CHAPTER 9

Everything happened so fast to Arthur. 

His situation. His father's funeral. And finally, the reading of the will happening in the large living room of the Craigs.

Marianna was sitting on the Golden chair where their father used to sit when he was alive. She seemed to be passing information to everyone including Arthur.

She was the first legitimate child of the Craigs. She ought to be the heiress to everything.

Arthur was calm. He hadn't fully recovered from the blow of his father's death. He cried for weeks before reality finally kicked in that the man he had just gotten to know was indeed gone, never to be seen again.

He was now an orphan just a few days after knowing he wasn't orphaned and his family was alive. He had accepted the bitter-sweet fruit fate had thrown at him.

The door opened and the lawyer Arthur met at the funeral two days ago strode in wearing a black suit with a briefcase dangling beside him.

Everyone adjusted in their seats in anticipation except Arthur. He was less interested in that. He just wanted to go back to his room and lie down. He didn't know what fate had in stock for him and he wasn't curious.

Everyone was in attendance. Including Uncle Derrick, Arthur's grand-uncle, and his wife. There were other people Arthur didn't know too but had met at the funeral.

Aside from the company he used to work with as a sales rep, he had never been in a large gathering like this and for a second, it made him feel uncomfortable. It made him feel like the center of attraction because everyone was watching him.

He was a bastard. Surely, people would talk, he thought within him.

Also, he was the only son. People would speculate.

The lawyer sat down, bringing out some documents from his briefcase and also his glasses which he placed at the bridge of his nose before peering down at everyone present.

“I see everyone is gathered”, he muttered quickly before glancing away to pick up a document.

A pin drop could be heard. Everyone was silent.

His father, Arthur, was the King. He was next in line but he was less interested in that. His father was wealthy. Everyone would want to hear what share had been equated to them.

It made Arthur feel more bad. The mournings were over. Money had taken over their sorrows. 

The lawyer cleared his throat and began, reading from a brown file. “Good day everyone. I believe everyone present is related to the late King Arthur.”

It didn't sound like a question but Diana said a loud “Yes, except one person.”

Arthur finally looked up. All eyes were on him. 

“He is a stranger in our midst. Can you please tell him to leave?” She demanded, throwing angry glances at him. When no one said a word, she continued. “He came and killed our father so he could inherit it all. Father wasn't…”

“Shut up, you spoiled brat!” Derrick thundered from his seat, leaning forward to ensure his eyes were meeting with that of Diana who had suddenly gone silent. “Spread a single rumor about your brother once again and I will have you thrown out.”

The threat sounded genuine. He barely spoke but whenever he did, he was respected. He was the King's brother.

Arthur thought Marianna would defend her sister but she wasn't saying a word. She kept a straight face but Arthur tried to look past it.

She was anxious, just like everyone.

It made his heart beat loudly at the thought of going back to his former miserable life. Knowing his father was alive gave him a tiny bit of hope but that hope had been dashed. He wouldn't be surprised if he was thrown out of here inside of Diana.

Everyone in attendance would definitely agree with Diana that he was a stranger. No one knew him. He was a product of an unwanted affair. He would be ridiculed too just like back at home in NY.

“King Arthur didn't write a will”, the lawyer broke into their thoughts as he dropped the bombshell.

“What?!” Marianna exclaimed loudly, almost shooting to her feet. “What do you mean he didn't write a will?”

“He gave me instructions on what to do instead. He never wrote a will. He didn't believe in keeping one.” The lawyer added.

Then what was the essence of calling a meeting for a will reading? Arthur thought to himself, even though the same thought was running through Marianna's mind.

What was happening?

She turned to Arthur. Arthur's head was down and at that moment he looked up to see her watching him.

She was throwing daggers at him surprisingly. Her face was just expressionless and he wished he could know what was going through her mind.

“The instructions he gave were written down, though and it is just seven words”, the lawyer pointed out, making everyone sit upright in anticipation again.

Arthur closed his eyes. He was going home, he thought. He didn't want to be like the rest of them, wanting to benefit from his father's demise. 

“GIVE THIS TO HIM WHEN HE COMES!” The lawyer read out, pausing for a second before he announced. “The King's sole heir.”

Arthur was lost in his own world. Others raised their brows in complete confusion. The man was talking in riddles for their liking. However, Derrick knew it all. He was all smiles, just like how he was when he visited Arthur back at the hospital in NY.

“Who is the King's sole heir?” Graciela, who had been busy with her phone all along, suddenly asked, with instant enthusiasm about what was going on.

“Arthur James Craig is the sole heir”, the lawyer announced, clearing the air as murmurs rose. He stretched the document at Arthur whose head was down. When he realized he wasn't taking the document from him, he called out. “Arthur!”

He jerked upright. Met the man's unreadable gaze and saw his hand stretching the document at him. 

His jaws dropped. Then he shifted his gaze to Marianna out of fear of what she would do. He knew what this meant. Aside from the document from the safe that his father gave to him before his death, he was giving him more.

Obviously, the old man was bequeathing everything he owned to Arthur. 

Arthur felt guilty for coming out of nowhere to get it all when his sisters had been here all along. He was about to protest when Derrick snapped at him. “Don't keep the lawyer waiting. Take it from him.”

With shaky hands, he took them and bowed unconsciously out of courtesy, unsure of what he was supposed to do next.

“You are instructed to go through the documents and do the right thing. If you have any questions or confusion, Derrick would be here to put you through as well as Jim, your new right-hand man. Welcome back home, Prince.”

The mummers became louder. Everyone was talking except Derrick and Marianna. Diana was whispering something into Graciela's ears.

As soon as the lawyer stood up to leave, Diana shot up to her feet and shouted. “I disagree. We all deserve to know what our Father kept for us or what he wants us to do. We won't allow a stranger to come into our home to get it all. We are his children, not him. Even if he is, he is nothing but a son to a whore. His mother was a maid. He is nothing but a bastard.”

People began to castigate him, voicing out their refusal to support him.

Arthur was already on the brink of tears. He knew something like that would happen. He felt he was destined to be ridiculed, embarrassed and unfortunate all his life. Nothing was going to change.

Suddenly, a scream jerked him out of his reverie. He raised his head immediately to see Marianna in front of Diana and Diana had her two hands placed on her cheeks which were looking so red.

Her mouth was agape too with shock written all over her face.

Arthur was dumbfounded to realize Marianna just slapped her sister.

For a moment, he thought it was just a ploy to make him believe she was defending him until she yelled at Diana. “Apologize to him now!”