“Attorney!” Rachel did not expect to see her father’s solicitor.
“It’s good to see you up and happy, Rachel. I heard from Maggie that you’ve been locked up in your room these last few days.” He was also saddened by the loss of a true friend, and he understood how Rachel felt.
“I miss him so much,” Rachel said referring to her father.
“I don’t know where to start. But can we talk privately?” the lawyer’s face suddenly became serious.
“Oh, okay, let’s go to Daddy’s library. But I’ll say goodbye to Brett first, he just took a moment to the kitchen,” Rachel said.
He was not good at guessing but he still tried. “As in Brett Morgan?” He asked Rachel.
“Yes, the one and only but why do you know him?”
“No no, I don’t know him. But your father left a letter for each of you,” he said.
“What letter?”
“And you must be, Brett?” the lawyer asked Brett.
“Yes,” Brett replied.
“Alright, now, can we proceed to the library where we can discuss these matters?” There were important things he had to say to the two according to Steve’s last will.
Brett didn’t understand why he needed his presence even though he wasn’t like Steve. But after the lawyer read the last will all his questions were answered. All the assets of the late Steve Ortiz will go to him from stocks and bonds to real estate properties as well as the millions of cash that is in the bank.
“I won’t accept it,” he refused to follow whatever was in Steve’s last will because that was the right thing to do.
“Son, won’t you feel sorry for Rachel? If you do that-”
“That’s why I can’t accept it because Rachel has all that. And Steve should have given her that! Brett’s voice rose as the lawyer spoke. “He’s crazy!” He added out of annoyance.
“Son, listen to me. Finish me first, okay? If you choose not to accept everything that was willed to you, it will be divided among charities in the Philippines.”
Brett stood up and slapped the table. “WHAT? Is he losing his mind?” He didn’t understand Steve’s purpose as to why he wanted to torture Rachel.
“My exact words to him, actually. Steve is a stubborn man and he won’t have it otherwise.”
“Damn you, Steve!” Brett cursed loudly and when he looked at the woman, she just bowed. “Rachel, do you know why your father did this?” He doubted that Steve might not be the girl’s real father.
“No, I don’t know anything.” He lied, but he wasn’t sure if what his father did was still related to what they had been betting on before.
He could not understand what Steve had done. Doesn’t it please Rachel? Did Steve get really angry with his son because of what happened in the cave? So was it able to change the last will? He knew he wouldn’t accept that, but why? Did it mean everything to torture the child? Then the girl is miserable. Unless he returns everything to Rachel. “So, is there a way for me to get everything back to Rachel?” he asked the lawyer.
While Atty. Elarcosa was amazed to hear from the young man. If so, his friend Steve did not make a mistake in trusting Brett. “Of course, son. You can give Rachel everything back on her 25th birthday, provided, that she’s already married to the man she loves.”
The ambiguity of Steve’s condition in his last will. “What if, he’s happily married next year?”
“Clearly stated in the last will, Brett. On her 25th birthday,” the solicitor insisted.
“Fuck! So, what will happen if there’s no other way to get everything back to Rachel?” Her brain was confused thinking of what she could do to get everything back to Rachel.
“It’s up to you, my son.”
“What happened to you? Won’t you fight for your rights? It’s rightfully yours! I just can’t really understand your father, what madness he did!” Brett spoke to the woman as if she had lost her tongue. After all, Rachel was still young and what did she know about the things they and the lawyer talked about?
“Let it go. It’ll just hurt your head to think of the reason. And one more thing, I have money. My profit share goes to Daddy’s companies regularly. And what am I going to do with a lot of money? I have more than enough to suit my needs.”
“I still won’t allow everything not to be returned to you. By the way, what did your Daddy say in the letter he left?” he remembered the letter the lawyer had given them earlier.
“This,” Rachel handed over the letter Steve had left with Brett.
“Trust me?” Brett asked Rachel.
“Yes, but I can’t get what he means.” But he had an idea why even a little bit and he wasn’t sure.
“Your father is really crazy, Rachel!” Brett sighed.
Rachel didn’t like the words coming out of the man’s mouth. “Brett, don’t say that. Respect the dead!” He scolded Brett.
Brett ruffled his long hair as he continued to think about what he was going to do. “How could I? Don’t you know how much trouble he left behind?”
“For me, that’s not a problem. If you don’t want to, eh no, sell everything. You can give me some of the proceeds if you want. It’s up to you,” Rachel said and left the library first.
“Where are you going? We’ll talk some more!” He called Rachel but she didn’t listen. “Attorney, I’ll just follow him.” He said goodbye to the lawyer.
“All right, son. Follow him and talk to him, just call me when you need to clarify something.” He replied and left a business card with Brett.
He wanted to be alone to be able to think mentally. He still couldn’t believe what his father had done. That it still continued their bet. But he also thought that was good too. And at least now, he no longer has a problem with how to run the company her Daddy left behind. Anyway, she was sure that Brett would not let go of what her father had founded so somehow she was complacent.
“I just read your father’s letter,” Brett said to Rachel on the swing.
“Then?” he asked Brett even though he wasn’t interested in knowing what the letter contained.
“She said, I can give you everything back right away when we get married.” There was a tinge of hope in her voice as she told Rachel that there was a way to get it all.
“What?” he was surprised at what his Daddy did because he simply cornered Brett to marry him. Because of what Brett said, he couldn’t look directly at the man. “But it won’t happen, and we both know it.”
“Hmmm, I’m willing to compromise until you’re 25 years old then we can have an annulment. Although I have no plans to get married yet, I can’t just leave you alone.” Brett’s explanation.
“Brett, the compromise you’re going to make is too much. I’m still eighteen this year. It’ll be a long time before I turn twenty-five. What if you fall in love in between? That’s unfair to you, so it’s a no for me.” She refused to let the two of them marry just so it can get her back.
“I insist,” Brett said and he thought it was serious.