Le Desespoir: The Cursed Paradise

The Inheritance

The lawyer sighed as he removed his glasses. The brothers' reaction was the same as his when he first heard this case, but as bizarre as it was, the will and all of its contents were real.

"Please listen," he said as he read the contents.

As the immediate relatives of the man, both Austin and Jerome were now the owners of a vast estate in the countryside of France. The estate was called Le Désespoir, and it included a monstrous house and acres and acres of land. The thing was that they couldn't sell it nor it would be completely theirs unless they stayed there for three weeks.

"B-but, why am I included? I'm not a legal child," Austin asked. "I-I'm not even acknowledged as a child," he added, and the bitterness of his words did not escape his brother.

Jerome had wanted to reach out to his younger sibling but he didn't, afraid that he might get rejected. After all, the younger boy had every reason to hate him— although Jerome was not to blame.

"Because the will clearly stated in the will left by Mr. de Lancret, that two— not one— immediate relatives should inherit," the lawyer explained. "Since Mr. Dassonneville doesn't have other relatives on his father's side except you, you were included."

Jerome watched as his younger brother snorted in disgust, and, again, his heart went out for him.

"I don't need it," he heard his younger brother say as the boy stood up. "I don't need anything from you," he said as he turned to leave, but Jerome grabbed his shoulder.

"You can't just leave," he said, feeling panicked.

Until now he didn't know what to do with his brother, but he was his brother and he didn't want him to leave. He feared that he might not see Austin again if he let him go now.

"Why not?" Austin asked, scowling at his brother's hand on his shoulder.

"I just learned about you. What do you expect me to do?" Jerome asked, and his brother smiled bitterly at him.

"Do what the old man did— nothing," Austin answered as he again turned to leave, making Jerome’s panic grow.

He couldn't think of anything to make his younger brother stay. He watched helplessly as Austin walked towards the door, but the lawyer suddenly spoke, making him stop.

"Cancer," the lawyer called out and Austin immediately stopped walking. "Your mother has colon cancer and needed an operation to get well," he continued, and Jerome saw his brother's shoulder stiffen as his palms fisted. "If you're going to waive the inheritance, how are you going to bring your mother to the hospital?"

Austin was silent for a moment. "I'll work," he answered stiffly.

"You're still studying," the lawyer rebutted, using the voice he used in court.

Like what he said earlier, Austin was such a smart and good son. The younger man was attending college on a scholarship in the morning and worked at a convenience store at night to support both himself and his sick mother.

Riches did not interest him, the lawyer knew. If he wanted Austin to agree with him, he would use the most precious thing in this world for him as bait— his mother.

"You're studying in the morning and working at night. Do you think you can earn enough to have her treated?"

Austin’s shoulder shook in silent rage as he turned towards them. Jerome noted that he was trying hard to reign in his emotions.

"I will drop out and get another job," he answered defiantly.

The lawyer shook his head. "You're young, you don't have any experience. If you dropped out of college you won't have an education either," he argued. If Austin left school, he would never have another chance at the scholarship. "Do you think you can get a good job?"

"Damn you! I'll find a way!" Austin finally broke down and Jerome’s heart clenched as he saw his defiant eyes glistened with tears.

In the few minutes that he had spent with him, Jerome found out that Austin had inherited their family's pride, and baring his soul like that cost him a lot.

Jerome didn't give a damn about the thousand questions in his mind anymore. He had found his brother and he wanted a chance to get to know him— to give what should be his, and he couldn't do that if he let his younger brother leave.

"But accepting the inheritance is also a way," he told his brother. "Please say yes." He beseeched his younger brother's eyes. "It's not about the money. I—" Jerome breathed out. He was nervous in some way, but he decided to be truthful. "I just want to spend time with you."

"What are you saying?" Austin looked confused.

"I know father… our father had been cruel to you and your mother. I'm not him so I can't say I'll make it up to you," Jerome answered. "But as a brother, I want to selfishly say that I want to get to know you— spend some time with you. If this inheritance thing can give us a chance to spend time together then so be it," he continued as he swallowed hard, and when Austin still looked like he wanted to hesitate, he spoke again. "Think of your mother. She can finally get the medical attention that she needs."

The lawyer saw the change in the younger boy's expression and he decided to grab the chance. "If you accept the inheritance, your mother will not only get better, she'll also have a place to stay where she could recuperate faster. I heard the place you inherited is like a paradise— all sunny and green," he said, all the while hoping that none of the brothers noticed his lie.

Yes, the place they had inherited was indeed beautiful and green. But the tragedies that continued to happen there had long since cast a shadow upon the place. For those who had lived there and suffered, Le Désespoir wasn't a paradise— it was a place of despair like its name, and he hoped that this time, through these two people in front of him now, the curse would finally end.

Please, God...