Normally, these things — for instance, the talk about inheritance — were done after soone’s passing. Chairman Bennet hadn’t even passed yet, and yet, his attorney had already co to discuss what the chairman wanted to do if sothing bad happened to him.
All the Bennets were gathered in one of the executive rooms right in the hospital. The Bennets included Charles, Haines, Atlas, Hugo, Slater, Penny, and Zoren. The only other Bennet was Stephen, along with the chairman’s trusted lawyer and right-hand man.
SLAM!
"What did you say?" Charles scoffed, darting his eyes between the lawyer and his father’s assistant. "That is impossible."
Haines and all of Charles’s children wore grim expressions, clearly displeased by what they had heard. However, they stayed quiet because Charles was already speaking.
Charles glared at Stephen. "You bastard..." he hissed through gritted teeth. "Co here and I’ll kill you—"
Just as Charles leaped from his seat, Hugo and Slater quickly stopped their father from assaulting Stephen. After all, it seed that was certainly what Charles would do to him.
"Dad! Calm down!" Slater yelled, hugging his father’s shoulder. "Let’s listen to everything first — this isn’t the end!"
"Slater is right, Dad," Hugo huffed. "Grandpa is still alive, and this will only be finalized once — no, it won’t be finalized anyti soon!"
But alas, Charles couldn’t hear his son as he was slowly being consud with anger. The splitting of inheritance and who would get the chairman’s assets wasn’t what angered Charles.
"You traitor—!" Charles roared, his eyes burning at Stephen. "Stephen Bennet, my father treated you well — better than his own son. He treated your children better than mine... and this is how you repay his kindness?"
Slowly, Charles balled his hands into tight fists. "I should’ve punched you long ago, so you’d know I can knock all your teeth out without breaking a sweat. It was a mistake to trust you!"
Stephen maintained a plain expression, staring at Charles’s red face. He didn’t say anything, only sighing faintly, keeping his calm deanor. He let Charles vent his anger in silence.
"What else does it say there?" asked Atlas, addressing the chairman’s lawyer. His tone was calm, but his expression was as dark as night. "Aside from the shares and properties?"
The lawyer cleared his throat and nodded, continuing the reading of the chairman’s will. "A property in the north will be given to his son..."
As the lawyer continued to read, Atlas’s expression grew darker with each passing mont. Once the lawyer finished, Haines, Charles, and Charles’s children all wore equally grim looks.
"That’s it...?" Penny asked, her eyes glinting sharply. "He’s only giving my father a small piece of land, a small subsidiary company to my First Brother, his authority to Stephen Bennet, and the rest to charity?"
"Yes," the lawyer breathed out, nodding slightly. "All of this, except the transfer of shares, will proceed once the chairman is proclaid dead. However, the chairman had always shown concern for the company. Therefore, he specifically asked , in case sothing happened — as he’s old and has been on countless dications — to secure the company and maintain its harmony if sothing terrible were to happen to him. Moreover, Stephen Bennet will have sole authority over who can see the chairman."
For a mont, silence fell in the room as they all kept their gazes fixed on the lawyer. Haines, Charles, and Atlas were all too familiar with this old man. They knew he wouldn’t say all of this unless the chairman had requested it. However, this was still ridiculous.
"Is there any proof that this is legal?" Haines finally asked, unable to take it anymore. "I’m sorry, I know the chairman trusts you more than anyone. However, you, I, and everyone else in this room find this ridiculous. Atlas is the current head of the family and the one running the family business. If we follow this will, that ans... he gets kicked out."
"Apologies, Sir Haines," the lawyer said, lowering his head. "I can’t offer my opinion on this matter."
"You—" Charles clenched his teeth and glared daggers at the lawyer. "I don’t believe this! My old man might have been the worst father, but he was one of the wisest and most shrewd businessn I’ve ever known. Pri Logistics is his life! He would never give it to soone like you."
Stephen t Charles’s burning gaze once more. "What do you an by that?"
"I an, he wouldn’t give it to an incompetent person like you. He would rather sell it than let a fool like you ruin his hard work."
"Charles, I know you’re surprised. I’m surprised too! In fact, I don’t even want this right now!" Stephen yelled back in frustration. "The chairman is still in that room, and even though this situation is already bad, I’m not excited to hear this! Why are you all blaming for sothing I didn’t even do?"
By the ti Stephen finished venting his anger, he was panting for breath. He scanned everyone’s grim faces before a brief smirk appeared on his face. The mocking look didn’t go unnoticed by the other Bennets.
"You bastard..." Charles growled under his breath, barely containing his anger. Even Haines had to control his breathing, as this level of rage was sothing he hadn’t felt before.
However, this was sothing they couldn’t change just by yelling. Stephen had done what he had done, and the only thing that could be reversed now was if they fought it out in court.
---
After what felt like a long discussion, Stephen allowed Charles, Haines, and Atlas to see the chairman. He did so while saying, "I’m not so heartless as to not let you see your father," before walking out of the room proudly.
Looking around to make sure no one had followed him, Stephen made his way to the closest fire exit. Once he was sure he was alone, he cautiously pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
"I... did it," was the first thing Stephen said, a mix of anxiety and excitent in his voice. "I’m going to be... I’m going to be the head of the family...!"
The person on the other end of the line smiled in satisfaction. "Good work, Stephen. Congratulations... on becoming the new head of the Bennet Family."
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