he didn’t care.

Maybe I wasn’t worth finding.

But the truth was worse.

Someone had deliberately made sure I believed I wasn’t worth finding.

My father.

I swallowed hard.

“So what’s the condition?”

Richard drew a deep breath.

“Your grandfather didn’t want you to simply inherit his fortune.”

“What did he want?”

“He wanted you to understand what you were inheriting.”

I frowned.

Richard handed me another document.

It was the final page of the will.

I read the first paragraph.

Then the second.

Then the third.

My heart started racing.

“What does this mean?”

Richard pointed toward one sentence.

“Your grandfather left you the estate on one condition.”

I read it again.

Nathan Brooks must not return to the family home for thirty days.

I looked up.

“That’s it?”

“No.”

Richard’s voice grew quieter.

“There is another requirement.”

“What?”

“You must remain financially independent during those thirty days.”

I

stared at him.

“You mean I can’t use the inheritance?”

“Correct.”

“No money from the accounts?”

“Correct.”

“No credit cards?”

“Correct.”

“No property?”

“Correct.”

“Then how am I supposed to survive?”

Richard glanced toward my car.

“You already have been.”

I almost laughed.

“This is insane.”

“It gets worse.”

Of course it did.

Richard opened the final folder.

“Your grandfather wanted to know what you would do if you believed you had nothing.”

I stared at him.

“What does that mean?”

“He didn’t want to leave his empire to someone who would become dependent on it.”

“He wanted to test me?”

“Yes.”

“And if I fail?”

“You inherit nothing.”

I stared down at the document.

For the first time since meeting Richard, anger rose inside me.

“You find me living in my car after my father threw me out, and you tell me my grandfather deliberately waited until now to