The Leicester Heir

Chapter 4

Ray at the Lechester's Mansion…

“Hmmmm!" Ray took a deep breath as he entered the room where his sick grandmother was lying on a big golden bed. She looked fragile, her thin, silver hair spread out on the soft, embroidered pillows. Her skin was very pale. Tubes were connected to her.

*Beep! Beep!* The monitor beside sounded.

Ray could barely recognize the woman who was on the bed. The last time he saw her she was more lively, despite being old.

Despite the fact that he hated her, could feel the pain she was passing through.

As he approached the bed, his grandmother's eyes fluttered open, and she mustered a weak smile. "Ray….my dear ….boy, I'm so glad you came…COOH! COOH!," she said in a laboured tone as she coughed slightly.

Ray gently took her frail hand in his as he carried them towards his face as she touched his head, “Sssh! Grandma! Don't stress yourself too much, how are you feeling?"

His Grandma brow furrowed, as she . "Not well, my child, not well at all. But I'm glad you're here. There's something I need to discuss with you."

"It's about your cousin, Ray. Tom is brain dead, he had an accident and he is in a vegetative state" His grandmother's gaze turned shifted to to the window and she took a deep, laboured breath.

"I'm sorry about that Grandmother" Ray bowed his head as he was a bit sad. Despite the fact that he had never been on good terms with Tom, his cousin, due to him maltreating him as a child. He never wished him any harm.

"I wa….nt you to be the next…heir " His grandmother finally spoke in a laboured breath.

Ray stood up as he pulled the chair he was sitting on aside, as he wanted to speak his mind bluntly

"Grandmother, I've known the truth for a very long time. About your resentment towards my father, your preference for my cousin, and your decision to marry me off to the Jenson family."

His Grandmother's bowed her head as she knew that this hurt him a lot, and she reached out with her trembling hand, as her voice barely audible through the oxygen mask.

"Ray, my child... It was out of my own foolishness…please, forgive me" She said as tears ran down her eyes.

"When I was a child, I always tried my best, studying tirelessly and excelling in everything I did, all in the hopes of gaining your approval. But it was my cousin, your chosen heir, who always seemed to receive your praise and recognition. Despite the fact that I was the eldest child. Just because you hated my mother" Tear drops cascaded from Ray's eyes, he gently cleaned his tears,

"I was nothing more than a pawn in your game, Grandmother. A means to an end, to ensure that the Lechester name would never be tainted by my father's 'wrong doings'."

Ray's father, William Lechester, was the heir to the powerful Lechester family. But William fell in love with a woman named Laura Thane, who his grandmother did not approve of.

She was furious that William married Laura, and his grandmother disowned his father and took away his place in the family. And later his parents died in an accident.

His grandmother then took Ray in, but she still resented his connection to Laura. His Grandmother renamed him as Ray Thane, as she saw it as him tarnishing the Lechester's name.

Then when he was old enough she married him off to the Jenson's.

"Ray, my dear child, I... I never realized the depth of the pain I've caused you. I was so blinded by my own bitterness and resentment that I couldn't see how much I was hurting you... Please, I didn't mean to" she began to weep despite the mask that covered her mouth.

Ray's jaw tightened, and he pulled his hand away. "But you did see it, Grandmother. You saw how I longed for your approval, how I worked tirelessly to prove my worth. And yet, you still chose to cast me aside, to marry me off to the Jenson's"

His grandmother's eyes were filled with tears, and she nodded slowly. "You're right, Ray. I did see it, and I chose to ignore it. My own pride and stubbornness were more important to me than your happiness, your well-being."

His grandmother reached out, her hand trembling as she grasped his. " Ray, you are the only one left. The Lechester legacy must continue, and I... I need you to take your rightful place as the heir…Don't mind your foolish Grandma's auction"

Ray had always dreamt of this day, but some part of him wanted to reject her plea, to walk away and never look back. But another part of him, a part he had long since buried, yearned for the acceptance and recognition he had always craved from his grandmother.

"Grandmother, I..." His voice trailed off, and he squeezed her hand, the tears finally spilling down his cheeks. "I don't know if I can ever forgive you for what you've done. The pain you've caused, not just to me, but to my family... it's too much."

"I know, my child. I know I've hurt you, and I can never truly make amends. But please, I'm begging you, give me this one chance to right the wrongs I've done. Let me see the Lechester legacy carried on through you."

" Grandmother, I forgive you." The words came out softly

A small, relieved smile crossed his grandmother's lips, and she squeezed his hand weakly.

"Thank you, my child. That means more to me than you can ever know."

*Beep! Beep! *Beep!*

*Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!* Sounded the monitors

Ray's Grandmother's hands dropped lifeless as her eyes were still widely open.

“Grandma! Grandma! Grandma wake up!” Ray screamed untop his lungs as she shook her, but there was no sign of life.

The nurses and a doctor rushed in to check on her,

“What’s wrong" The doctor asked.

"Please, doctor Dave her noo…please save her" Ray cried loudly as he held the doctors hands.

But it was too late. Ray gripped his grandmother's hand tighter with tears. "Grandmother, no! Please, don't go!"

"We're so sorry, Mr. Jenson. She's gone."

Ray felt his world crumbling around him. This wasn't how it was supposed to end, not after he had finally found the courage to forgive her. He collapsed into the chair.

“Eemmm! Haaaaah! Nooooooooo!" He screamed out.

**************

After spending some time mourning his grandmother's passing, Ray finally had the courage to go out of the room. As he stepped outside the Lechester estate, he was met with an unexpected sight - a fleet of black cars lined up, surrounding him.

Ray couldn't understand what was going on as he watched the car doors open, one by one, and the some men in black stepped out. He recognized the familiar face of his grandmother's butler, Dave, who approached him.

"Young Master," Dave began, to say "I'm sorry for your loss.” He bent his head downwards as he took a minute of silence.

“I'm afraid I have some news to share with you.”