Chapter 8 The Haward's Family New Heir

• It's been four days since Julia lost her mother and she has neither slept nor eaten since. She looked very pale and was gradually losing her own will to live. The servant's words did get to her and her hug gave her some comfort. With her eyes closed, she finally drifted off to sleep.
• The servant gently laid her down to sleep and covered her with the blanket to keep her warm. She smiled seeing her sleeping peacefully. She hoped this would be the beginning of a change and that tomorrow morning she might eat something. She left the room, closing the door gently behind her.
• Jason was in the living room watching the news channel when the servant walked past heading for the kitchen.
• "How is she?" Jason asked stopping her in her tracks
• "She had finally fallen asleep, sir," she replied
• "Good," responded Jason and he dismissed her, turning his gaze back to the TV.
• The servant, after ensuring everything was in order in the kitchen, returned to the guest room, where Julia was and was happy to find her still sleeping. She prepared the sofa and also laid down to sleep. Jason had already retired to his room by the time she was done in the kitchen.
• The bed Julia was lying on was a king-size bed. She had finally fallen asleep unaware of her environment since she was brought into the house.
• The very next day, the servant returned to the room after performing her morning duties. A gentle tap on Julia's shoulder woke her up. Her face was puffy and her eyes were swollen. It appears she didn't have enough rest or she may have cried in her sleep. She looked at the person who had woken her up. She could see her lips moving but her voice seemed to be far away.
• "Madam, I have prepared the bath for you, you can take your bath now," the servant repeated but she still stared blankly at her.
• The servant sighed and held Julia's hand helping her out of the bed. She led her to the bathroom and helped her take her bath. She dried her hair and helped her dress up. Making her sit on the chair behind the table she tried to coax her to eat. Julia managed to eat half of the bowl of cereal placed in front of her when the servant fed her and would eat no more. The servant left the room smiling as she was happy Julia had eaten something.
• "How is she?" Jason enquired seeing the servant coming out of Julia's room
• "Today, she ate a little, sir," she replied with a smile.
• "Okay," acknowledged Jason and he proceed to the stairs and went straight to the dining area as the servant sent the tray to the kitchen.
• Jason felt Julia needed someone more familiar. He picked up his phone and called Peter, requesting him to go get Julia's friend Matilda and bring her over. It was a weekend and Jason didn't have to go to work.
• Two hours later, Julia's friend Tilly was brought to the apartment. Her eyes widened, looking at the luxury surrounding her upon entering the living room right after Peter. The last time she was brought there, she was blindfolded and she was in a basement. This was her first time entering the main house. Jason got down to see her after word was sent to him that Tilly had been brought in.
• "You are here to do one simple job, get your friend to eat well and recover," said Jason going straight to the point, skipping all the formalities and she nodded terrified by his coldness.
• "Take her to her room," Jason instructed and was about to leave when the news on the TV caught his attention; Haward's New Heir. He frowned as he knew it was not time for this news to go to the public.
• "Increase the volume," he instructed the servant who had just walked in and he quickly increase the volume of the TV
• "Although not officially confirmed, we have an insider who informed us the Hawards have chosen a new heir to manage the family's fortune. I know you are all curious to know which of the sons of Mr Johan Haward succeeded him as the new heir. The prerequisite to be the chosen heir as written by Mr Haward was marriage. As it stands, there was no news of any of the sons being married yet our insider informs us one of the sons has been made heir. This only means, there was a secret marriage. If so, who is the lucky woman?" announced the reporter "We will update you when we have more news," he added
• Jason frowned and asked Peter to find out who had leaked this information to the media before leaving for his study upstairs next to his bedroom.
• In Aventura, where the family condo is, James Haward had left for Chicago to manage the two businesses to which his father had made him the CEO. He was content and happy. Mirenda was equally happy inheriting the condo. She had always wanted to have it, now it is hers to keep. The only person not happy was their mother, Mrs Haward. This is not what she had expected. Everything was supposed to be under her care and not Jason's.
• James and Mirenda were very comfortable with what they had inherited from their father and were not bothered about Jason being the heir. After all, he was their brother.
• "How can my children be this stupid?" she thought
• "They are comfortable because they think Jason is their brother. Well, it's time they know he is not," she thought knowing it was the only way to put hate for Jason into James and Mirenda.
• She just needs to make them believe Jason is an opportunist who is just taking advantage of them both. The corners of her lips gradually curved upwards and she stepped out of her room to execute her thoughts.
• "Mirenda," she called out to her daughter "Mirenda," she called again and she answered
• "Sit down," she instructed as soon as she entered the living room.
• "Mum, you looked tense, is everything okay?" she enquired
• "No, everything is not okay," she said angrily
• "Are you happy with what your father left you?" she enquired
• "Yes, I am. I have always wanted to have the condo" she said with a smile.
• "Idiot, in life you aim for the best you don't settle for less," she yelled at her making Mirenda raise her eyebrow surprised.
• "Mum, why are you yelling at me? Dad left all three of us something and you are to be taken care of. So, what again?" she questioned
• "Stupid, it is not three of us, Jason is not part of this family," she blurted out
• "What! What do you mean?" Mirenda asked in shock
• "He is an adopted child. Now you see why I am angry. How can an adopted child become the heir and you are all okay with it," she chides
• "I am worried about the future of you and James. When the lawyer read the will, there was nothing for Jason because he was not his son," she pointed out "He had written in his will a requirement to be met before one can be made heir. Once that was read, Jason said he was married. Was that not suspicious to you?" she questioned
• Mirenda was taken aback. She never thought of that because all along, she knew Jason was her blood brother.
• "Mum, brother Jason is adopted?" she asked again surprised and her mother sighed, relaxing in the seat.
• "Yes, sadly, yes. Your father found him on the street when he was just 8 months old and brought him home. Your brother, James, was just 9 months old. Your father asked me to keep it to myself reason none of you knew up to now," she explained "He wanted Jason to feel like a part of the family and you all accept him as your brother," she said and lowered her lashes sadly
• "Your father wanted the best for him, for him to have a home but that greedy bastard growing up has his eyes fixated on the family fortune and his actions have given him out," she said angrily
• "So, our father loved the adopted child more than us?" she asked, feeling hurt as she recalled Jason was always with their father.
• "But mum, why will dad choose Jason over us if we are his children?" Mirenda asked confusedly
• "Good, question, that is because Jason made you people always look bad in his eyes," she said and moved closer to her on the sofa
• "Did you not realize growing up, he would always pick up your ideas and make them better earning your father's admiration?" she said
• "Mum, he always did those together with us and never takes the credit for it," Mirenda pointed out remembering some instances
• "My dear Mirenda, open your eyes. That boy is a scammer. Did you not realize the more he pushed the credit of your idea to you, the more your father was getting fond of him?" she pointed out and Mirenda could not deny there are multiple instances.
• "He did all these to win your father over so he would become the heir. Do you know what that position brings to us?" she enquired and Mirenda shook her head in a no
• "Aside from the fact that you move into the circle of the rich and powerful, you become the law, you can even get away with any crime you commit" she explained
• "Do you now see why Jason wants this position very much and did everything to get it?" she added
• "While you were satisfied to own a mere condo, he worked his way to become the heir" she added
• "Trust me, with time, he will kick all of us out to the streets" she added paying attention to Mirenda's reaction.
• "Oh, Mum, what do we do?" Mirenda asked and Mrs. Haward became excited inwardly because Mirenda believed everything she had just said now.
• 'Your brother will be back at the end of this week; we will get everything back from this criminal of a person," replied her mother as she hugged her to console her from the shock.
• "When I see him, I am going to confront him," Mirenda said angrily wrapped in her mother's arms.
• "No, act normal like you don't know anything as we plan what to do" advised her mother. "Remember, Jason is smart, if he found out we know, he will throw us out to the street before we get the chance to recover what is ours" she added
• Mrs Haward smiled as Mirenda nodded and continued to hug her.
• "Finally, I have people who are aligned with me," she thought and smiled as Mirenda could not see her face.