4

At each passing second, Timothy would adjust the rim of the spectacles aiding his eyes, trying to fit the slacking frame proper up the bridge of his nose.

Eyes squinted at the documents held in his hands, those dinky fingers went flipping the pages over, scanning through those files stacked in his hands.

Beads of sweat appeared on the wrinkled face of the fellow, with hands soon reaching for his handkerchief sat in the pockets of his coat.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Could the disturbing noise made by the gigantic antique clock on the wall be the cause of his uneasiness?

Perhaps, the scrutiny he received from each person sat in the room, was enough to get those fingers twitching.

Oh, not at all.

Timothy Harper was a man of great profile-A man in the legal field of society, specifically chosen by father to be the Family's Lawyer, so what then was his fret for?

"Are we getting on with this or what?" There came the yell from, figure leaping off his seat.

"Heather already has her arse on the mobile phone of each person in England, I believe we should be better composed than this" I heard those words which followed from him, and at that, came the bellow of Mother, snapping each person to check.

"That's enough!"

Those were the only words she had uttered since we all had come together in this room.

Believe me, I expected such.

In the time, I waited to hear her vent, she only remained sat quietly at the other end of the room.

I sought to hear her rage, perhaps, foretell her rage-Her rage at me, for my sins.

Yet, all she had done ever since I walked into the room, was gaze at me, the tensity not far from making his way into the room.

All these faces now gazed at me with diverse looks-The faces of my family.

But I could care less about any other person, my heart was for mother only.

Coming to behold her in such pain, only broke my spirit.

Her own daughter was found laying with the man who killed her husband. Now, that isn't such a tale to tell.

It broke her so bad, and I could see that with just a look into those eyes.

For the past hour since I arrived, she had uttered not a word to me, instead, taken her position at the settee placed at the far end of the room, waiting for Timothy to do his part.

Adolf barely glanced my way, he barely spat a word to me, but I didn't need a soothsayer to foretell how irked my brother was.

Felix, his eyes held sympathy all the while I made my way into the space, and with so much as a "what happened to you?" Spat at me, he had pulled me into his embrace, making up for the comfort of a hug I longed for since the crack of dawn.

Siousxie, that gaze of hers only accessed me, perhaps judging me.

And Lily? Where really was Lily?

"I'd like a minute, please" The voice of Timothy broke out, and at every delay portrayed by the fellow, Elis was sure to lose a pint of patience.

He had snatched off the hat worn on his head, soon unbuttoning his coat.

I watched him advance the parkour's set-up, at once digging out wine glasses and fetching off the shelf, a 73' vintage red Wine.

Passing the glasses to Adolf, Felix, Siousxie and Lily, he began pouring in for them.

I noticed he skipped me for a second, but soon pausing before my figure; his words followed.

"Would you like some?"

The atmosphere said it all, I had broken the heart of my family. And no matter the calm in this space, I still could feel the burn which prevailed.

"I'm fine" Followed my voice at once.

With the portion of bangs falling over my face, I did all keeping my profile hidden. But believe me, I so happen to be the pry of every person's gaze in this room.

It was unsettling.

The air was. And despite the weather outside being 3 degrees Celsius, I could feel the heat inside of me.

My entirety was at unrest.

Glove-covered fingers fiddling with each other's, my gaze remained out-looking the scenery outside the window.

Amidst each person getting impatient for Timothy's carefully picked foretelling, the sound of Siousxie's heels was all which cracked the silence in the space.

There her figure went, pacing around the room, hair swaying at each movement she made.

She soon let loose her hung ponytail, and gulping down the lot of wine given to her, I caught the sigh which left her lips.

"Aha!" Timothy's voice rang out, eyes lighting up at once.

"I shall now begin the reading of the will" He announced to the lot of us.

The sound of his voice had managed to grab every attention, as we had all directed our focus to the fellow, awaiting the news of whatever had been inscribed in the papers held in his hands.

He opened his mouth to speak, but shut it the instant his eyes scanned through the room.

"Where's Lily?" He questioned, the concern evident in his voice.

"She's up in her room" Adolf was the one to speak this time. "Apparently some people carry not the heart being in here....at this moment" He followed.

"But, I can't read the will in her absence"

Called Timothy, those words of his, earning a sigh from Adolf whose eyes only remained blank at the gangly fellow before him.

"It should be known to you, that she has refused stepping out of her room, not until she deems it fit"

"Now, in as much as we've tried to get her legs off the comfort of her bed, she has decided otherwise.

Now, you Mr Harper, with all due respect, shall resume the reading of the will, seeing as to how we all here were summoned from our respective duties, heeding your call"

"I have a wife and daughter to return home to"

Those words he spat were followed with barely a smile on his face. Despite the soft expression in his gaze, it could easily be noted how thin his patience had gotten.

"Oh, do take your time Timothy" Called Felix.

"Some of us have neither a 'Wife' nor a 'daughter' to return home to, so we wouldn't mind you spending the whole day, reading just a paragraph of the will"

"To be frank, some of us just have our beds to return to. Quite sad, yet, the freedom is unmatched I tell you" He chuckled.

Timothy only sucked in a breath, lips pursed, and soon enough, his voice words began;

"I shall now commence" He cleared his throat.

"I, Thomas Fionn Wagner, a resident of Woodlane, being of sound and disposing mind, declare this to be my last will and Testament, hereby revoking and annulling all previous Wills and Codicils at any time heretofore made by me.

I declare that I am married to Mary-Jane Wagner, to which I refer to herein as my Spouse. I have the following children, from oldest to youngest:

Adolf Wagner - 22, June 1987

Elis Wagner - 31, December 1990

Felix Wagner - 10, December 1992

Siousxie Wagner - 12, August 1994

Lily Wagner - 17, July 1995

Heather Wagner - 7, March 1996

I now appoint my wife, Mary-Jane Bertran, as executor of my last Will and Testament, and provide if this executor is unable or unwilling to serve, then I appoint my first child, Anna Bertran as alternate executor.

I will, give, and bequeath unto the persons named below, if he or she survives me, the property described below:

To my beloved wife, Mary-Jane Wagner, the Mansion in the family's name shall be inherited by her.

To my first child, Adolf Wagner, I declare that the minery belonging to me, shall be inherited by him.

To Elis Wagner, I now declare that 'Wagner Estates' and all of its holdings in Southern Ireland, shall be inherited by him.

To Felix Wagner, I now declare that all of my shares scattered across organisations, shall be re-written in his name, inherited by him.

To Siousxie Wagner, I now declare that 'Bertran Estates' at Woodlane shall be inherited by her.

To my adopted child, Lily Wagner, the Mansion on Woodhills, and the investments under 'Hayes Corporations' shall be inherited by her.

And finally to my lovely Heather, my youngest child, I declare that the 'Wagner Winery' and all of its relations shall be to her. Simply put, she shall be the owner of the afore mentioned enterprise.

All of the afore-mentioned and bequests have been backed by a legal practitioner, and this now is my Last Will and Testament"

"Bullshit!" Spat Elis, eyes grown in size.

And soonest, the rumbles broke out, voices overlapping each other's, it didn't take long for the turmoil to make its arrival. "The estates at Woodlane? I would have preferred the one in Southern Ireland" Called Siousxie, with figure relaxing back in that chair.

"Shares?" Felix scrunched up his face "What the fuck are shares?" He followed.

"Now, people, I believe my work here is done" Timothy had packed up the documents in his hands, already pushing them into his briefcase, when the voice of Elis came lurched at him.

"You wait right there" That bellow had the man halting in his tracks.

"When did father make that will?" He demanded.

"It is not in my position to disclose any other thing other than what I have been assigned to do" Followed the voice.

"Late, Mr Wagner made it known that this is his final testament and every single thing on there, was thoroughly thought through and decided by him"

"Whatever reason for him sharing is inheritance to whoever and in whatever way, is unknown to me. Getting my job done, and keeping safe this document, is all that concerns me" Timothy uttered aloud, earning him a snicker from Elis.

And with that, the man had taken his leave from the room, not after one final at every one here.

"Rubbish!" Came Elis upon the exit of the man. "Rubbish, that's all what it encompasses!" I heard his voice bellow.

"Shares and meagre investments are given are distributed unfairly to those of us, and then the Winery has huge and fast as its operations is, is them given to a girl who would laugh in the face of the family, and run into the arms of the same man who killed our father?!"

"Oh, stop acting a kid, and tell us what's really working you up" Pitched Siousxie.

Those glaring eyes of Elis came settling on her, and at once he averted them to my form.

"Tell me, Heather" He rushed his words, figure coming at me. "What was the catch?!"

"Tell me what really you sought for, while climbing into the bed of that bastard!"

I saw the rage on his eyes, I heard the hurt in his voice, but amidst all, I only remained quiet gazing out the window.

"How bollocks have you gotten?" He yelled.

"Alright, that's enough" Followed Adolf.

But at the break of a voice, our attention had turned to that figure which had now waddled into the area.

Lily.

She appeared as distressed as she had been that day we watched Father's casket taken into the ground.

Those eyes were just as puffy as that very night, I brought Father's lifeless body back to the mansion, breaking the news to them.

That face of hers was withered.

"It's never enough" Came her words.

And then that gaze settled on me.

"A Tosser, that's what you are" And with the tears clouding her gaze, she spat those words my way.

"A bitch! A lying conniving, whore!" I heard the words of my sister follow.

"You laid with him, Heather!"

"You, yeah you, mocked the stand of this family"

And at that, Adolf had scooped her into his arms, the sound of her wails, all which filled the room.

I remained here, searching for the tears, but none came forth.

Empty, I was.

Broken, I had turned.

"I renounce my role as executor" That voice had broken out of nowhere, earning the attention of all.

I gazed at the figure of mother who was now stood on her feet, and with a glance my way, she made her way over to me.

She came stopping just a feet away, and with merely a word spoken, she pulled me into her embrace.

"Family never back out" Her words brushed into my ears. "They never betray each other, certainly not us, Heather" Her hands came stroking my back.

She had soon pulled away, and with a kiss on my head, she let out a breath.

"I love you, and I never will stop loving you"

She had soon turned around, meeting those gaping eyes centered on her.

"I have no intention of being executor of the will, and have now renounced my position as such" She clarified.

"But-" Felix began, but was soon interrupted by the voice of Mother.

"I wish to be left in peace, paying respects to my husband"

"Now, if you'll excuse me" she uttered, just before turning away, making her exit from the room.

Here I sat, still left confused on what to make of the situation, when a distant bang had snatched the attention of all.

One so deafening, it caused each person hurrying to their feet, I, included, and with thumping heart, I followed after the figures making their way to where the sound had erupted.

Right outside the yard of the mansion, stood Mason, one of the mansion's guards, at his feet, a body.

I recognized whose it was- Finley, my personal chauffeur.

People began gathering around the scene, and while the ruckus broke out, I heard that voice follow.

"Asher Rikkard was just here"