Chapter 7: Rightful Heir

The air grew chilly and froze in an instant. Everyone was dumbfounded by Rihannan’s sudden remarks towards the Count, her father. They were amazed. Speechless, the Count and young Leticia opened their mouth.

The old butler was the first to come to his senses.

“My Lady, what do you… what are you trying to say?”

“I’ve recently spoken to the lawyer a while ago and finished the necessary procedures. Starting today, the owner of this estate belongs to Rihannan Alessin, the rightful heir, and I now exercise all rights to the property I’ve inherited from my deceased mother. First of all, to the guest I never allowed in my home, get out. And to you too, father.”

“Rihannan!”

The Count roared, breaking out in anger.

“What the hell are you doing? Get down here right now!”

Count Alessin was furious and urged Rihannan to come down from the stairways immediately. When Rihannan did not heed his words and looked at him with a blank expression, he shouted again in anger.

“Your house? What a load of crap! You must be out of your mind. What? Did losing your mother make you go crazy and now you want to covet your father’s fortune? Where is the law?”

“Mary.”

Rihannan stretched out her palms.

Mary watched the unfolding situation with a startled look and hurriedly handed to Rihannan the documents she’d been entrusted with.

Rihannan looked at the documents.

“It’s all arranged here. Check for yourself. Jeffrey, check and read the contents of the documents, and then take it to the Count.”

The old butler quickly moved his feet and hurried up the stairs, receiving the papers Rihannan handed to him. He slid on his thick glasses and read the documents, eyes furrowed. Then he bowed politely to Rihannan and went down to present the documents to the Count.

The Count snatched it away.

His body trembled as he read terms stated.

What was written on the document was the provision of their marriage contract, the law of inheritance, and the lawyer’s interpretation.

The contents were as follows…

If the marriage between Reagan Alessin and Anastasia Priebius were to end halfway, all wealth would go back to the original owner, Anastasia Priebius, and Reagan Alessin’s status as Count would be reverted to its original title.

The heir to succeed the properties and wealth is limited to those borne through Anastasia Priebius. If Anastasia Priebius passes away at first, all property and wealth would immediately pass over to the descendants of Reagan Alessin and Anastasia Priebius. All rights can be exercised by Reagan Alessin, if and only if there are no descendants borne through Anastasia Priebius.

The adviser was Lawyer Ned who signed off the provisions that Rihannan Alessin was fully qualified to exercise all rights to properties and wealth she was entitled to immediately.

At the end was his signature written stating his responsibility as lawyer and adviser to the Alessin Family.

Count Alessin tore the paper in frenzy and threw it on the floor.

“Even if you have the right to your mother’s property, I am your guardian! You cannot exercise your rights in this country as you are not yet of proper age. Rihannan, you should obey your father’s orders! This is also my duty as a parent!”

“You didn’t read through the end, father. At the end, there is a clause and provision that gives the heir the right to choose their own guardian based on the peculiarity of a marriage between two nations. As pointed out, my guardian is my uncle in Crichton. You are not my guardian, father.”

“Like hell I’d hand over my property to the Crichton’s!”

“It was never father’s to begin with. Haven’t you enjoyed the title of Count and all the benefits you enjoyed thus far in exchange for marrying mother? But… you betrayed mother and gave birth to a child from another woman. And now you want to live her to live here… you are only getting what you deserve.”

“Betrayal? I never meant to marry your mother from the start and I had never given her my heart.”

Rihannan thought, no, believed that there was nothing more that could hurt her, but his words scratched her open wounds.

Her late mother suffered from deep lovesickness in her maiden days after she ran into a sweet-looking young man who had a different and unique charm as opposed to the men in Crichton.

Blind with love, she sought to marry him knowing he had no love for her. But she thought otherwise. She thought she could make him love her, given time. So her family drew up a marriage contract to tie him up in a marriage that he could never run away from if he were to accept, otherwise, he would lose everything he gained.