"I know, master. I'm yours for the rest of my life, and nothing will ever change that."
+0.5% Charisma
Dante suddenly got a notification from the system, and Dante couldn't help but wonder why the fuck it was giving him an increase in charisma just because he spoke kindly to Risa. Dante released a silent sigh as he decided not to bother with the system, and his face hardened as he pushed the door open and entered the reading room.
The reading room was a large office with rows upon rows of books lined up in various bookshelves that stood against the walls. There was a large table in the middle of the room where an older man wearing a pristine suit and rose-gold reading glasses was slowly unpacking his bag, and the various members of the Lucas main family were seated on chairs that had been arranged to face the main table. Once Dante entered the room, everyone turned to glance at him.
The matron scowled in irritation once she saw him and turned away with a scoff. Fredrick smiled at Dante and nodded to him, while Richard clicked his tongue as he refused to meet Dante's eyes. Angelina gave Dante an inviting smile when she saw him enter, but the moment Risa walked in after him, Angelina's smile dimmed as she glared at Risa in annoyance. Risa gave Angelina a blank stare in return, and Angelina huffed before turning to look at the old man as well.
The old man's name was Maximillian Fernando, and he was the family lawyer who had been in charge of handling the Lucas family will for the past fifty years. The previous family lawyer was the father of the current one, and the Lucas family had been using the Fernando family as their legal custodians for as long as they could remember.
The old man finally arranged a few books and a folder in the center of the table before he set his bag to the side and stood to his full height while looking over the people present. His eyes stayed on Dante for a moment longer than the others, but Dante ignored it, and he waited patiently with his hands behind him for the man to start. Once the lawyer was sure that everyone who needed to be here was here, he began to speak.
"Good day, everyone. It is a pleasure to see you all in good health, although I find it unfortunate that we had to gather here by account of the death of a very great man. Nonetheless, we have business we must attend to, and I believe it is time we got down to it. Please keep all comments and reactions to the following reading to yourselves until the end of the session. Thank you."
The old man rearranged his glasses fluidly before calmly sitting down in a high chair behind the table. He opened the large folder to the first page and cleared his throat.
"Ah-hem. And I begin… The following is the will and final testimony of one George Lucas. It has not been tampered with, edited, or redacted, and its content cannot be contested by anyone in the court of law. I, George Lucas, give this will and testimony in soundness of mind and body, and under no form of persuasion from an external party. This will is to be read in the event of my death, and all details within the will are to be carried out by the intended parties without fail.
"First, a message to my family. I know that this is not coming to you as a surprise. I have been sick for a long time, and it was already expected that I would pass away. My dear wife, Georgia, I know that in the last years of my life, we did not see eye to eye. We argued and disagreed on many things. But I die knowing that you loved me, and I cannot leave you without telling you that I loved you in return. Your presence was the rock that allowed me to build this empire, and I will remain ever grateful to you for your support."
"To my children, Fredrick, Angelina, Richard, and Dante. I am leaving you far too soon, and I regret the fact that I am abandoning you into a world that is far more brutal than many of you are prepared for. Fredrick, you are the eldest of my children and the wisest. I hope you will see to it that your younger siblings do not fall into the wrong crowd, and I pray you will forgive me for not being there for you when you most needed me.
To Angelina and Richard, you are my two jewels, and I cherish you both, but I know you are not suited for the life of the underworld, and I pray that you both will find a passion outside of this world that can give your life meaning."
"And finally, to Dante. I told you once that you and I are the only things holding this family together, and I meant that with every fiber of my being. Keep this family afloat, Dante. I am leaving my trust and hopes in your hands, and I know you will not fail me, my son."
The entire room was dead silent as they listened to the message from George. The matron had been happy when she heard George tell her that he loved her, but the moment she heard Dante's name being read as one of George's children, she felt a righteous anger filling her body that almost drove her mad. Fredrick, Angelina, and Richard were even more surprised than their mother, and they all glanced back to look at Dante with various expressions of shock on their faces.
Dante tried as hard as he could, but it was impossible for him to keep the look of surprise off his face. Dante had expected many things to happen here today, but he never thought that George would write all those things in his will—and he definitely didn't think that George would call him his son like this. The way George was speaking almost made it seem like Dante was his actual son and not just someone he took into the family. What in the world was going on here?
"Is all of this really important? Just read the damn will!"
The matron finally stood up and spoke in a loud voice, and the old man looked at her from above his glasses with a disapproving expression on his face.
"Madam Georgia, please try to remain calm until I am finished. I already informed you that there will be no rushing of this process."
The old man was not going to take any nonsense from the matron, and she was about to speak up again, but Fredrick suddenly interrupted her.
"Sit down, Mother. Let him finish."
The matron turned to Fredrick in anger, but her anger disappeared when she saw that Fredrick wasn't even looking at her. Fredrick was just staring at the will with a serious expression on his face, and the matron released a tense breath before she sat down. Once she was seated, the old man continued.
"And now, we shall enter into the reading of the final will. This will is legally binding and shall not be contested or refuted in any court of law, and it states thus: To my beloved wife, Georgia, I leave the mansion in the English Alps, the Aston Martin DB9, the tax-free sum of one million dollars, as well as my beloved pet dog, Ruffles. Please take care of him."
"What!?"
The matron was back on her feet before the old man could even finish the final word, and everyone shook from the intensity of her scream.