The Silent Heir

Leo stands in front of the ballroom doors, clutching a tray of champagne glasses. His hands are still, although there's a burning fire growing in his chest. Half a decade of capped insults he has yet to deliver is choking him tonight. ‎ ‎Inside, amid the hall, Reginald Ashcombe raises a glass, the perfectly pitched glass of a toasting parent, and makes a toast to the daughter who has just announced her engagement. The other man, the one who entered the family five years ago, is ignored; he always is. ‎ ‎Delphine then in the Frigidaire, her head immersed in wrapping paper, finds Leo who is leaning against the hall mirror, jumbling his broken tie. ‎ ‎"Please don't make me feel silly in front of everyone tonight."she murmurs. ‎ ‎Leo replies sarcastically, " when have I ever been embarrassing you, " with monotone tone. ‎ ‎She turns her head away first. She never fails to turn her head away first. ‎ ‎Just stay silent for now, " she continues. "Please." ‎ ‎Leo drops the tray harder than he intends to. "I have been silent for five years, Delphine. Silence didn't stop anything from happening to me" ‎ ‎No answer. So she turns and walks back into the ballroom, leaving him alone in the hall with 200 strangers laughing behind the other side of the door. ‎ ‎Minutes later, as he's mid-toast, Reginald calls him forward and smiles as if knowing exactly what is going to happen. ‎ ‎"Leonard, come here, " shouts Reginald, his already husky voice booming so loudly that every person at the table hears. "I have a news about you, " he continues. ‎ ‎Leo hesitant approaches and looks out at the faces searching for some indication of what he is about to encounter, but is met only with inquisitive glances and a few half-lifted glasses. ‎ ‎"Have I mentioned that a large sum of money is unaccounted for in the family charity accounts?" Reginald asks, "Fifty-thousand dollars in fact. And if you think that is a coincidence..." ‎ ‎Gasps run through the crowd. Delphine's hand is to her mouth, her eyes wide yet her body remains rooted firmly in place. ‎ ‎"I didn't touch that money, " Leo said, voice cracking. "You know I didn't." ‎ ‎"May I, " begins Reginald as if to deduce. "Security, remove Mr. Kane. Thieves are not welcome at family functions." ‎ ‎Just before Leo can start another protest, two guards grasp his arms with a strength that would have been impressive to his long-practiced composure. He struggles against them, an anger that has gathered and simmered for centuries boiling over: ‎ ‎"Delphine, " he yells from across the room. "Say something. Just tell them what the real truth is." ‎ ‎She opens her mouth. Nothing. Her gaze falls to the floor. That silence is more painful than anything Reginald's ever told him himself. ‎ ‎Old phones hover all over the room, monitoring each and every second. Unknown faces flashing their teeth behind the cameras as if this is entertainment instead of a man crumbling in front of their eyes. ‎ ‎They drag him from the ballroom doors. Through the marble steps outside and propel him to the pavement in silence. Laughter and whispers follow him through the open door above. ‎ ‎Leo struggles himself onto a sitting position, blood on his lip from biting his own mouth so hard; he can't shout out what he was about to say. He gazes up at the mansion, the lights glowing invitingly in the darkness, taunting him from every window. ‎ ‎His phone starts ringing. Unknown number. ‎ ‎He lets it almost go. But for some reason he picks up. ‎ ‎'Wrong time, ' Leo mumbles into the phone. 'Whatever it's you're trying to sell me I DO NOT WANT it.' ‎ ‎"Mr. Kane", a placid female voice responds. "This is not a sales call. Your sperm donor died three days ago. You're the sole beneficiary of the estate of Kane Global Logistics." ‎ ‎Leo chuckle low and sonorously, as he brush a stick of blood from his lip with the back of his hand. "Wrong number. My father left me when I was a drink. He don't live for me." ‎ ‎"He's here Mr. Kane, " the voice replies calmly. "And he's been watching your life for the past twelve years." ‎ ‎Leo's chuckle is cut short. Leo's hand begins squeezing the receiver. ‎ ‎That's not funny, he says under his breath. ‎ ‎The woman responds, "Unbelievable. Come to Ferreira and Associates in the morning. You'll understand everything once you see the paper work." ‎ ‎Leo looks up at the mansion one last time, feeling more humiliated now than he ever has in his life. Nothing Reginald could say to him tonight compares to the words said by silence from Delphine. ‎ ‎Why now he asks in a whisper. Why tonight of all nights. ‎ ‎The woman hesitates before answering, and in that brief moment Leo's stomach turns.