Chapter Four – The Will
1418 Words
Selena
The mansion’s great hall had been transformed into something colder than a courtroom. Rows of polished chairs lined the marble floor, filled with extended relatives whose faces I barely recognized. They had come, not to mourn, but to calculate. Eyes shifted from one person to the next, lingering on Kael, on me, and most heavily on my brother, Darius.
I sat rigidly in the front row, Elmira’s hand covering mine like a warm glove. She had insisted I shouldn’t face this alone. On my other side, Kael leaned forward, his expression unreadable but commanding in the way that always made people lower their voices in his presence.
At the far end of the hall, Mr. Halden, our father’s long-time lawyer, cleared his throat. His glasses glinted beneath the chandelier as he opened the thick leather-bound file. A hush fell over the hall, and I felt my heart stumble in my chest.
“This is the last will and testament of Gregory Ardyn,” he began, voice measured and formal.
Darius smirked. He didn’t even bother to hide it. Sitting back, one leg crossed over the other, he wore his entitlement like armor. It was already written all over his face — in his mind, everything was his by right.
The lawyer continued. “To my beloved children, Selena Ardyn and Darius Ardyn, I leave my shares and properties to be divided, as specified…”
Every head tilted forward as he listed assets, estates, and investments. My name was mentioned again and again, attached to things I never expected: properties in Milkshire, a block of shares in the company, even a countryside villa father and I had only visited once. I sat frozen.
Darius’s smirk faltered, then hardened. His hand curled into a fist on his knee.
When the reading ended, a murmur rippled through the hall. Half the estate wasn’t his. It wasn’t even close. Father had trusted me with more than Darius ever thought possible.
I couldn’t breathe. This wasn’t what I wanted. I only wanted Father back. The inheritance felt like a cruel trick, a chain dragging me deeper into waters I didn’t know how to swim.
Kael leaned toward me, his voice a whisper brushing my ear. “He wanted you protected. Your father saw your worth, Selena. Don’t let anyone make you believe otherwise.”
I nodded stiffly, though my throat burned.
The session ended in tension so sharp it cut the air. Relatives dispersed in hushed groups, whispering over figures and property. Darius stood rooted in place, staring at me with something close to hatred in his eyes.
I found him waiting outside my room later that evening. His jaw was tight, and his eyes glittered like storm clouds.
“You planned this, didn’t you?” His voice was low, dangerous.
I flinched. “Planned what? I didn’t even know—”
“Don’t you dare play innocent with me!” He stepped closer, towering, his finger stabbing the air between us. “You think because Father spoiled you with his affection, you deserve to inherit everything? That company was meant for me, Selena. I am the heir. Not you.”
Tears burned behind my eyes, but I held my ground. “It wasn’t me. Father made his decision. I didn’t ask for any of this.”
“You’ve always been his precious little doll. Sweet, fragile Selena. And now you’re trying to take what belongs to me.” His voice cracked, and for a fleeting moment, I glimpsed not anger but desperation.
Before I could answer, Kael appeared at the corridor’s end, his presence filling the space. Elmira wasn’t far behind, her eyes darting between us.
“Everything all right here?” Kael’s voice was calm, but the warning beneath it was unmistakable.
Darius glared at him, then at me, before storming off. His footsteps echoed until the house swallowed him.
I sagged against the doorframe, breath shuddering. Kael reached me in two strides, his hand firm on my shoulder. “Don’t let his words sink in. He’s blinded by greed. Your father knew the truth — that you have a heart, something Darius has long lost.”
I wanted to believe him. I wanted to lean into the comfort. So I did.
Elmira stroked my arm gently, her face painted with sympathy. “Ignore him, Selena. Some people only see you as an obstacle, not as a sister.”
The words pierced deeper than I expected.
The mansion was restless that night. Servants whispered of shouting in the east wing. I tried to sleep, but I was so unsettled. Every creak in the halls set my nerves on edge.
It was just past midnight when I heard the scream. A sharp, strangled cry that froze my blood. I ran from my room barefoot, Elmira rushing out at the same time. Together we followed the noise until we reached the east wing.
The sight burned into me.
Darius lay sprawled across the marble floor, blood spreading beneath him in a dark pool. His eyes were open, glassy with shock, his lips parted as if the last word he’d tried to form had betrayed him.
For a moment, I couldn’t move. My mind refused to accept it.
“No…” My knees buckled, and I dropped beside him. My trembling hands reached out, but I couldn’t bring myself to touch the blood. “No, Darius! Please, get up! Don’t leave me too!”
Kael was suddenly there, kneeling, pulling me into his arms as I broke apart. His strength swallowed my shaking body. “Selena, don’t look. Don’t torture yourself. He’s gone.”
Gone.
The word shredded me. Father, and now Darius. My family was unraveling, and I was helpless to stop it.
Elmira wept quietly behind us, but when I glanced back at her, there was something… something in her eyes that flickered before she buried her face in her hands.
The security said there had been an intruder, a break-in, a struggle gone wrong. But in my heart, a small, chilling voice wondered if this tragedy had roots deeper than chance.
I clung to Kael, thank God for that man. Because without him, I would collapse completely.
Two weeks later
Days blurred. The house was quieter than death itself. Every corner reminded me of Darius — of his arrogance, his arguments, even his laughter when we were children. Guilt weighed heavier than grief. Our last words had been full of anger, and now they could never be taken back.
One morning, while dressing, nausea gripped me. It was so sudden that it sent me rushing to the washroom. Elmira hovered worriedly, fetching water, soothing my hair, she had insisted on staying by my side and I couldn't be more grateful.Loss isaterrible thing.
I counted the weeks. My hands trembled. “Could it be that…. I was pregnant?”
“Grill, if you're pregnant, this is the best news ever”
Elmira giggled beside me.
But my head was buzzing.
“Me??.. Pregnant” this is the best news ever!.. But I had to tell Kael first.
That evening, I sought Kael in his study. My voice shook as I confessed, “Kael… I think I’m pregnant.”
His eyes widened, and for a moment, He seemed unsure. Then he smiled, tender and triumphant all at once, and pulled me close. “Selena, this is a blessing. A new life in the middle of all this pain. Your father and brother may be gone, but our child… our child is the future.”
I pressed my face to his chest, sobbing from relief and sorrow.
He stroked my hair, his tone softening into something almost hypnotic. “You’ve been carrying so much grief. You need rest, healing. I’ve already been making arrangements. A trip, far from here. To the Alps. The air is clean, and I know how much you love it there. It will be perfect for you… and now for the baby.”
The Alps.
The word sounded like escape, like salvation.
I nodded against him, whispering, “Yes. Anywhere, as long as you’re with me.”
His hand tightened briefly at my back — a gesture that felt both protective and binding.
I knew then, that this child was a blessing. And with my husband by my side, life was just about to get better.
Elmira better prepare to come on this trip with me. This is the first trip with her nephew/niece anyways. I am so happy!!
- Writer
