inheritance war

Chapter 4:Debt that refuses to die

The days following Mr. Lawrence’s death moved quickly, yet heavily, like time itself was a burden no one could see but everyone could feel.

Preparations for the burial began almost immediately. The house, once filled with quiet grief, turned into a place of constant movement. People came and went. Calls were made. Arrangements were discussed in hushed but urgent tones.

At the center of it all was Aaron Lawrence.“I will handle everything,” he had said firmly on the second day after the death. “The burial, the expenses, all of it. You don’t have to worry.”

Mrs. Lawrence had looked at him with teary gratitude. Thank you, Aaron, thank you.”He nodded calmly, almost too calmly.“It’s the least I can do for my brother.”

Jane had been standing at a distance when he said it, her arms folded, her eyes fixed on him. Something about him still didn’t sit right with her. But there was no time to question anything. Not now. The burial had to happen.

The day of the burial arrived with a strange mix of sorrow and grandeur. Mr. Lawrence had been a powerful man feared, respected, and whispered about in equal measure. And his burial reflected that.

Expensive cars filled the compound. Well-dressed guests moved around in clusters, speaking in low voices. Some wore long faces of sympathy. Others didn’t bother pretending.

Jane noticed everything. The sideways glances.The murmurs. The cold expressions hidden behind polite greetings. These were not just mourners. These were people who knew her father beyond the image of a “successful businessman.”Some of them were his allies. And some of his enemies. She saw it clearly.

A group of men standing at the far end of the compound caught her attention. They weren’t speaking to anyone. They weren’t grieving. They were watching. One of them even smiled. Jane felt a chill run down her spine. They’re happy he’s gone, she whispered to herself. The burial ceremony went smoothly. Prayers were said. Speeches were made. Tears were shed. And just like that, Mr. Lawrence was laid to rest. But the real tension began after.

The reception that followed was even more crowded. Food, drinks, and conversations flowed freely. But beneath the surface, something darker lingered.

Leo stood among a group of guests, accepting condolences, maintaining a calm, controlled expression. The perfect eldest son.The perfect heir.Until a voice interrupted him.“Leo Lawrence.”He turned. A man stood before him, tall, dark, with eyes that carried no warmth. His presence alone was enough to make the air feel heavier. Leo froze for a split second. He recognized him. And that recognition sent a wave of unease through him. The man stepped closer.“We need to talk.”Leo forced a small smile for the people around him.“Excuse me,” he said, then followed the man a few steps away from the crowd.

Once they were alone, the man’s expression hardened. Then the man said, “Your father owed me.”Leo’s jaw tightened.“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”The man let out a low, humorless laugh.“Don’t insult me,” he said. “You know exactly who I am.”And Leo did. This was one of the men his father had used for his dirty work, the kind of man who didn’t ask questions. The kind of man who made problems disappear.“I worked for your father,” the man continued. “Did things for him. Dangerous things.”Leo swallowed hard but kept his face steady.

“And he promised me something in return.”Leo already knew where this was going, but hearing it still made his chest tighten. “Twenty percent,” the man said of the company.

Silence.

The noise of the party faded in Leo’s ears. Twenty percent? His father had promised that?“That’s impossible,” Leo said carefully. “You must be mistaken.”The man’s eyes darkened instantly.“I don’t make mistakes.”

A pause.

“Now your father is dead,” he continued slowly, “which means the debt falls to you.”Leo felt a cold wave of fear crawl up his spine.“What do you expect me to do?” he asked. The man leaned closer.“Pay what is owed. Leo said to the man immediately, “And if I don’t?”The man smiled faintly. It wasn’t a friendly smile. It was a warning.“Then I collect in my own way.”Leo didn’t need an explanation. He already knew what that meant. The man stepped back.“I’ll be watching.”And just like that, he disappeared into the crowd.

Leo stood there, frozen.

For the first time since his father’s death, he felt truly afraid.

Days after the burial, the house grew quiet again. But it wasn’t peaceful. It was tense. Heavy with unspoken thoughts and growing uncertainty. Then the lawyer arrived. The entire family gathered in the sitting room as he opened a file and adjusted his glasses. This is the last will of Mr. Lawrence, he began.

Jane sat upright, her attention sharp. Leo leaned back slightly, trying to appear calm, but inside, his mind was already racing. The lawyer began to read.“The company shall be divided as follows. Everyone listened closely.“Twenty percent to his wife mrLawrence. “Twenty percent to the eldest son, Leo Lawrence.”Leo nodded slightly. That was expected.“Twenty percent to the second son, Ben Lawrence.”Ben exchanged a glance with Jane.“Twenty percent to Jane Lawrence.”Jane remained still, her expression unreadable.

Then the lawyer continued.

“And the remaining twenty percent shall remain under the leadership of the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Jane Lawrence.”

Silence fell instantly.

Leo sat up.“What?”The lawyer looked up calmly.“Jane Lawrence is to serve as the Chief Executive Officer.”The room exploded.

“That’s not possible!” Leo snapped, rising to his feet. “There must be a mistake. There is no mistake, the lawyer replied. Leo turned to Jane, anger burning in his eyes.

“You?”Jane met his gaze calmly.“Yes. Me.”

“I have been trained for this company my entire life!” Leo shouted. “I know everything about it! You don’t even understand how it works!”

Jane didn’t flinch.“Maybe that’s exactly why he chose me,” she said quietly. Leo laughed bitterly.“This is ridiculous.”But even as he argued, his mind wasn’t fully there. It had already gone back to the burial. To the man.Twenty percent. His chest tightened. If he didn’t give that man what he wanted, there would be consequences, deadly ones.

The lawyer eventually finished and left, leaving behind a house filled with tension. Leo didn’t waste time. He gathered everyone together. “There’s something you all need to know,” he said. Jane folded her arms.“What is it?”Leo hesitated for a moment, then told them everything. About the man.About the promise.About the demand for twenty percent. Fear spread across their faces.“He will kill us,”

Jane shook her head immediately.“No.”All eyes turned to her.“We are not giving him anything,” she said firmly. Leo stared at her in disbelief. “Are you serious right now?”“Yes,” Jane replied. “Dad made a lot of mistakes. This is one of them. And I’m not continuing that life.”Leo stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous. This is not about morality, Jane. This is about survival. “He will come after us!”Let him,” Jane said.

The room went silent.

Leo looked at her like she had lost her mind.“You don’t understand what kind of man this is. And you don’t understand what kind of life I refuse to live, Jane replied. Their eyes locked. A battle of will. A clash of two paths.

Leo wanted power. He wanted control. He wanted to secure his position and save his life. Jane wanted something different. Something clean.Something new. But in a world built on secrets, violence, and debts, Change was never that simple. Leo turned away, running a hand through his hair in frustration. In his mind, two thoughts fought for control. I need to become CEO. I need to give that man his twenty percent. And somehow, he had to find a way to make both happen. Because if he didn’t, the war their father left behind would come for all of them.