Heiress' Househusband is a Secret Billionaire - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: The Surprising Inheritance

Lariette still remembered what happened during the will recital around ten years ago. She had just entered the Elsher family household, barely two weeks in when she was called to join the session.

Lariette didn’t expect anything when the Delaney family lawyer, Mr. Franklin Lowell started reading Madam Delaney’s will. After all, she didn’t get to meet or know her deceased maternal grandmother at all.

Waves of surprise hit Lariette once she learned Madam Delaney named her as the inheritor for a few of her properties. The amount was divided evenly between her and her siblings, including Stephanie, also a few of her cousins.

But…

The most shocking one was when Mr. Lowell announced the famed Mermaid’s Heart belonged to her—not that she knew what it was and the diamond’s worth.

“How could this happen? Mr. Lowell, are you sure you didn’t misread the will?”

Lariette’s confusion was heightened when Samantha questioned Mr. Lowell with clear despise in her voice. She also noticed the teary look on Stephanie’s face.

Jonathan, Declan, Alaric and Rafael said nothing but, it was clear they were also in disbelief. Adam, Lariette’s elder uncle and his wife remained quiet while their two sons showed no interest in the heirloom.

“Your mother wished to inherit Mermaid’s Heart to Lariette. No dispute will be allowed.”

Chairman Delaney answered Samantha instead of Mr. Lowell. He had witnessed the clear displeasure on his daughter and son-in-law’s faces when the lawyer announced Lariette also had an equal amount of shares of the inheritance.

“Dad! How could this be? Shouldn’t the diamond go to me? Or, at least, to Phanie?”

Samantha quickly received support from Jonathan as he agreed with his wife.

“Father, this is unacceptable. My mother-in-law didn’t mean to dismiss Phanie now that Lariette has returned to us, isn’t it? This is a mistake.”

Samantha and Jonathan kept trying to make Chairman Delaney change his mind while Stephanie began sobbing and tearily saying she knew her place as a fake daughter in the family.

Alaric was the first to comfort Stephanie, followed by Rafael while Declan somberly asked if this part of the will couldn’t be changed at all.

None of them realized or cared that Lariette was in the most uncomfortable position in this matter.

She realized she was not welcomed by her family upon her arrival but, she didn’t intend to give up quickly. Yet, this surprising inheritance put her in a tougher spot with them.

‘…I should decline, right? I… I don’t deserve it.’

The thoughts swirled in Lariette’s mind, making her more anxious with time. Clasping her hands together, she felt the cold shivers ghosting down her spine.

“L-Lari… you’re really lucky, you know?”

Stephanie’s teary voice pulled Lariette out of her trance. In the midst of the chaos, the former tugged at her sleeve.

Pulling her blank gaze away from the scene before her, Lariette stared at Stephanie. Droplets of tears rolled down her face, giving off the image of a distressed beauty.

“Grandma just… worried about you… Even though you never met her… or cared for her when she was sick… She was still worried about you…”

Before Lariette could ask what she meant, Stephanie quickly added. Her voice remained shaky, able to pull at people’s heartstrings as they heard the clear disappointment she tried to mask.

Lariette hadn’t known Stephanie for much longer but, she couldn’t help but think how weird the latter’s words were. More chills rushed to her heart, causing her to freeze in caution.

Stephanie sounded as if she accepted this arrangement yet, the words spoken by her inevitably reminded everyone without fail that Lariette should be no one to Madam Delaney.

Rafael chimed in, loudly expressing his thoughts as his cold gaze was locked on Lariette.

“Phanie should inherit it. Lariette, who are you to get this heirloom? You haven’t even met your grandmother once. This is so unfair!”

Alaric swiftly stepped up, defending both Stephanie and Rafael. He articulated his views on this issue, more coherently than the other two.

“I agree with Rafael, Grandpa. I believe Grandma made a mistake. She was driven by her emotions because she couldn’t get to meet Lariette. Still, we have to fix this.”

Rafael nodded, adding more about his thoughts, “True, true! We can still give Lariette another one of Grandma’s jewelry, not necessarily the Mermaid’s Heart. Phanie deserves it way more than this bumpkin.”

Following her sons’ interference, Samantha seized the chance to overturn the decision.

“Didn’t you hear them, Dad? Even Eric and Ray could tell this is absurd. Lariette knows nothing about diamonds or anything precious like this. Phanie will treat it better.”

Lariette’s heart sank further as fear and disappointment churned her guts. She really hoped her parents and siblings wouldn’t make her out to be greedy with the inheritance when she knew nothing about it.

Tremors of fear enclosing her heart, made it hard for Lariette to breathe. Forcing herself to act, she slowly raised her right hand, intending to object to the will as well, but…

THUD!

“ENOUGH! My wife made no mistake! Mermaid’s Heart belongs to Lariette from now on! I accept no objection!”

Their stupidity drove Chairman Delaney to the limits, fueling the elderly man with rage. Hitting his cane to the floor, he announced loud and clear that he wouldn’t let their greed continue.

The will recital ended on a sour note for Lariette and the others. Thankfully, Chairman Delaney told her to stay at his house instead of following her parents and siblings to the Elsher family’s abode.

Lariette caught this chance to make Chairman Delaney change the will even though it belonged to the deceased Madam Delaney. She even said she would accept the Mermaid’s Heart but…

“Will you swear you won’t give it to either your mother or Stephanie next?”

Lariette saw the sadness Chairman Delaney tried to hide beneath his smiling face. Seeing the evident despair in the grieving elderly man faltered her resolve.

He earnestly hoped that she would accept the Mermaid’s Heart, the token left behind by his beloved wife to the granddaughter she never had the chance to meet.

In the end, Lariette’s decision was…

“For now… can you please keep it first, Grandpa?”

Still unable to accept the Mermaid’s Heart, Lariette chose to trust it to Chairman Delaney for safekeeping.

And then, ten years passed without her ever claiming it.