Chapter 15: Price Of The Inheritance

Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Price Of The Inheritance

Simon drove slowly through the busy building street of London. Tall glass offices stood on both sides of the road, and the morning traffic was heavy. He kept looking at his watch because Uriah has been calling him non-stop.

Inside the car, Benson has been on call with the company’s HR. Not quite long,he ended the call, turned and asked Flora about the chef.

"What is the chef’s real name?" Benson asked in a low voice.

Flora looked tired. She did not sleep well last night .

"Her real name is Steph Bliss," Flora said quietly.

Benson’s face changed immediately. His eyes became sharp.

"Steph Bliss?" he repeated. "Flora, Andrew brought a young man yesterday. His name is Tony Bliss. He said he is our new operations manager and he is working with us now."

Flora felt cold.

"Tony Bliss and Steph Bliss? Same surname," Benson whispered. "That means he is a spy. Andrew planted him here. The chef is his sister. They are working together to steal information from us."

Flora’s hands began to shake, not from fear but from anger.

When they got to the company building, the staff were looking through the window to admire the Bentley flying spur that drove in. Simon parked the Bentley, Flora and Benson stepped out confidently and headed inside the company building together in silence.They saw him. Tony Bliss was with a file standing close to Andrew in the main hall.

The moment Andrew saw Flora, he wished the ground would swallow him. He did not expect her here. He promised not to talk back at her no matter how angry she gets at him.

Flora lost control.

She walked straight to Andrew, her heels making loud sounds on the marble floor.

"I don’t want to see you in this company again!" she shouted. Everyone turned to look. "This company is not your brother’s property! You think because you are related to my husband, you can step your feets here?"

Andrew tried to speak but Flora did not allow him.

"I had this company before I married your brother! I built it with my own hands, but I kept it a secret because I loved my husband and I wanted peace in my home! This is MY company, not his!"

Her voice echoed in the hall.

She turned to Tony Bliss. "You and Andrew, disappear from my company now! Leave my files and get out!"

Then she looked at Andrew again, her eyes full of fire. "And you, Andrew, I will come back for you. You dare attempt to steal the papers. You will pay for everything you have done."

Benson was watching from the door. He rushed to her side and held her arm gently.

"Sis, calm down, please calm down," he said softly.

Flora breathed heavily, then walked away from them. She headed back to the car,Ave and Simon were already waiting inside.

Benson stayed back in the hall because Flora had asked him to keep an eye on Andrew and make sure they leave the building.

In few minutes, they got to the court premises.

Inside Martin’s office, the air was cool. The air conditioner was humming softly, and everywhere smelled clean and expensive. The interior was a bit luxurious for a standard lawyer. The chairs were made of fine leather, the walls were covered with dark wood, and tall bookshelves held hundreds of law books arranged neatly. A large glass table stood in the middle with golden decorations on it. It did not look like the office of a struggling lawyer. It looked like the office of a man who handled big money and big secrets.

Flora sat down slowly. Her face was pale and her hands were shaking. Her lawyer, Ave, sat close beside her, holding a small black file. Simon did not sit with them. He sat quietly on a seat close to the entrance, watching everything. His eyes were on Flora because he was worried about her.

Flora opened her handbag. She brought out all the documents she had kept since her husband’s death. There were land papers, company certificates, bank papers, and the copy of the Will her husband left behind. Her hands were heavy as she handed everything over to Martin.

Martin collected the papers one by one and arranged them on his table. He wore glasses and he looked at each document carefully without saying a word. The room became silent. Only the sound of papers turning could be heard.

Then Ave spoke. Ave’s voice was calm but firm.

"Martin, when is the investigation beginning?" she asked. "And what is the reason for this investigation? My client has submitted everything. Why does she need to be investigated again?"

Martin dropped the last paper on the table and removed his glasses slowly. He looked at Flora directly.

"The investigation will begin in seven days," he said. "The court has ordered a full verification of the estate."

Flora frowned. "Verification of what? I have given you everything."

Martin sighed. "Flora,The will is contested and must be legally verified before properties are released to you. During this period, you will not have access to his estate. You will not have access to the rest of the company, the landed property, the secret accounts, and everything your husband owned."

The room became colder.

"What?" Flora whispered.

Martin continued, his voice now very soft, like he did not want to hurt her. "It is written in your husband’s Will. The Will says that if you do not accept to marry Andrew within ninety days." You lose control of the estate and the inheritance placed under the control of the court, until the conditions of the will are resolved".

Martins continued..

"During this investigation, all your husband properties remain under the court and will only be released after your marriage to Andrew. If you doubt this, you may visit the Supreme Court to read the will or file a petition, but I advise you to adhere to your husband’s will, as witnesses exist."

It was like a bomb exploded in the room.

Flora’s heart stopped. Her mouth opened but no words came out. Her eyes grew wide with shock. Her whole body began to shake.

Flora screamed at the top of her voice, "Same Andrew who tried stealing my papers? He hated me even when my husband was alive! Since my husband died, he never visited me or my daughter. Now my husband expects me to marry Andrew? I would rather die than let Andrew touch me! Andrew is a demon, a gold digger, a manipulator, which my husband knew! I don’t believe it, it’s not possible! This will is fake, I reject it completely!"

Simon saw her head dropping. He rushed from his seat close to the entrance and stood beside her. He said softly

"Madam, breathe, please breathe," he whispered.

In few minutes,Flora’s phone started ringing. It was her mother calling from the other side. The phone rang and rang, but Flora did not pick. Then her brother started calling. The phone kept vibrating on the glass table.Her empire is crashing.

Her voice low. Her breathing was uneven but she tried to steady it.

After a few minutes, she got hold of herself. She wiped her face with her palm and looked at Martin,her gaze steady despite the pain in her eyes.

"Why?" she asked, her voice breaking. "Why will my husband choose to punish me like this after what we have been through together? After all the love, after all the years I stood by him? Why will he do this to me? What did I do wrong?"

Her voice was low,carrying a quiet pain she refused to hide.It was not just about money or property. It was about betrayal. She felt betrayed by the only man she ever trusted.

Martin felt a deep ache for her. He lowered his voice.

"Flora, please calm down," he said gently. "Sometimes men write Wills out of fear, not out of hate. Maybe he thought he was protecting you. The court will find the truth. Just calm down."

Ave put her hand over Flora’s hand and squeezed it. "We will fight this, Flora. We will not allow it."

Flora said nothing more She chose silence over shouting.

They left the office after that. The luxurious office that once looked beautiful now felt like a prison.

Outside, Simon quickly opened the car door. He drove very fast because he wanted to get Flora home quickly. The Bentley moved through the streets of London like the wind.

At the back seat of the car, Ave held Flora tightly in her arms. Flora leaned her shoulder lightly on Ave,her eyes wet, but she did not break. Her phone was still ringing, but she did not care. She had just discovered that the man she loved had left her the biggest punishment of her life.

When they got to the house, the staff were surprised. They did not expect Flora back so early. The security opened the gate quickly and nod his heads respectfully. Inside, the house was quiet, too quiet. It was remaining only a few of them now since the chef had been fired.

Grace, her maid, saw Flora’s face and knew something was wrong. Flora’s eyes were red, her hair was slightly undone, and her steps low, but her grace never left her. Her maid ran to her and greeted her calmly.

"Madam, welcome," Grace whispered.

Flora did not answer. She was too tired to talk. Her heart was still beating fast from what Martin had told her in his office. The words about marrying Andrew in ninety days kept ringing in her head like a loud bell.

Grace followed her upstairs. Her heart felt heavy, but her gaze was steady. When they got to the bedroom, Grace opened the door and she walked to the bed. Flora laid on the bed just like that. She did not remove her shoes, she did not change her clothes. She just fell on the soft bed and stared at the ceiling. Her chest was going up and down. She was breathing hard, but no tears were coming out. She had chosen to be strong.

Ave, her lawyer, followed them upstairs. She stood near the bed and looked at Flora with concern. She had seen many clients break down, but Flora’s case was different, she did not show it, she wore it like a second skin. It was not just about property. It was about love and betrayal.

"Flora," Ave said softly, sitting at the edge of the bed, "you need to calm down. I know this is hard. The news is shocking, but it is not the end. We will look at the Will again. I will go to the Supreme Court if we need to. We will file a petition. But for now, you need to rest."

Flora turned her head slowly and looked at Ave. Her lips trembled slightly.

"Ave, how can I calm down?" she asked in a tired voice. "My husband wants me to marry a man who hates me. A man who wants me dead. How?"

Ave held her hand. "I understand. But you cannot fight when you are tired like this. You need strength. Rest today, we will talk tomorrow."

Ave looked at her wristwatch. Her driver was waiting outside to take her home. She had another meeting in the evening, but she did not want to leave Flora like this.

"My driver is waiting outside," Ave said. "I have to leave now . I will call you tonight. Flora, please, do not think too much . Just sleep."

Flora nodded a little. Ave touched her shoulder gently, picked her bag, and left the room. Her footsteps went down the stairs and the front door closed quietly.

Maya was not in the house.

Grace stood near the door, watching her madam. She wanted to help but did not know what to say. After some minutes, Grace said, "Madam, should I bring water? Or food?"

Flora shook her head. "No, Grace, leave me alone for now. Thank you."

"What of Maya..Flora asked

"She stepped out with Chloe, not quite long ago.

Flora nodded weakly. At least she knew her daughter was safe with Chloe.

Grace nodded and left the room quietly, closing the door behind her.

Now it was only Simon and Flora in the room. Simon had been standing near the window since they entered. He did not want to disturb her. He was watching her, worried, his hands in his pockets. He felt pain in his chest seeing the woman he cared for looking tired but still holding herself. He thought it was time to give her space, so he stood up to leave.

"I will be downstairs, Madam. If you need anything, just call me," he said in a low voice.

But as soon as he turned to go, Flora called him.

"Simon, wait," she said. Her voice was soft and weak, almost like a whisper.

Simon stopped.

Flora sat up a little on the bed, her eyes held the loneliness she rarely shows . She did not want to be alone in that big room. The house was too quiet, her thoughts were too loud, and the shadows on the wall reminded her of her husband’s words.

" Stay back," she said, looking at him. "Stay a little longer with me. Don’t leave. I don’t want to be alone right now."

Her voice low as she said it. It was not just a request. It was a call for help. She was a strong woman, a woman who owned a company and fought big battles, but at that moment she was just a wounded human being who needed someone to sit beside her.

Simon looked at her, and his heart melted. He came back slowly and sat on the chair near the bed. He just sat there, close enough for her to know she was not alone.

Flora laid back on the bed and closed her eyes. For the first time since they left Martin’s office, she allowed herself to feed safe in someone presence.