Chapter 2 - The Sealed Will
Richard recoiled as if stung, releasing Lily’s arm. Clara immediately pulled the sobbing child back into her arms, kissing her forehead to soothe her.
"Julian," Richard sneered, trying to compose himself, straightening the lapels of his expensive suit. "You have no authority in this house. My brother is dead. I am the sole surviving heir to the Harrington fortune and the estate."
"Are you?" Julian replied coldly, taking off his wet leather gloves. He reached into his coat and pulled out a red leather briefcase bearing the official seal of the High Court. "Because four hours ago, a sealed vault at St. Jude's Private Trust was opened per a ninety-day automated directive."
Richard’s face drained of color. "What vault?"
"Arthur knew he was in danger before that 'accident' four years ago, Richard," Julian said, taking a step closer. "He deposited a secondary will, along with a DNA registry sample, to be activated the moment his daughter's presence was verified using the family crest."
Lady Margaret stood up, resting her hands on Julian’s arm for support. "Julian... is it true? Is this child Arthur’s daughter?"
Julian turned to Lady Margaret, his stern face softening into a warm, respectful smile. "Yes, Lady Margaret. This is Princess Beatrice Harrington—Arthur and Victoria’s biological daughter. The true primary heir to the thirty-billion-dollar Harrington fortune."
"This is absurd!" Richard bellowed, his veins bulging against his neck. "A fake button and a story from a homeless woman don't prove anything! I want a DNA test performed by my own medical team!"
"A DNA test will be performed tonight," Julian countered smoothly. "By independent court-appointed forensic pathologists from the state bureau. They are already waiting in the library."
Richard’s eyes flicked wildly around the room. Beside him, his glamorous wife, Evelyn, stepped down from the mezzanine, her diamond earrings jingling as she gripped her husband's arm in panic.
"Richard," Evelyn hissed in a whisper. "If that child is Arthur’s... we lose everything. The house, the trusts, the voting proxies..."
"Silence!" Richard snapped at her. He turned back to Julian, his jaw set in a hateful line. "Fine. Run the test. But until those results are verified by the court, this child and this pauper will stay in the servants' quarters under guard. They will not touch a single item in this house."
"They will stay in the Master Suite," Lady Margaret interjected, her voice echoing through the grand hall with absolute, unquestioned sovereignty. "The room that belonged to her father."
"Mother!" Richard protested.
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"I am still the matriarch of this family, Richard!" Lady Margaret shouted, stepping forward and slamming her cane onto the marble floor. "You have ruled this house with greed and cruelty for four years while my heart bled for my lost son! If this child is Arthur's blood, I will personally see to it that you are stripped of every penny you ever stole from this estate!"
She turned to Clara and Lily, reaching out her arms. "Bring the child upstairs, Clara. She is home."
