Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 120

Chapter 120 Hidden Wealth 

Tess couldn’t help but feel a bit surprised. 

Are all these people waiting for me? 

She let out a cold breath, thinking this seemed a bit over the top. 

But she didn’t hesitate for long. Hugging Layla tightly in her arms, she followed the leader in. 

“Please take a look. This is Gillian’s handwritten will.” 

The man leading the group respectfully handed her an envelope, carefully holding it with white gloves. 

At those words, Tess’s hands trembled. 

Grandma’s handwritten will? 

Her emotions surged, and her eyes quickly turned red. 

Sensing Tess’s grief, everyone in the reception room silently lowered their heads, giving her space. 

With shaking fingers, Tess touched the thick envelope. 

Though they called it a will, there were at least ten pages. It felt more like a farewell letter Gillian had written just for her. 

Only the last two pages mentioned how to handle the inheritance. The rest of it was all about Tess-memories, affection, and love. 

By the time Tess finished reading the last page, tears were already streaming down her face. 

Ever since Nadine had shown up, Tess had been treated like an outsider in her own home. 

But Gillian had never changed her opinion or treatment of her. If anything, she had loved Tess even more, spoiling her like always. 

When Tess was sent to prison, it had happened so suddenly that she didn’t even get the chance to defend herself. And during that year behind bars, she wasn’t entirely alone. 

Nadine would sometimes visit just to mock her, purposely bragging about how close she was getting with Finn. 

From the moment Tess went to prison, she had completely given up on Finn. 

Her cold attitude wasn’t at all what Nadine expected, and it left her frustrated. 

That was when Nadine started spreading rumors. 

She’d say things like Gillian was so angry about Tess’s disgraceful actions that she had cut all ties with her. 

Back then, Tess would sit with her back to Nadine, biting her lip so hard it bled as she tried not to make a sound. 

But no matter how hard she wiped her eyes, the tears just kept falling. All she thought about during those days was getting out so that she could kneel by Gillian’s side and explain everything face to face. 

She never did those things they accused her of. It was all lies, slander. 

She had always been a good kid, the kind Gillian could trust. 

But fate played its cruel trick. By the time Tess finally got her freedom back, Gillian was already gone. 

Tess’s eyelashes were wet with tears, her whole face streaked with glistening traces of sorrow. 

And now… 

Her hands shook uncontrollably as she held the envelope. 

But instead of the piles of gold bars or dazzling diamonds she expected, the first thing she saw was two rows of bookshelves. 

Her heart tightened. 

The staff member softly guided her attention. “Over here.” 

Reluctantly, Tess pulled her gaze away from the bookshelves and followed him to a corner of the room. There stood an exquisite 2/3 vanity table. 

The entire piece was crafted from rare shell nuts, with the feathers of exotic birds woven into the design. One glance was enough to know it was priceless. 

Switching to a pair of black gloves, the staff member carefully opened the small drawers built into the vanity. 

He opened them one by one, revealing a stunning set of jewelry. 

The jewels sparkled so brightly that Tess blinked instinctively. 

“Mrs. Larson was a seasoned jewelry collector. These pieces are some of the things she left for you,” the man explained. 

Then, he reached over to a nearby table and picked up a thick stack of documents. “These are the deeds to several villas and estates under Mrs. Larson’s name. There’s also a winery overseas that’s still in operation.” 

“This is … ” Tess started but trailed off, her mind spinning. 

The staff member continued to pull out more property records, one after another, leaving Tess completely stunned. 

The Embers weren’t exactly some grand, prestigious family in Aetheris. They’d been in decline for years. She never imagined Gillian had this much hidden wealth. 

She blinked in confusion. 

The staff member, genuinely happy for her, didn’t rush her to snap out of it.