A FORTUNE IN FURY: THE SECRET TRILLIONAIRE HEIR

Chapter 3

He stumbled to the worn out couch pushed up against the wall. The sun had set outside and darkness was beginning to fall. 

He stared at his inbox. It was his bank account alright. But what was that account balance?

He counted the zeros slowly. 9 of them!

Well, this had to be a joke. This had to be the joke of the year. 

A knock sounded on his door and he dropped his phone as if he was caught stealing. 

Startled, he went to his closed door and unbolted it, then he opened it. It was Linda. She always came to call him when he was needed in the main house. 

Of course, none of the Brooks could ever lower themselves to come to the servants quarters.

“The mistress is asking for you.” Linda informed him. She turned around to go and then seemed to remember something so she turned back to him in the open doorway. “You might want to change that soaked, stained shirt you're wearing before coming though.”

She turned and left. Adrian sighed at the orange juice wetting his shirt. He entered the bathroom and pulled off the shirt, using it to wipe off the tiny, tiny bits of orange stick to his skin. 

He used water to wash his face. He pulled on a clean shirt from his hanger with only one other clean shirt option left and walked out of his room. He stared at his phone, his heart beating fast. 

That money in his bank account was not his own. And he didn't know how anyone could make such a mistake with such a huge amount of money. But the amount itself was enough to make him a little afraid. 

He would go to the bank early tomorrow morning, and find out what that was all about. If he decided to start spending it now and better his life, which he badly needed, he would owe money that he wouldn't even begin to know how to pay back. 

He took the road that cut across the large courtyard to the back door, entering the kitchen. He made his way to the second floor lounge area, where Lady Barbara often came out to watch the night sky with her puppies. All seven of them. 

When he got upstairs he approached Lady Barbara. “You called for me, ma'am.”

Adrian would have expected that since they had been told of Sir Brooks death, that there would be mourning and crying, but the house was surprisingly quiet. He didn't think even them were this cold hearted.

Everyone had loved Sir Brooks. Everyone except his family, it seemed. Sir Brooks had often asked Adrian to join him for a late lunch, or even given him books from his own personal library such as the Richest man in Babylon and other books that had shaped the way he thought.

He was worried about him and his mothers fate now that Sir Brooks was gone. 

"Yes. It appears I did. Fluffy wants a plate of chocolate ice cream and I want a glass of wine, so run along and go get them for me.”

The dogs all ran around, their noisy yips and barks loud and annoying, as they rushed at Adrian's legs. 

Adrian jerked. He was allergic to dog fur. He held his breath and tried to step away.

Lady Barbara screamed. “You! Are you trying to step on my babies and kill them?!”

Adrian had to talk. “No, no ma'am. I was just trying to leave —”

“For the last time, it's Lady Barbara to you. Don't ma'am me, you boy with the diminished brain cells.”

Linda gasped from where she sat off to the corner, holding a plate of cookies up for Lady Barbara. 

“Get out!” Lady Barbara yelled. 

Adrian gingerly walked around the tiny dogs, coughing and sneezing immediately he was out of the lounge area. 

He felt around in his pocket for his pills he always kept there. Being a regular worker in the house since his mother had traveled, he always carried his pills, because he knew there was no way he could avoid the dogs. 

He swallowed one of the pills with a glass of water and then hurried to get the dog a bowl of ice cream and a glass of wine for Lady Barbara. 

He didn't think it was right to feed the dog chocolate ice cream, but what did he know?

Adrian didn't know which of the dogs was fluffy. After he handed over Lady Barbara's wine glass, he looked at the dogs, standing stupidly and wondering which one the ice cream was for. 

He dropped the ice cream bowl on the floor and the dogs rushed to it, all of them struggling to get a lick at the bowl.

He turned to leave when he got a resounding slap on his face. 

“How dare you?! I said the ice cream was just for Fluffy!” She pointed at the dogs. “Fluffy is the tiniest and can't struggle for treats with the others.”

She had him set the bowl down in front of a plush pillow and she sat the dog down on the pillow as the dog started to lap up the ice cream. 

Adrian sighed. He wished he could be treated half as nicely as that dog was. 

He returned to his apartment and pulled off his shirt and headed for a shower. 

He was laying on his flat bed dropped on the floor, his phone beside him as his eyes drifted closed. He was sure he would be thrown out soon after the burial, so he might as well have some rest now. 

His phone rang, jarring him from sleep. 

Sighing tiredly, but knowing it might be Linda calling for Lady Barbara or even one of the Brooks children, he answered. 

“Hello?”

“Hello, good evening, Young Master.”

Adrian sighed. “Wrong number.” he muttered into the phone, going to cut the call.

“Am I speaking with Mr Adrian Richards?”

He paused. “Yes, you are.”

“Then I am speaking to the right person.” 

Adrian thought that voice sounded familiar. 

“Did you receive the money deposited into your bank account, Young Master?”