Chapter 3 - THE SON WHO DIDN'T WANT THE HOUSE
Serena screamed first.
“No.”
Richard remained calm.
“The will is valid unless successfully challenged.”
“No!”
She pointed at Elias.
“He is not my brother.”
Elias looked tired.
“Good start.”
Serena ignored him.
“My father had one child.”
Richard said:
“Charles had two biological children.”
“Prove it.”
“DNA records are included.”
Serena laughed.
“Fabricated.”
“Independent laboratory. Sealed chain of custody.”
Her face hardened.
Then she looked at Victoria.
“You did this.”
Victoria shook her head.
“I learned his name eleven days ago.”
“You married an old man and found some stray to steal everything.”
Elias’s expression changed.
Not anger.
Shame.
That interested Victoria.
Richard continued:
“Charles placed the controlling estate assets into a testamentary trust. Primary beneficiary: Elias Mercer.”
Elias flinched at the surname.
Serena saw it.
“You don’t even use the name.”
“No.”
“Because you aren’t one.”
Elias looked at her.
“Because I didn’t want to be.”
Silence.
Richard continued.
“Victoria retains lifetime residence rights and income from the marital trust.”
Serena stared.
“And me?”
Richard looked at her.
“You receive the education foundation seat, several investment accounts, and the Nantucket property.”
“How much?”
“Approximately twelve million.”
Serena laughed hysterically.
“Twelve?”
Victoria almost said nothing.
Almost.
Then:
“That is more than most people see in ten lifetimes.”
Serena turned on her.
“I was raised for this company.”
Richard corrected:
“This is not the company transfer yet.”
Serena froze.
There was more.
Charles’s will separated Mercer Holdings from the personal estate.
The company shares were placed under a governance trust.
Elias received a controlling beneficial interest.
But he could not exercise full voting power for ninety days.
During that period, the board could challenge his fitness.
Serena’s face changed.
Hope.
“Fitness?”
Richard nodded.
“Financial competence. Criminal history. substance dependency. coercion risk.”
Serena looked Elias up and down.
Dirty coat.
Unshaven face.
Cheap boots.
Then smiled.
“Oh.”
Elias did not react.
Richard said:
“Charles expected this.”
“Expected what?”
“A challenge.”
Serena laughed.
“You think I need to challenge him? Look at him.”
Elias finally spoke.
“I’m looking too.”
Victoria turned.
“What does that mean?”
He looked toward the house.
“I don’t want it.”
Serena stared.
“What?”
“I don’t want his company.”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“Elias.”
“I said I don’t want it.”
Serena almost smiled.
“Then disclaim.”
Richard interrupted.
“He cannot simply disclaim without triggering alternate terms.”
Everyone looked at him.
“What alternate terms?” Victoria asked.
Richard closed the folder.
Charles had built a succession ladder.
If Elias declined or was deemed unfit, control did not pass to Serena.
It passed to an independent employee trust.
Serena’s face went white again.
“You’re lying.”
“No.”
“So I get nothing?”
“You get what the will gives you.”
She looked at Elias.
Now the hatred was different.
Before, he was a thief.
Now he was the gate blocking her even by refusing.
Serena stepped toward him.
“You think you can walk in here and destroy my life?”
Elias said quietly:
“I think your father already did that to both of us.”
That landed.
Victoria watched.
Then asked:
“What did Charles do to you?”
Elias looked at her.
May you like
For the first time, his composure cracked.
“He paid my mother to disappear.”
