"I believe you already know why I'm here?" Lucas nodded in reply and Cedric only continued to watch the smiling middle-aged man.
He continued after confirming the expression on their faces. "-As you already know, I'm here to discuss your grandmother's will." he said before taking out an enclosed envelope from his briefcase. "She called as soon as you found out her situation."
Cedric's lips pursed into a thin line. His biceps contracted as he moved to cross his arms above his chest. "Did you know she was sick?"
Atty. Sanders shifted his eyes from the paper to the man sitting in front of him. "No, I just also found out about it today." he lied smoothly.
David Sanders never really knew that Beatrice's illness was an act. She never bothered to tell him as she did not trust him like she trusted his father whom he replaced as her personal lawyer when the old man passed.
"But did you not suspect that she may be when she asked you to finalize her will?" it was Lucas' turn to ask, suspicion laced his voice.
Of course, he did. David has had other rich clients who have done the exact same thing but he won't tell them that. He always hated the two Ford grandsons who seemed to have everything in the palm of their hands and here he is working his ass off to get to that old woman's good graces. Jesus, how relieved he was when he heard she's dying.
"I'm a lawyer, sir, not a doctor. I can't make such ambiguous assumptions just because my client asked me to change her will," he argued with a hard smile on his face.
Lucas tilted his head to the side in doubt openly expressing his distrust before turning to look at his cousin but Cedric only kept his eyes on the lawyer.
Noticing the tension in the air, Atty. Sanders tried to ease it up by clapping Cedric on the back but failed to do so when the young master shrugged him off.
"I never really liked you, Attorney." he bluntly let out.
The smile on the lawyer's face fell and he cleared his throat.
"Begin," Cedric said ignoring the man whose face seemed to have turned as white as a blank sheet of paper. He looked offended but hid it with an awkward smile before nodding his head stiffly in response.
Atty. Sanders started reading Beatrice's will beginning from the properties and shares she will be handing over to her only daughter and Lucas' mother, Clara Hill. He also mentioned the assets and shares Lucas will receive as her youngest grandson.
"Mrs. Beatrice West-Ford will be transferring the majority of her shares, remaining properties, including land, and anything with value, monetary and such to her oldest grandson, Cedric Luis Ford upon her resignation by the end of the month mentioned here of this year two thousand-" he carefully read. "-provided that he gets legally married to the woman she chose or of his choosing."
David Sanders deliberately cleared his throat and squinted his eyes while a hard smile forms his face. "If this condition is not met, all mentioned assets, properties, shares, and anything with monetary value under Beatrice West-Ford shall be donated to the charity of her choosing-"
He's not even trying to hide how pleased he is right now. Bastard. Lucas thought while looking between Cedric and the lawyer.
Once done, David handed out a copy of the will in a sealed envelope. "My lawyer will coordinate with you about this, Attorney," Cedric said when he received the closed envelope and the man nodded his head, his face strained as if he was constipated when he realized that he elicited no reaction from the young man. Lucas wanted to smirk after seeing the lawyer's reaction.
"Shall I see you out?" Lucas offered but the man smiled stiffly and shook his head to look polite as he declines his offer.
"I appreciate the thought, young master, but I can go from here."
"Suit yourself then," Lucas responded while he settles back into his seat with an exaggerated casualness.
The man gritted his teeth and forced a smile before he went out of the library in a rush.
Lucas chuckled and turn to look at Cedric. "I bet you're pretty shocked after hearing that."
Cedric couldn't help but let out a long exhale before leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "I'm not. Gran and I argued about this before. This must be the reason why she's so keen on making me marry this month."
"What do you plan on doing?"
Cedric didn't respond so Lucas continued, "You can always talk to gran to have her change the conditions of the will...ask more time."
Lucas was now pacing back and forth while Cedric sat casually on the couch but his eyes looked dark.
"-Well, you won't find someone decent enough with just a few days left unless you pay someone to do it-" Lucas grab his shoulders and stared at him in the eyes, "Worry not cousin, if you become broke and homeless, you can always work for me when I inherit Hill-"
Cedric's eyes widen for a second before he reached out and pressed the palm of his hands to Lucas's cheeks, squishing it in the process.
"What did you say?"
"whGsusjxnwolaoskanalaiaoqp-" a strew of incoherent words came out of his mouth.
"What?"
Lucas removed his face from his cousin's hand and exaggeratedly examined his jaw as if he was injured from his grip.
"Luc-"
"I said-" the young man started grinning from ear to ear, "-if you become poor and homeless, you can work for me instea-"
Cedric shook his head in amusement, "Not that. The other one."
A frown formed on Lucas's face in confusion. "What? you won't find anyone in a short time unless you pay them to do-" he stopped when the realization hit him and he started grinning again. "I'm a genius."
Cedric chuckled before getting down to business. "I have to find someone who can do it. A professional."
Lucas nodded his head eagerly in response. "Good idea. It's better to hire someone professional."
"-And you're going to help me find that someone. Make sure to do it as discreetly as possible." Cedric finished before handing a black credit card to the poor boy.
_to be continued_