Three days had passed since Mr Thomas was laid to rest but the mansion felt no less suffocating. Every corner still carried his shadow, his presence lingering in the heavy silence of the house.
Leilani laid flat on her bed, reluctant to start her day. The clock read a quarter past nine.
"Arrrrg" she groaned in frustration, rubbing her temples.
"The same routine, every single day"
Having to wake up, freshen up, grab breakfast, rush to the gallery, return to the mansion in the evenings, go to bed – only to wake up the next day to repeat the same cycle was tiring.
And painting under Mrs Victoria's instructions made it even worse. Leilani still could not understand why she was constantly told to recreate several designs when they only ended up locked away in the storage.
Despite her growing resolve to stop following Mrs Victoria demands, quitting the gallery was not part of it. Painting was more than just a task, it was therapeutic, her one true source of happiness.
The buzz from her phone on the bedside drawer disrupted her thoughts. Without lifting her head, she stretched out an arm and lazily reached for it.
A message from an unknown number popped on the screen.
"Good morning, Miss Williams. I am James Steve, your late father's lawyer. I will be at the mansion by three pm to read his will. Please ensure to be present."
Leilani sat up abruptly, her heart skipped a bit.
"The reading of dad's will?" She whispered, her breath hitching.
It all felt too soon. Too abrupt. She still could not believe Mr Thomas was gone, and now this? A formal reading of his final words?
Her fingers tightened around the phone as she thought. A part of her did not want to go, did not want to sit in the midst of them feeling like an outsider over again.
And she was sure Mr Thomas had left nothing to her. She was not expecting any though, not as if she has a tiny bit of interest in his properties.
The bond between Leilani and her father was not particularly strong or affectionate. Mr Thomas was a man consumed by business, always focused on numbers, deals and acquisitions. Family had been mere obligation, something he acknowledged but never truly nurtured.
Yet despite that, Leilani was still grateful to him. He had played the role of a father figure, even if from a distance.
Her mind drifted to the dinners he insisted on, the one and only time of the day he made an effort to bring the family together.
The large dining table, the rich delicacies and stiff silence.
He would ask on rare occasions how their day went, and listen quietly as everyone spoke.
And then there was Lucia.
Leilani could already picture her smug expression, her sharp remarks dripping with mockery and she was not ready for all that.
The thought of it alone made her stomach churn.
But after thinking for a while, she concluded she had no other choice than to be there – it's about what connection she had to Mr Thomas.
And If nothing else, she owes Mr James the respect of showing up.
With a deep sigh, she finally swung her legs over the edge of the bed. As she stood, a sharp pang of headache struck her causing her to pause. She winced, pressing her fingers to her temples before pressing forward.
She proceeded to roll the curtains, allowing the bright morning sun to seep in. She took a moment to smooth her bed, then made her way to the tiny bathroom attached to her room.
She needed a shower. A warm cup of coffee and bites of toast.
She needed to prepare for whatever awaited her at three pm.
************
Leilani woke up from her nap at exactly two fifty pm, feeling relieved as her headache was completely gone.
A soft yawn escaped her lips as she pushed herself upright.
The sleep in her eyes faded instantly as her eyes met the silver clock on the wall. It was almost time.
She dashed out of her room,after picking her phone, heading for the living room.
She met Lucia when she arrived, lying on one of the three seater couches, scrolling through her phone. She was dressed in a tight fitted dress that was too revealing.
Leilani concluded she was back from one of her crazy hangouts or probably partying all day.
Lucia did not even glance up as she walked in, though the corner of her lips was raised in a smirk.
Mrs Victoria, seated with her usual pose in a high backed chair did not look up either. Her posture was as perfect as ever, her cold calculating gaze fixed on the clock above the fireplace.
"Awwwwn" Lucia drawled, finally looking up from her phone. "You are here to know if dad...
fuck, what the hell did i just say...She scoffed
"To know if my dad left anything to you, rightttt?
She let out a little laugh "Trust me darling, i am pretty sure he did not".
With that, she hissed and blew a large bubble with her gum, then popped it noisily.
Leilani simply ignored her and took the couch farthest from them. Her hands gripped the armrest as she straight ahead.
At exactly three pm, Mr James came in with a briefcase in his hands, his demeanor was calm and professional.
Mr James was a stubble short man in his late forties.
He set the briefcase on a coffee table, opened it with practiced precision and pulled out a stack of documents.
"Good afternoon ladies" He began, his tone formal. "I appreciate you all for making the time to be here for the reading of Mr Thomas Williams last will and testament"
Lucia leaned back, her arms crossed. "Let us quickly get on with it, James".
Mr James nodded and adjusted his glasses. "Alright. I will begin if there are no objections".
"None" Mrs Victoria said crisply though the faint tightness in her voice does not go unnoticed.
Mr James' gaze met Leilani's, and she nodded in approval as well.
He began "I, Thomas Williams, being of sound mind and body, hereby declare this document to be my last will and testament"
He cleared his throat and continued " To my wife, Victoria Williams, I leave the Williams family mansion including all furnishings, vehicles and personal belongings. However, I stipulate that
these assets shall be held in trust for Victoria to be used at her discretion until Leilani fulfills the condition outlined in article II"
Mrs Victoria gaze narrowed slightly, her expression calm but her brows creased in confusion.
What condition could Thomas possibly be talking about?
Despite the flicker of emotion, she maintained her poised demeanor.
"To my youngest daughter,Lucia, I leave an amount of five million dollars in cash to be deposited into her trust fund upon the execution of this will and five percent shares in the hotel business"
"Hmmm...not bad," Lucia remarked, flipping her hair. "At least i got something"
She glanced at Leilani, her eyes gleaming with fake pity.
"Looks like someone will keep making those ugly paintings forever"
Leilani clenched her jaw but said nothing. She did not want to give Lucia the satisfaction of rising to her bait.
Mr James paused and Leilani felt his gaze flicker towards her before he continued. "To my eldest daughter, Leilani...."
The room seemed to hold its breath. Mrs Victoria stiffened, her head tilting slightly as if she had misheard. Lucia's grin faltered.
"...I leave ownership of The Williams Group, all subsidiary businesses and properties under the condition that she must marry within a year of my passing to assume full control. Should this condition not be met, ownership will revert to my wife and youngest daughter in equal shares."
"What the fuck? Lucia shrieked, rising to her feet.
"Are you kidding me? He left the company to her?
Victoria's gaze remained cold but Leilani noticed the way her fingers trembled slightly as she smooths the hem of her dress.
Her voice was sharp and clipped as she spoke "Mr James, this must be a mistake. My husband would not make such decision without consulting me"
Mr James shaked his head "I assure you Mrs Williams, there is no mistake. Mr Williams was very clear in his intentions"
Lucia rushed towards Leilani, her eyes blazing "What did you do? Huh? Did you beg him? Cry to him about how hard your life is?
"Open your mouth and freaking say something" She yelled "Did you play the poor, abandoned orphan card?"
Leilani, still in shock, raised an eyebrow and leaned back in her seat.
Her voice was calm but there was an edge to it, sharp and deliberate.
"Why does that surprise you, Lucia? Maybe he did not want to leave his empire in the hands of someone as incapable as you"
"You bitch" Lucia snapped, her face burning in rage " you think you're going to run The Williams group, you can barely run your own pathetic life"
Mrs Victoria rose from her chair, her eyes flashing with anger.
"That's enough, Lucia, sit down"
Lucia's face twisted into a scowl but she returned to her seat, her deadly gaze never leaving Leilani's face.
Mrs Victoria turned to Mr James "This is a mistake. I demand to know how this happened"
"Like I said earlier, Mr Williams was very clear in his intentions. He expressed immense confidence in Leilani's capabilities" Mr James replies.
What? Mrs Victoria's eyes darkened "confidence in her? She glanced at Leilani.
"This is a man who built his empire with blood sweat and tears. He understood strength, resilience and leadership. So tell me, how do you expect me to believe he would leave all that in the hands of a loser? She yelled.
"I'm sorry, it did not go with your expectations, but that was Mr Williams wish and we must respect that"
" That would be all for now, ladies. If you need more clarification or you have any questions, you can always stop by my office".
Picking up his briefcase, Mr James bowed politely and walked out.
" There is no way daddy will do something like that. Mom, this has to be illegal right?" Lucia queried, wide-eyed as she rushed towards her mom.
"Enough! Mrs Victoria yelled raising her hand "Just shut up, Lucia"
She turned to Leilani who seemed relaxed on the couch, a grin formed on her lips as she watched them.
"And you, Do not get too excited. This changes nothing. There is no way you would get to have the company. Not under my watch"
With that, she stormed out of the living room and Lucia followed her, leaving Leilani to her new reality.
Leilani heaved a sigh shutting her eyes. Her shoulders slumped as her mind raced with thoughts.
"What is going on?
Dad willed all his properties to me. But why?"
Never in her wildest imagination would she have thought something like this could happen.
And as much as she was elated with how things had turned out, she could not help but feel worried.
The condition tied to it. How would she get through it?
Arrrg….she groaned as she rubbed her forehead.
"How do I get married in the space of a year, I do not even have a boyfriend" she wriggled her hair in frustration.
" Who would want to be with a girl who is scared of getting intimate?"
Her mind suddenly drifted to Atlas.
"Things would have been much better if we were still together"
"Leilani, snap out of it" She mentally slapped herself as she realized.
" You said you were never gonna think about him, now look at you"
Her subconscious self mocked her.
Pushing Atlas's s thought away, she sat up straight
Her mind began wondering further why Thomas had set such a condition.
But even after thinking for a while, she could not come up with anything.
Standing up, she inhaled deeply and pushed her shoulders back.
"I will get married and take charge of the company, one way or the other. I will make sure it happens" she assured herself.
With that, she walked back to her room filled with excitement and a newfound determination.
***********
Back in Mrs Victoria's room, Lucia paced back and forth.
Her manicured hands were clenched into fists, her face twisted in fury.
"This is bullshit! Absolute bullshit, how could he do this to me? to us, mom?
She spat, her voice shrill as she waved her arms dramatically.
"That useless bitch does not deserve anything, Let alone the company. She probably bribed James or something"
Mrs Victoria, sitting on the bed stiffly, watched her daughter, her eyes narrowed.
"Mom, can you say something at least? Lucia yelled.
"And to think he left me with only five million dollars cash" She rolled her eyes
"It is barely enough to buy the Lamborghini and the Birkin I have always wanted"
"That's it" Mrs Victoria exclaimed rising up "That has always been your problem. It is your fault we are in this mess" She thundered
" What? How is it my fault" Lucia snapped, her eyes widening.
" Yes it is, You had every opportunity to prove yourself, Lucia. Every opportunity to prove that you are capable of handling the company. But what did you do? You spend your days galavanting, throwing parties, shopping, spending lavishly on stuffs that were not relevant"
"And so?How is that even a problem? I am his birth daughter and it is my sole right to inherit his properties" Lucia retorted.
"Really?" Mrs Victoria stepped closer " It is stupid enough for you to think that Thomas would hand everything to you just because you are his daughter.
"So what? Lucia said " You are just going to let it slide? You are okay with that bitch running our company?
Mrs Victoria's eyes flashed with anger, her tone more calm "Do not be ridiculous, of course I am not okay with it. But unlike you, I am not gonna stand here throwing tantrums about it".
Lucia sat next to her, her brows raised in curiosity
"So what are you going to do?"
Mrs Victoria turned away, her gaze fixed on the window as she spoke
"We are not going to let her have it. That much is certain"
"Good, Because I am not gonna let her win," Lucia said
"This is not just any game Lucia. If you want the company back, you are going to have to grow up and stop acting like a spoiled child. You will need to play smart, not just loud".
"What does that mean?" Lucia asked, her tone suspicious
" Chloe's ownership is conditional. She has to marry within a year to take control. That is her weakness. If we can exploit it, we can stop her from gaining full ownership" Mrs Victoria said with a wicked grin.
"And how do you plan on doing that?
Mrs Victoria stepped closer, her voice in a whisper "We have got two options. We either ensure she never gets married or we get rid of her"
" Get rid of her? As in?" Lucia's eyes widened
Mrs Victoria's gaze darkened" Whatever it takes" she muttered
A slow wicked grin spread on Lucia's face "I love the way you think mom"
Mrs Victoria did not smile back as she placed a hand on her shoulders "This is our only chance. You will have to work with me if you really want to inherit the company"
Lucia straightened her spine "Sure mom, I will"
"Good" Mrs Victoria nodded curtly.