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Blinking, I stare at the man in front of me, unsure what I’m supposed to say. “Thank you,” I say a little stiffly.
“Why were you trying to get in contact with Carrigan?” Carson asks when he sees me struggling.
“Yes,” Mr. Worth clears his throat. “Yes, well. Harold left sealed documents revealing his wishes on the occasion that the will was broken, but I couldn’t discuss that with you at the time, because I wasn’t sure what direction those wishes would go.”
“And now you know?” Arlo asks, his voice belaying a tone that suggests Mr. Worth should get on with it.
“I do,” he says sitting up straighter in his chair and tapping the papers still in his hands against the desk to realign them. “In the event that you,” he gestures to me, “Carrigan, deliberately broke one of the clauses of inheritance with the intent to disinherit yourself, your great-grandfather left several alternative directives depending on your reasoning. I feel I’m already aware of your thought process, but for the record could you please explain to me your reasoning for your decision to deliberately disinherit yourself?” he asks, his tone formal, while his eyes betray his own emotions of sorrow and pity.
Closing my eyes for the briefest of seconds I pull in a long, slow, affirming breath. A rye scoff slips from my lips as I look up and straight into Mr. Worth’s eyes. “I didn’t know my great-grandfather well, or actually really at all, but when he died, he created a path for me, and at fourteen I didn’t know how toxic and destructive it would turn out to be. His rules, enforced by my parents, ruined my relationship with my sister, it molded me into a manipulative, evil being who thought of nothing but the pursuit of a fortune, no matter the cost to myself or the people around me. For four years I blindly did what I was told, what I thought was expected of me, and it wasn’t until those around me revealed their true colors that I understood how wrong it all was, how poisonous it all was. Money corrupts and this inheritance corrupted me. I told you that day I came to see you that it had stolen everything that should be good and right inside of me, it took my integrity, my sense of morality, my soul, and all because I thought that my only purpose was following those godforsaken rules. The best thing I’ve ever done was free myself of that burden, and honestly I really hope he decided to donate his estate to charity or give it away to the needy, or just put it in one of his houses and set it all on fire, because I don’t want it, I really don’t,” I say with a slightly manic laugh.
Mr. Worth swallows audibly, then clears his throat, his lips turning down into a frown as sadness fills his eyes. “I’m sorry, Carrigan,” he says, his words filled with so much genuine conviction that I feel tears fill my eyes.
“It all comes to me doesn’t it?” I say, already knowing what he’s going to tell me before he has to say the words.
His nod is slow. “Your great-grandfather’s will had a morality clause hidden within the terms, which states that if you deliberately choose to break the will because you feel that the rules and clauses are having a detrimental effect on your moral fortitude, then the will is forfeited and the estate in its entirety is yours.”
“I don’t want it,” I whisper, reaching out blindly for Carson’s hand and clinging to him the moment he wraps his large, cool fingers around mine.
“The will does state that the inheritance is yours to do with as you will once you turn eighteen, so should you choose to, although I highly recommend you don’t, you can give it all away, or donate it.”
“Tally can have it,” I say, turning to my sister. “It should never have been mine, you can have it all.”
She shakes her head. “No, this is your future, Carrigan, it’s too much.”
“Then we’ll split it half each, and then I’m not burning a fortune, just half of one,” I say on a choked sob. “Can I do that?” I ask, turning to look at the lawyer.
“Err,” he faulters obviously unsure what to say. “What you do with the assets from the will, is entirely up to you once you’ve received them.”
“Okay, then I accept,” I say, ignoring the lawyer and looking to my sister. “Then once all the paperwork is sorted out, half of it is yours, half of the money, the houses, the businesses, everything.”
“If I say yes, do you promise not to give all of yours away or burn it?” Tally asks, a soft smile spreading across her lips.
“No,” I say on a half laugh, half cry.
“Mr. Worth, as Carrigan has inherited everything now, does that mean she holds responsibility for the family trusts that are already in place?” Arlo asks, curiously.
Flipping through the piles of papers Mr. Worth pulls out a sheet and starts to read while we all just stare on silently. “Hmmm,” he says, placing the paper back down on the pile. “In normal circumstances, active trusts have a fixed amount of money that’s excluded from any final estate, but that’s actually not the case with Harold’s estate. The trusts are all conditional and are part of the bequest. Why?” he asks.
Arlo smiles, a low laugh falling from his lips. “That is excellent news,” he says, avoiding answering the lawyer’s question as his eyes light up with mischief.
16
Carson
The limo driver closes the door behind me as I slide into the cool leather seat, and a moment later we pull into traffic. “Benduccio’s for lunch?” I ask.
“Sure,” Arlo says as the rest of group stay quiet, still a little shocked by the turn of today’s events.
“Benduccio’s please,” I call to the driver, who nods silently.
Pressing the button, I lift the privacy screen, hiding us from his eyes and ears as I look to Priss next to me. Her eyes are wide and still a little watery and I wish I could take away all this pain, but I have no idea what I can do to help, other than just be here for her.
“Did all that just happen?” she asks, her voice soft and a little shaky.
“Fucking hell, Crueligan, when you sign that paperwork you’re going to be loaded,” Wats laughs, like it’s the funniest thing he’s ever heard.
“I don’t want it,” she sighs.
