CEO Of My Heart 209 209

Nolan looked away before meeting his sister's eyes hesitantly.  "I didn't think I would be successful which is why I didn't tell you I was interested in her.  I mean it's only fair after what you and Henry were up to."

Ellie raised an eyebrow as she heard this.  She finally smiled nervously. "It's good that you've got a good taste in women.  I'm not too sure that Henry was the right choice for me, but what I do know is Janna Wu is the perfect choice for you.  I'm glad that after you chasing after her for so long that she decided that she wanted to keep you. I'm hoping with her around that I won't have to worry about you so much.  It's a relief to finally have a good doctor in the family." Ellie couldn't quite meet his eyes so she looked away. "I had quite a shock today which is why I wanted to see you.  Mother's friend, Mr Lopez came to visit me today at the Wong Building. I found out that he was our father's lawyer."

Ellie heard the snap as Nolan gritted his teeth in distaste.  "I'd hoped we'd put our past behind us. To have it continue to follow us around is unsettling."

"That's not the unsettling part.  Our step sisters have pa.s.sed on. Not at the same time, but very close to each other." A note of coldness entered Ellie's voice. "I don't even understand why it would come to me, but the Baronry is governed by absolute primogeniture so that makes me the next Baroness Braye."

Nolan grew still as the realization of the magnitude of the statement hit him.  "That's amazing! I can't believe it, I remember when I was younger and angry that I couldn't inherit.  I'm surprised, I thought they were both in good health. Why did they pa.s.s without us knowing?" Ellie went through the circ.u.mstances quickly and Nolan eyes grew bigger and bigger until she finished.  "Well I can't say I'm surprised. Although Anastasia probably could have avoided her end if she had better social skills. They were always horrible. I wish I could be more sad, but they were awful to mother.  I can't forgive them for what they did to her. But really neither can I say I wanted them to have died in such a way."

He looked at his sister with a knowing look.  It was sad to think that out of everyone who lived in that enormous manor there was only each other with which they could find solace when it came to the cruelty with with their siblings had treated them.  The former Baron and Baroness had been there as the occasional disciplinarian when things had gone too far, but their gentle urging for them to get along had really done nothing in their favor to cure them of the fear that the two shared of what they would have to deal with next.  The team that this apprehension had forged was why they were so devoted to each other. Ellie hoped that she could eventually come to forgive her older sisters, however, she knew that right now neither her nor Nolan were interested in doing so.

Ellie sighed as she turned to her brother.  "I wish I could give you your share of the inheritance right now, but I don't know the damage that the two wreaked over everything.  I'm going soon to see what we can salvage. Hopefully we don't have to sell the place, but I promise I will give you more than what you deserve for putting up with the brats."

"That's rea.s.suring.  Now that I'm thinking about having kids, it will be good to start thinking about them." Nolan started to laugh. "You know what makes this funny is Wu admitted to me she's part of one of the monarchies in Asia.  She hasn't told me exactly which one, but I think it's one of the old Chinese n.o.ble houses that were pushed out during the Rebellion.  She was married to a Malaysian n.o.ble for a while. That's insane. I know that she's been out of touch with that side for a long time, but I doubt my in-laws would be unhappy with me if I was related to a British n.o.ble.  We are still in that fold after all, even if we don't like to acknowledge it. If our children wanted to go back to reconnect with that side of the family, they won't be excluded. It's not something I was striving for, but its a benefit now I guess.  I'm the brother of a n.o.ble lady."

"Nolan, we were always British aristocracy."

Nolan looked at her coldly.  "We've always lived as if we weren't to think of it now is strange.  I still don't like thinking I have Anastasia and Priscilla to thank. I'd rather pretend it was just you and me like before."

Ellie shrugged.  "Then let's keep doing that."

They both looked up to see that Janna had stuck her head into the reception room as she had been paged by the nurses that her sister-in-law-to-be was here.  She had finished up her procedure and seemed in a good mood as she disposed of her mask and gloves in the trash before walking over to where they were seated.  There was a lightness about her which Ellie instantly liked. She didn't doubt for a minute that Janna did not want to be married to her brother.

Ellie moved to another sofa, but was still hugged by Janna enthusiastically as she squeezed her shoulder before taking a seat next to her future husband.  Ellie started with pleasantries before moving on to the strange story of how she had come to inherit a dominion. Wu listened with interest but didn't seem too overly excited.  These types of conversations, Ellie presumed, must be something she had heard of a lot when she had been a princess. It probably wasn't exciting for her to see privileged people become even more so.