The lawyer stood before the somber assembly, a brown sealed envelope clutched in his hand. "Now for the reading of Miss Bo Rulan's final will," he announced solemnly, breaking the heavy silence that hung over the room. With practiced precision, he tore open the envelope and withdrew the document contained within.
"The position as president of the Coral Group will be handed over to her father, Mr. Bo," the lawyer began, his voice measured and authoritative. "The entertainment company under Coral Group will be handed to Miss Bo Wanwan." A ripple of surprise passed through both Bo Wanwan and her father at the unexpected bequests, their expressions betraying a mixture of disbelief and gratitude.
"Is there anything for me?" Mrs. Bo interjected, her voice tinged with hope as she clung to the possibility of a posthumous gift from her departed daughter. The lawyer's solemn shake of the head dashed her hopes, and a veil of disappointment descended over her features.
"To her grandfather, she left her private island and every property on it," the lawyer continued, his tone unwavering as he outlined the remaining provisions of the will. "To Michaela Adams, she left Coral Group Technological and Research Laboratories and five percent of Coral Group shares. To Ruby Diamond, she left all fashion-related industries under Coral Group and five percent of Coral Group shares." The expressions of the two girls remained unchanged, their stoicism a stark contrast to the mounting tension in the room.
Undeterred, the lawyer pressed on. "To Mr. Caesar, she left all the money in her bank accounts under the name of Bo Anne. To Miss Pearl Simons, she left all her houses in Berlin, England, China, and Japan." A murmur of surprise rippled through the room at the mention of Miss Pearl's name, her unexpected windfall prompting speculation among the gathered guests.
"And to her younger cousin Ji Lan, she left all her money in her account under the name Bo Rulan," the lawyer concluded, his voice carrying the weight of finality. A burst of cheers erupted from a group of distant relatives, their jubilation palpable as they enveloped a girl whom Leonard presumed to be Ji Lan in congratulatory embraces. But Ji Lan herself remained impassive, her expression betraying no hint of joy at her newfound inheritance.
"To Mr. Leonard Chester, she left her pet Kai, a warehouse, and fifty percent of Coral Group shares. That ends the reading of the will," the lawyer concluded, his voice cutting through the chaos that erupted in the room as the final provisions were revealed.
Leonard felt a surge of surprise at the bequest directed towards him. Bo Rulan had left him fifty percent of Coral Group shares, making him the highest shareholder in her company. The incredulous stares and murmured complaints that followed from the gathered family members only served to underscore the gravity of the gift bestowed upon him.
Amidst the uproar, Bo Wanwan approached Leonard with a soft inquiry, her tone tinged with disbelief. "The shares, you're not really going to accept them, are you?" she asked, her gaze imploring.
"Oh, so you're done crying now?" Leonard sneered, his bitterness evident in his tone as he brushed past her, his resolve unshaken by her thinly veiled attempts at manipulation. He approached the lawyer with determination, ready to formalize his claim to the inheritance that had been bestowed upon him.
"Where do I sign?" Leonard demanded, his voice firm as he met the lawyer's gaze with unwavering resolve. But before the lawyer could respond, Mr. Bo, Bo Rulan's father, interposed himself, blocking Leonard's path with an outstretched arm.
"You can't do this. That will isn't valid. Any document created by a mentally ill person isn't valid," Mr. Bo asserted, his voice laced with a thinly veiled threat.
"Miss Bo was very sane when she made her will," the lawyer countered, his tone unwavering as he stood his ground against the patriarch's objections.
"A sane person wouldn't—" Mr. Bo began, but his words faltered under the weight of Leonard's steely glare. Leonard wasn't alone in his defiance; Caesar, Michaela, Ruby, and Assistant Simons all leveled their own glares at Mr. Bo, their solidarity a testament to their unwavering support of Bo Rulan's final wishes
Mr. Bo recoiled, his defiance crumbling in the face of Leonard's unwavering determination. With a sense of triumph, Leonard accepted the documents from the lawyer and swiftly affixed his signature, sealing his claim to the inheritance that had been bestowed upon him. The lawyer then handed him a key and a note, informing him of its purpose.
"It's for the warehouse," the lawyer explained simply, his tone conveying a sense of finality. Leonard nodded in acknowledgment, his mind already racing with thoughts of what awaited him within.
As he exited the mansion, Leonard felt a surge of relief wash over him, eager to leave behind the facade of grief and hypocrisy that had permeated the air. He climbed into his car, the weight of Bo Rulan's legacy heavy upon his shoulders as the driver guided them away from the chaos of the Bo estate.
As they journeyed home, Leonard's thoughts remained consumed by Bo Rulan, her presence lingering in the recesses of his mind. His eyes drifted to the note in his hand, the location of the warehouse beckoning to him with tantalizing promise.
"Hey, don't go home. Take me here," Leonard instructed the driver, his voice firm as he handed over the note. The driver nodded in compliance, deftly inputting the coordinates into the GPS before steering the car towards its destination.
The journey to the warehouse was a silent one, the anticipation building with each passing mile. When they finally arrived, Leonard stepped out of the car and gazed up at the imposing structure before him. The warehouse loomed large, its vast expanse stretching out before him in silent invitation.
With a sense of trepidation mingled with excitement, Leonard approached the door, the key burning in his hand.
The door loomed before Leonard, a formidable barrier between him and the secrets that lay within. With a steady hand, he inserted the key into the lock, the metallic clinks of the tumblers echoing through the cavernous space as they shifted into place. Each movement felt heavy, laden with the weight of anticipation and uncertainty.
Finally, with a resounding click, the door swung open, revealing a breathtaking sight that took Leonard's breath away. As he stepped into the warehouse, lights flickered to life, illuminating row upon row of gleaming automobiles. Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Porsches, Rolls Royces—each more luxurious than the last—stood in silent testimony to Bo Rulan's extravagant generosity.
The sight before him brought forth a flood of memories, memories of promises made and dreams shared. Leonard's mind flashed back to Bo Rulan's words, spoken with such conviction and sincerity: "If you decide to be with me, I'll make sure you drive a different car every day. Be my man." The weight of her absence pressed down upon him, a tangible reminder of all that had been lost.
Unable to contain his grief any longer, Leonard sank to his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks unchecked. In the midst of the opulence that surrounded him, he felt a profound sense of emptiness, a void that could never be filled. "Rulan," he whispered hoarsely, the sound barely audible above the echo of his own anguish.
In that moment of raw vulnerability, surrounded by the trappings of wealth and luxury, Leonard realized that none of it mattered. No amount of material possessions could ever fill the void left by Bo Rulan's absence. All he wanted was her, the woman he loved with every fiber of his being.