Chapter 5

• Malia’s POV
• “Let her in,” A voice from behind me commanded.
• Walking up to me was Attorney Edward, a close friend and trusted advisor of my late father.
• “But Sir, she is claiming a false identity,” the security personnel protested, he obviously knew who the Attorney was but not me.
• “How bold are you to make such claims, you have only been working here for three years, do you actually think you know everything about the Williams family?” The Attorney questioned angrily, wondering at the man’s guts.
• “No Sir but according to my records, Late Sir William didn’t have a daughter,” the man replied confidently, standing his ground on this matter.
• “Are willing to bear the consequences of your words and actions if I provide evidence that supports her claim?” The Attorney asked, more annoyed than before.
• “But Sir, I… I…” he stammered, not so confident anymore.
• “I would have you know that this whole interaction is been recorded by my colleague over there,” the attorney said, pointing to the side, revealing a woman dressed in a business suit holding up a phone that seemed to have recorded the world thing.
• “No cameras allowed on the premises,” the security personnel said in alarm and charged towards the woman.
• “Stop right there!” the Attorney said in a loud intimidating tone.
• The man suddenly came to a halt and turned facing the Attorney confused at the situation.
• “In cases like this and the purpose for which we came here, video evidence is needed to guarantee and certify the smooth sailing of this procedure, so I would advise you to step back and open the gate,” The Attorney said disarming the man’s attempt at snatching the camera.
• “Besides, even if you decide to destroy this camera, the evidence is being streamed directly from five different sources including the police station, I strongly advise you to comply for your own good,” The Attorney said with a smile sure that he had scared the man enough to get his way.
• “Thank you, Uncle Edward,” I whispered as we walked into the mansion.
• “My pleasure,” he responded with a smile and a pat on the shoulder.
• Looking around, I couldn’t help but sigh, everything had changed from how I remember them.
• “It’s been too long,” I said aloud, mourning all the time that had passed.
• If only Zach hadn’t abandoned me if only my father hadn’t asked me to abort the baby, if only we never had that argument and I never ran away…
• “I am so sorry Dad,” I whispered as tears rolled down my cheeks.
• I had so many regrets but it was too late, my father had already passed away and I didn’t get the chance to say those words to him in person.
• “Brace up, it’s going to be a long ride,” Attorney Edward warned as we entered the already crowded sitting room.
• There in the sitting room, I saw uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, and nieces, some I had never seen before, but of course, everybody was here for their own chunk of the will.
• “Settle down everyone,” Attorney Edward said as he positioned himself at the fireplace with his colleague holding the camera beside him, documenting the event.
• “We have gathered here today to read the Will of Sir David Williams and fulfill, his last wishes…” he began, it was all becoming so real to me, my father was actually dead…
• As he called out the names of people and their inheritances, I just wanted to break down and cry, I wanted to mourn my father in peace but I couldn’t do that because all these people were waiting to prey on my every weakness.
• “You have to stay strong,” I encouraged myself struggling to hold back my tears.
• As he was nearing the end of the reading, I began to listen actively, and a sudden fear overtook me.
• “What if my father really didn’t will any properties or prized possessions to me? What if he really disowned me?” pushing all these thoughts to the side, I continued to listen.
• Even if he didn’t, just being there to pay my last respects to him was enough.
• “And to my darling daughter…” The Attorney read, my father had showered me with praise and even joked about how stubborn I was.
• He continued to read and the contents of my inheritance shocked not just me but everyone present.
• “What? No!” my cousin shouted, standing up and approaching the Attorney.
• “Now, you young man would do well to stay calm and let me finish the reading, you know very well that anything you do here will be recorded against you,” Attorney Edward advised, it sounded more like a warning but it did the trick and my cousin was calm.
• “To my nephew Shane...” he read out as he stated Shane’s inheritance would be.
• Shane was given a scholarship to study abroad and a huge capital to start a business, along with two foreign properties. It was generous for a nephew but it was no surprise since he was like a son to my father.
• “And Shane, you are required to leave in two weeks, or else, you forfeit the scholarship and the rest of the inheritance.
• “No…no…no, that is just crazy, I still have work to do here, I can’t accept that condition,” Shane protested, he was the only one making a fuss here.
• “Then you will have to forfeit,” the lawyer said before moving on to the next person.
• My father very generously left something for everyone including the housekeepers and security guards.
• “Here ends the reading,” Attorney Edward finally said taking a deep breath.
• The room was immediately filled with mumbles, everybody was talking about what they got but more importantly about the clauses, the inheritance didn’t come freely, my father made sure of that and according to our personalities, he assigned us tasks to complete before we got our inheritance.
• “What should I do Uncle Edward, this clause is simply unbelievable,” I asked the attorney in confusion and fear.