 million in assets. My mother intervened, her voice carrying that warning tone I’d heard throughout childhood. Amanda, this is exactly the kind of reaction that concerned your grandfather.
This competitiveness, this inability to be happy for your sister’s success. Success? I stood up, blood pounding in my ears.
