THE ANCESTRAl HEIR SYSTEM

Chapter 5: Good for Nothing son in law

"I got this for you, Julia," a woman's voice rang out from across the table, belonging to Lena Reynolds, Ms. Julia's sister-in-law. 

"It cost thousands of dollars!" Lena exclaimed, presenting a gift containing a set of bracelets with a net worth of $400,000.

Meanwhile, Ms. Julia's siblings surrounded her, each adorned with unique birthday artwork on their heads, while Maya entered the room carrying a cake with her mom's name elegantly written on it. 

"Happy birthday, Mom!!!" Maya exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her mother as she sat, her excitement evident on her beaming face.

 

"Let's blow out the candle by spelling your name! Ms. Julia" Sophie spoke out, appearing behind Ms. Julia and placing a hand on her shoulder. 

With her long black hair cascading down her back, Sophie looked stunning at just twenty-five years old.

Suddenly, the clink of a spoon against a glass echoed through the room, breaking the excitement that filled the air.

"More age, my love, in more money?" Old Ms. Mimi interjected, interrupting the atmosphere as her children and grandchildren sat around the table, surrounded by drinks and food.

Old Ms. Mimi beamed with joy as she celebrated her eldest daughter's birthday, surrounded by her grandchildren. One of them sat beside her, holding her hand.

At 80 years old, Old Ms. Mimi had just two children who dutifully catered to her desires. Being the last elder of the Reynolds family, she held the ultimate authority and final say over family matters. No one dared to challenge her rule, and she also oversaw the family business.

Ms. Julia, the second-born of the Reynolds siblings, was a well-known figure in town for her remarkable achievements. She chose not to adopt her husband's surname, believing him to be inferior.

Being the firstborn, Klein Reynolds shared the responsibility of managing the family business alongside Old Ms. Mimi.

Klein has two children, a boy and a girl. Alexander, who is older than Sophie, while Sophie and Maya are the same age.

As they all sat down, the chef entered the room with a tray of Old Ms. Mimi's favorite meal - four eggs and a steaming cup of coffee.

 

"Old Ms. Mimi, your usual is ready," announced the chef as he placed four eggs and a glass of coffee in front of her.

"Thank you," Old Ms. Mimi replied with a hint of a smile.

As the aroma of the meal hit her, she couldn't help but express her delight. 

"Well preserved! Let's dig in," she declared to the family.

Reaching for her fork and knife, she cut into the egg and took a bite. But as soon as the food touched her tongue, she spat it out in disgust, her face flushing with anger.

"Holy Mary!" she exclaimed, sending a wave of shock through everyone present. "Who prepared this meal?" she demanded, using her hand to fan away the offensive odor.

"I was the one who prepared it, ma," the chef nervously confessed as he approached her, fully aware of Ms. Mimi's infamous reaction.

"And who asked you to prepare the meal?" she inquired sharply.

"I did it on my own, ma," the chef replied fearfully.

"Are you daft? You can't even cook eggs to my liking! What are we paying you for if you can't handle such a simple task?" Ms. Mimi scolded, her frustration palpable in the air.

 

"Get the hell out of my sight!" she yelled, splashing water from a glass.

The chef was fortunate at that moment as his actions could have led to his dismissal from his job. Ms. Mimi had a severe aversion to paper in her food due to skin sensitivity issues, as advised by her private doctor.

 

Her attention then turned to their absent son-in-law, Ethan. "And where is that good-for-nothing son-in-law?" she demanded, her voice laced with frustration.

But Ethan was the only one who knew how to prepare Old Ms. Mimi's usual meal.

"Get him here to clean this mess up!?!" 

Klein glanced around the room and commented in confusion, "Huh? That good-for-nothing Ethan seems to be nowhere in sight." 

Ms. Julia gazed wide in disbelief, "What? It's my 50th birthday. How dare he not show up!?" 

"Maya!!! What's going on!?" Old Ms. Mimi interrupted, her voice grew incensed. 

Maya responded respectfully, "He might have had to work." 

"Work? Driving his taxi customers around? Hahaha, that's rich!" scoffed Sophie. 

Alexander joined in, "He's a disgrace to the Reynolds! I once came across him while cruising in my Rolls-Royce Boat, but I couldn't bring myself to admit to my friend that he's part of our family!"

 

As the tension in the room was palpable, Samantha stood up, her attention cutting through the uncertainty that filled the room. All gazes were fixed on her as she made her way toward Ms. Julia, whispering some words in her ear.

But Old Ms. Mimi interrupted the conversation. 

"Speak it out, I could hear you discussing Ethan. What did he do? Has he brought shame into the family?" she questioned, her voice filled with concern and a hint of anger.

"No, ma'am. I was simply asking Ms. Julia if she misplaced any of her money. Because we saw Ethan at the store last night saying he needed a suit worth one million dollars," Samantha explained calmly, maintaining a polite demeanor.

"One million dollars?" Old Ms. Mimi repeated, bursting into laughter. "Where did that worthless son-in-law think he'd get that kind of money? His parents aren't rich; they couldn't even dream of having that much money in their lifetime!" She then turned her gaze directly to Samantha. 

"Are you absolutely certain about what you're saying? Because he is too broke to afford that amount of money!"

Old Ms. Mimi's eyes blazed with fury as she bellowed, "Bring him back this instant! I need to uncover where he's getting that money from. Is he stealing from our flesh and blood!?"

Maya was taken aback by the intensity of her grandmother's rage towards Ethan. She knew she had to speak the truth.

"Grandmother, Ethan won't be coming. We're getting a divorce."

 

"Divorce!?" Old Ms. Mimi echoed the word, her grip on the glass cup of water loosening until it slipped from her hand, crashing to the floor.

In the Reynolds family, the elders held the power to arrange marriages for their daughters, a tradition upheld with unwavering respect. No one dared to defy this tradition by seeking a divorce without the elder's approval, whether the elder was living or deceased.

"Who granted you the audacity to seek a divorce!?! Have you forgotten that your marriage was ordained by your late grandfather!?!" Old Ms. Mimi scolded, her voice filled with disappointment and anger.

Maya, overwhelmed by guilt and sorrow, dared not be impertinent. She fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face, and clasped Old Ms. Mimi's feet in a desperate plea for forgiveness.

"Grandmother, I would never dare to defy Grandpa's wishes, but Ethan... He's a relentless bully!" Maya confessed through sobs, her heart heavy with the weight of her words.

Witnessing Maya's distress, Ms. Mimi tenderly lifted her granddaughter, offering comfort through gentle strokes.

"Maya, my dear, cease your tears. You are my blood, while he is merely a despicable son-in-law. Tell me how he has tormented you. I will make sure he learns a lesson he won't forget!" Ms. Mimi vowed, her protective instincts kicking in.

Maya composed herself, wiping away the tears she had shed under duress, and addressed the gathered family with a tremor in her voice. "Ethan had a tryst with another woman!"