By Zephyria Everyone’s attention was focused on one spot by the horrified scream. There stood Yu-jin, his face pale. He seemed to have completely lost his mind.
“This is wrong. It absolutely can’t be, it’s a lie. Ah, that’s right, Mr., surely, Campbell wasn’t in his right mind. They said he was seriously ill, right? Then he might not have been lucid. If that’s not it, then something’s wrong. Like the USB was switched, yes, that must be it. If that’s not it, then this absolutely can’t be. It’s impossible!”
“Winston.”
His mother whispered softly from beside him, as if telling him to say something. Yu-jin was still rambling on and on. He was clearly in shock from something enormous, unable to even speak properly. Even as Winston guessed that the contents of the will were far from what he had expected, he couldn’t bring himself to speak. He hadn’t heard the contents of the will at all.
He was too engrossed in fantasizing about raping that male prostitute.
Winston slowly looked around the room. For the first time, he checked the expressions of the other attendees besides Yu-jin, but it wasn’t very helpful. Everyone was confused, their faces clearly showing embarrassment as they looked at each other or glanced at Winston. Something serious had clearly happened.
“Again.”
Winston opened his mouth slowly. Yu-jin, who had been excitedly babbling on, stopped talking, and the room fell silent in an instant. As everyone looked at him, Winston spoke. His eyes fixed on Yu-jin.
“Let’s play it again. To make sure we heard correctly.”
No one objected to his calm words. Of course, it wasn’t because they agreed. It was simply that they didn’t have the courage to argue with Winston.
Winston barely managed to tear his gaze away from Yu-jin and fixed his eyes on the screen. Finally, his father’s will entered his ears.
The beginning was nothing special. Winston waited patiently, listening to the boringly listed will. Even when it was said that all the assets except for the aforementioned would be passed on to Winston, he remained calm. I’ll soon find out why Yu-jin is reacting so violently. That was all Winston thought. Until the next part came.
“…The above inheritance is conditional upon Winston Campbell marrying Yu-jin Seol and having a child within one year.”
Winston slowly unfolded his crossed legs and straightened his slouched posture. There was no change in his expression, but that alone was enough for everyone to know how shocked Winston was. But it didn’t end there.
“If the contents of the will are not fulfilled, all assets will be donated to the foundation, and the company will be transferred to a professional manager. Furthermore, everyone in the Campbell family, including Winston, will henceforth forfeit all rights, including assets. The execution of the will will proceed one year later if the above contents have been faithfully fulfilled.”
One of Winston’s eyebrows twitched noticeably. His pheromone scent intensified again, but this time for a completely different reason. Yu-jin was fidgeting as if he wanted to object immediately, but there was still more of the will to be read.
“…During the marriage, Winston must be faithful to Yu-jin. No extramarital affairs, including pheromone parties, are allowed, and he must be responsible for ensuring that Yu-jin’s life is without lack. All of the above is conditional upon Yu-jin marrying Winston, and if the marriage does not take place or the contents of the will are not kept, resulting in the entire Campbell family forfeiting their assets and rights, Yu-jin will also not receive any inheritance. However, only if the contract is faithfully fulfilled and the marriage is broken, Yu-jin will be paid two million dollars per month for life.”
Having said that, Harold coughed on the screen. He coughed violently, shaking his whole body, and then opened his mouth between wheezing breaths. His voice, hoarse and fading like a whisper, was nonetheless clearly audible to everyone.”Yu-jin, I love you. I’m so, so sorry. May God bless you.”
Harold spoke the words of blessing with a face that was utterly sick and haggard. With a faint smile as his last, the screen froze and the will ended.
Only heavy silence lingered in the study. Only then did Winston understand why everyone was in such a state of confusion.
Marriage?
His father’s will slowly echoed in his head.
Have a child? Yu-jin and I?
He simply stared at the frozen screen with a face as stiff as a mask.
Marry that male prostitute and have a child?
“This is absurd!”
Winston’s mind began to stir at the sudden scream. Following his gaze, he saw Yu-jin. He had risen from his seat again, his fists clenched tightly, his face pale as he shouted like a madman. As if he were finally unleashing all the resentment he had been holding back.
“Winston and I are to be married? And have a child? Are you crazy? This is ridiculous! He couldn’t have been in his right mind, anyone would be delirious when facing death… Yes, that’s right. It must be, Harold was out of his mind!”
“Father’s mind was clear.”
Winston’s cold voice cut Yu-jin off. As if to prove it, the lawyer nodded and added.
“You saw the beginning of the will. Three doctors cross-examined him, and Mr. Campbell was clearly conscious. His pheromone levels were also significantly low. The will is all true.”
The color drained from Yu-jin’s face in an instant. He looked dazed, as if he had been struck hard by something, then slowly shook his head and muttered.
“That… that can’t be…”
Winston, who had been silently watching him repeat the same words as if in a daze, slowly turned his gaze. The figure of his father, who was no longer in this world, came into view. Narrowing his eyes, Winston glared at him on the screen, twisting one corner of his lips.
Father, you’re screwing me over until the very end.
*
“How could he do this!”
Mrs. Campbell’s roar echoed through the drawing room. It was extremely rare for her to be this furious. Her children had only seen their mother like this once in their lives. Unfortunately, the reason for her losing her strong reason this time was the same. Of course, Winston wasn’t there in the past, but he wasn’t particularly shaken by her appearance, which he was seeing for the first time. He was simply lost in thought with his usual expressionless face.
The other children, watching their mother, who always maintained her dignity with composure, lose her temper and shout in anger, were too afraid to say anything. And that wasn’t all. Mrs. Campbell paced around the drawing room, unable to contain her anger, and continued to curse her husband, who was no longer in this world.
“Good heavens, to leave such a will! I want to dig up Harold’s grave, take out his body, and burn it! That brazen, shameless man, he tormented me like that my whole life, and then he leaves such a will to that filthy thing and insults me so…”
That male prostitute marrying her precious youngest son and having a child. No way, she could never allow it. And to give the mistress more pension than the wife, the legal wife? She was so hurt and angry that she blurted out her true feelings in a rough voice, unlike her usual self.
“That piece of trash! He should have died right when he collapsed that day! I should have killed him before he wrote that will! I should have, I should have shot him in the head!”
Gordon was secretly worried that she might collapse. Even while watching their mother pour out such tremendous anger, the children could do nothing. They were also confused and didn’t know what to do about this situation. All they could do was take their mother’s side and denounce their father.
“We can’t just let this go, we have to do something.”
When Gordon stepped forward, Lady Catherine followed suit.
“Of course. To follow such an absurd will, Father must have been out of his mind. This is absolutely ridiculous.”
George, in place of his wife, who seemed to be running out of words and repeating the same thing, interjected.