The Leicester Heir

Chapter 5

Ray looked at Dave, feeling both scared and unsure.

"What news do you have for me, Dave?"

Dave cleared his throat, looking very serious.

"Young Master, Your grandmother has named you as the only heir to the Lechester family."

Ray shook his head. "I can't be the heir. I have my own life, I never promised her that I would take the position.”

"I understand, Young Master, but your grandmother's will is very clear. You are the heir, and it was her dying wish that you take this job."

"I know, Young Master, the pain you've been through. But your grandmother, before she died, said she was sorry for everything. She begged you to forgive her and take on the Lechester name."

Ray's jaw tightened, and he shook his head,

"I can't, Dave. I've spent my life trying to get away from the Lechester family, and I won't let them control me anymore." Dave reached into his coat pocket and took out a thick envelope.

"I'm afraid I must insist, Young Master. Your grandmother's will is clear. If you don't accept, the Lechester estate and assets will be lost, and the family name will be ruined forever."

Ray stared at the envelope, his hands shaking,

"You can't be serious, Dave. She's still trying to control me even after she's gone?"

Dave stayed firm. "It is her dying wish, Young Master. She wanted to make sure the Lechester name continued, and she believed you were the one to do it."Ray felt a lot of different emotions.

Part of him wanted to rip up the will and leave, to finally be free. But another part, couldn't ignore her last wish. Ray took the envelope from Dave's hand.

"I... I don't know what to say. This is all so much."

Dave gave him a sympathetic nod, "I understand, Young Master. It's a heavy burden, but your grandmother believed in you. She saw the potential in you that she didn't help grow all these years."

Ray nodded slowly, "Alright, Dave. I will think about it"

Dave bowed respectfully, "Of course, Young Master. Take all the time you need. The Lechester family will be waiting for your decision."

As night fell, Ray returned home. He walked into the sitting room, where his in-laws were gathered. They looked up at him, with disdain and indifference.

"Good evening," Ray greeted them, trying to maintain respect for them.

"The Lechester family has made a rather... generous betrothal offer for Ava," Matilda, Ava's mother wanted to enlighten him, by telling him the news.

"I see. And what does that have to do with me?" Ray was unfazed because indirectly he was the Lechesters heir.

"It means, Ray, that your days in this house are numbered. Ava will be marrying the Lechester heir, and you will need to divorce her."

"Is that all, I would love to upstairs if that is all. If Ava wants to divorce me she can tell me hersel. You don't need to help her.” Ray turned as he didn't even mind them.

“Hmmm!" Matilda grumbled as she was extremely angry that Ray wasn't even somber at all.

And she had always hated him fir the fact that he never bent to her will ever since he married Ava.

"Ray, you've been nothing but a burden to this family. You've contributed nothing to our household, and now you're standing in the way of Ava's opportunity to marry into one of the most prestigious families in Emberhaven."

Ava came rushing into the room, her eyes wide with concern.

"Mother, Father, what's going on?" she asked, her gaze darting between them and Ray.

Matilda turned to her daughter, "Ava, why haven't you given Ray the divorce papers to sign? You should have brought them out the moment he walked through the door."

"Divorce papers? But why would I-" Ava was equally surprised by that.

"I... I don't have them with me."

Ava hesitated, glancing between Ray and her family

“Don't worry, that's not the matter, I have a spare one right here." She pulled out a set of documents and a pen, handing them to Ava. "Sign them, now."

Ava took a deep breath, her gaze locked on the papers. Ray just watched wanting to see what she will do.

*Teaarah! Teaaarah!* She tore the divorce papers into pieces.

"I am not going to divorce Ray," Ava declared

"Ava, what did you just do?"

"Ava, don't be so foolish! This is a chance of a lifetime. The Lechester heir is worth billions, and you'll be able to live a life of luxury. Why would you choose a live-in son-in-law like Ray over that?"

Ava ignored her, walking over to Ray and taking his hand. "I love Ray, and I'm not going to abandon him."

She rushed with Ray upstairs as she left her parents.

Finally, Ray and Ava had enterer their room and s**t the door.

"I'm sorry, Ray. I know things have been difficult, but I couldn't just let them push you out of my life," she said as she forgot she was still clinching to his hands.

Ray pulled her into a tight embrace,"Thank you, Ava. I promise I'll do everything I can to make things right."

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

It was 4 AM, and Ray had already woken up. He thought about everything that had happened the night before. He could see that Ava's love for him was genuine, despite the influence of her family.

He had also heard the news about the betrothal gifts his grandmother had sent to the Jensons before she died, which had caused quite a stir in Emberhaven. Additionally, he knew that Ava's grandmother had threatened to strip her of all the shares she had worked so hard for.

But despite all this, Ava still wanted to be with him. Ray realized he needed to show her the best treatment a man could offer a woman, and that meant accepting his role as the heir to the Lechester empire.

Standing on the balcony and staring at the meadow, Ray called Dave.

“I accept. I will become the Lechester heir.”