Sealed With a Kiss

One

A/N: Poppy will be played by Isla Fisher!

I: Icy Glare
One year later

I sat fidgeting in my seat, trying my very best to keep my hands from shaking. I looked around the courtroom, my eyes taking in the faces of those sitting in to listen to the trial. Some were intrigued, I could tell from the glint in their eyes, but others...they weren't so amused.

My gaze accidentally locked with one of them, I do believe it was Mina's daughter, and she sent me the most hatred-filled glare. I wanted to apologize, really I hadn't intended for any of this to happen.

The judge looked particularly bored, probably because she's been listening to the facts of the case all day. I don't blame her, for if I didn't feel as though I might throw up with nerves I'd be equally as tired of being in a courtroom for hours.

Just moments ago the Richmond's army of lawyers had called me to the stand, and with a comforting smile from my lawyer, I was off on shaky legs. There was no way I was guilty of manipulating Mina into signing off her inheritance to me,  but it still made me nervous to be at the receiving end of the plaintiff's steel gaze.

"Please state your name and spell it for the court," said the one of the Richmond lawyers in a strong, firm voice.

"Poppy White, W-h-i-t-e."

"Ms. White," the attorney from Squad Richmond began his cross, his eyes zeroing in on me, "you met Wilhelmina Richmond exactly sixteen months before her death, isn't that correct?"

I nodded, thinking back to the time when I first was blessed with knowing Mina. "Yes that's correct."

"And you worked for her as a...'lady-in-waiting', yes?"

"Yes."

"And as her employee, you gained her trust and affection,  Ms. White?"

"Yes, sir."

"Wilhelmina Richmond was a frail old woman, wouldn't you agree Ms. White?" I opened my mouth to agree but was promptly cut off by another question. "A frail old, lonely woman that could have easily been manipulated, wouldn't you say so?"

"I-I" I stammered, but thankfully my lawyer cut in. In her skin-tight black pencil skirt and low-cut blouse, the stunning Remington West stood and eyed the attorney, whom I believe was called Sebastian Gates, before setting her gaze on the judge.

"Objection, your honor. Calls for speculation."

The attorney locked gazes with Remy, and after what appeared as a death match he turned to the judge and smoothed the lapels of his tailored suit. "Allow me to rephrase my question."

The cross examination proceeded, with Sebastian Gates asking numerous questions that left me little room to work with. He was good, always making sure I was limited to a 'yes' or 'no' answer. Finally I was relieved of the piercing look of the plaintiff, and my lawyer stepped up for the re-direct.

"Poppy, could you explain to us how you met Wilhelmina Richmond?"

"It was December of 2012," I began, "And I'd just lost my job at an art gallery called 89 Designs. I met Mina in a vintage shop, and she and I got to talking."

"Then I understand you went out for tea. What did you discuss?" I relaxed under Remy's calming gaze and focused on getting the story right. Mina and I hit it off instantly, and once she'd heard of my current unemployed status she had offered to take me for a cup of tea to talk it over.

"Yes, we did. She offered me a job, and insisted I took it."

"What type of work did you do for Wilhelmina Richmond?" I smiled at the thought. Mina's mischivous eyes had gained a youthful glint as she laid her cards on the table. She wanted a lady-in-waiting, and playfully mocking my English origins, she thought I'd fit the role perfectly.

"Neither one of us knew what a lady-in-waiting really did, but Mina was amused at the prospect of having one. We decided that for our purposes, I would serve as a companion. Play chess and let her win, read poetry in the garden after breakfast...that sort of thing. She became like the grandmother I never had, and in turn I like a granddaughter to her."

Remy took a pause to let my words sink into the audience. "Poppy, did you have any idea that Wilhelmina Richmond planned to make you her sole heir of the majority of the stocks in the company, and of the real estate and assests under her name?"

"No," I said fervently. "She never mentioned anything, not even a hint of her intentions. When Mina passed...I was devastated. I never wanted her money."

"Thank you your honor, no further questions." Just as I was about to rise from the witness box, the door of the courtroom was suddenly thrown open.

In strutted the most handsome man I've ever seen. He was dressed in a spiffy suit that contrasted strongly with his unruly dirty blond hair. His eyes, as pale and cold as ice were trained on me...the same eyes of that night.

I felt a deep blush rise up my skin like a rash as I looked away. It was the same man from the night I let go of all my insecurities and unabashedly had sex with in the supply closet of a stranger's home at a Christmas party Mina dragged me to last year.

The man, Cole he was called (I never did learn his last name) walked down the aisle and hugged Olivia Richmond-Prescott.

"Who's that?" I asked to Remy once I was back in my seat.

Remy eyed the latecomers and shrugged. "That's Cole Richmond, the ex heir to the Richmond empire."

The blood rushed out of my head as I shamefully thought, and the man I had a quickie with in a supply closet.

Really, could this get any worse?

I didn't know it then, but this was only the beginning of how chaotic my life was about to become.

A/N: New story! This is a sort of sequel to Stealing the Groom. Hopefully you all support and love Cole and Poppy's story as much as Max and Elle's.