The Heiress' Reckoning

“In the third year of their relationship, Kristian Dobson married the wealthy heiress Laura Clarke behind my back. He told me, "Evelyn, I'm an illegitimate son. Only by marrying her can I gain my father's approval and claim my place in the family." I scoffed inwardly. He was merely making excuses for his ambition. I chose to end things cleanly, but Kristian confined me like a caged bird, hidden from the world. "You live a life of luxury without lifting a finger. What more could you want?" he demanded. Later, to please Laura, he forced me to jump from the seventeenth-floor balcony. They assumed I was powerless, unaware I was the sole heir to the city's richest fortune.”