Vincent Kane's Rise From Ash

3: Duke of Quincia

In the large study room of the mansion, Theresa dropped a pile of documents on the table for Vincent to read through.

“My husband and I never had any children. And next to us, you and Tamar are our closest kin.. which means you have every right to my inheritance. I became tired of my title after the grief,” She said in a solemn tone, eyes drifting and staring at nothing in particular. “Now I crave nothing more than retirement.”

Silence settled.

His eyes scanned through every paper listing the estates and businesses that would be transferred to him once his signature was on it. From the palace to the many farms owned by the Roths, even down to the landed properties that were overseen in different parts of the country and abroad.

In net, the title was worth over $500 billion, and all of that was going to be his. 

A pen was handed to him by his assistant and in seconds, the ink was drying out on the papers. He was officially the Duke of Quincia.

“What would you like to do first as the new Duke, my Lord?” Gary asked.

“Put a call through to my sister. Tell her to come home, I'm getting our house back.”

*

Tamar got off the plane just in time to see the chauffeur waiting to usher her into a black limousine. She noticed that the man was tall and lean, and barely spoke a word to her throughout the drive. She appreciated the silence, it was one thing she was grateful for after having a tiring day back in city z.

Now, she'd heard that her brother had assumed a new title and didn't know what to make of it. So she simply rested her head back and closed her eyes for the remainder of the drive.

“Madam, we're here,” the chauffeur said.

Tamar forced her heavy eyelids open and squinted through the brightness of the day she'd stepped out into. Quickly, her heart raced as she saw the building before her. It wasn't the royal mansion or expensive suite she had expected- she had been brought back to the Kane mansion.

A place she'd sworn to never return to.

“Do you get the wrong address?” She asked immediately, turning around to get back into the car.

“No, ma'am. The Duke instructed me to bring you here directly.”

“But this isn't our house- where is the Duke?” 

But before he could reply, he was already packing her bags inside.

*

Regina Kane clutched her pearls immediately she saw the black limo parked outside the mansion.

“Darling, did you get notice of a visitor's arrival?” She asked her husband who was also peering through the curtains to see.

They noticed a moderately dressed woman with salty brown hair standing outside, looking perplexed as they were.

“Ah! Good day Mr and Mrs Kane. Your daughter has just arrived,” announced the chauffeur as he hauled the luggages in one by one. 

Richard immediately recognised the lady standing outside. His ears reddened immediately and he lunged angrily towards her.

Tamar was stunned to see her father once again since she was only ten years old. She had seen fathers eagerly embrace their daughters when they missed them. 

But not hers.

Mr Richard Kane- the title she'd preferred calling him after he drove her out at such a tender age- rushed towards her in a very furious manner. She thought he was about to hit her across the face when he stopped to catch his breath. 

He looked like he would have a stroke if he aged a day older at that very moment.

“You!” He spat. “You wretched brat!”

“It's lovely to see you again too, Richard,” she said through glassy eyes. 

“What do you think you're doing here?”

Tamar blinked back her tears. She opened her mouth to speak but she too didn't know what she was doing at his house.

“I- I…”

A slap shot across the girl's face and she fell to the hard pavement. Shame like she had never felt stung at her instantly as Regina glared down at her with complete hate.

“You slut!” Regina declared. “How dare you show your face here again. First, your wretched brother, and now you.”

“What more do you want from us?” Doyle asked. 

Somehow, the rest of the Kane household had been alerted of the commotion and all came to gather and witness the humiliation of Richard's second bastard. 

Tamar, through tears and the pain that had left her lip bleeding, tried standing up. Even the chauffeur ran to help but was guarded by Richard's men. 

In a fit to rise above the reproach, Tamar felt a kick in her face and fell back down. Why would Vincent bring her back here? Why leave the life she had in city z for a humiliation from the Kanes?

Her mind wandered as she stared down at the dirtied floor she'd been pushed to.

“That'll be enough!” 

They all turned to see the man that gave the order. Sure enough, it was Vincent himself. He stood, broad and unshaken by their resentment, and made his way through the gathering to help his injured sister. She leapt into his arms and sobbed from the rekindled hurt she felt. 

He understood what she felt in the moment and regretted sending her to the house in his absence.

“You're all so shameless,” he said through clenched teeth, fighting back the fury that burned in him.

“Touch her again and I'll make all of you watch your own miserable deaths.”

“Oh? And what can you do about it?” Regina taunted mockingly.

“You're nothing but a waste of a seed,” Richard added. 

“How'd you get the car Vincent? Stole it just so you can pull this useless stunt?” His half sister, Morgana, asked.

“They obviously can't afford anything more than a measly breakfast to share,” Brian laughed.

“That's funny,” Vincent said calmy and signalled to a man who had been standing and watching the whole scene unfold.

He came forward with documents to the house that were signed in Emilia Kane’s name.

“This house was bought in my mother's name,” Vincent said. Tamar looked up at him in shock. “You all duped her of her entitlements. You all stole from her and claimed her wealth as yours.”

Tamar always thought the house belonged to Richard. They both did. 

The man, who turned out to be a lawyer, gave Vincent a pen to sign. He did it without wasting time.

“I'm giving each and everyone of you twenty four hours to get your things out of my house.”

Regina was the first to laugh maniacally, as if what her step son said made no sense.

“You must be out of your mind!” Regina yelled. “Richard? Say something!”

Her husband, who looked stunned and embarrassed by the revelation only stuttered stupidly.

“O- or what? What're you two thieves going to do about it?”

“You'll find out soon en

ough father.” Vincent gave his father a long hard stare of resentment before calling Gary to take Tamar in.

“This is only the beginning of your suffering.”