Margaret's fingers tightened around her glass as she listened to the lawyer's words. She'd always known him to be smooth, calculating, but this—this was a different side of him, one she hadn't expected.
"You're asking about the shares now?" The lawyer's voice was low and insistent, laced with a touch of greed that made Margaret's skin crawl. "What's in it for me? If the old man doesn't wake up—what happens to the property? The business?"
Margaret's face hardened, and her lips curled into a thin, controlled smile. "You'll get what you were promised. But that's after we're done with Adrian. I'm the one who will inherit everything. Not you."
The lawyer leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing in response to her cold tone. "We both know you can't handle it on your own. You need someone with influence and power. The kind of power that comes with—"
"Enough," Margaret snapped, her voice rising slightly. She slammed her glass onto the table, and the lawyer faltered for a moment. "This was always meant to be mine and my son's. Not yours. You better keep your nose out of the property."
There was a brief silence between them, the tension thickening the air. The lawyer, realizing he had pushed too far, leaned forward, his voice lowering to a more conciliatory tone. "I only wanted to ensure my own future, Margaret. That's all."
Margaret's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. She had worked hard for years to position herself and Benson for this moment. There was no way she was going to let anyone, especially the lawyer, undermine their plans.
"You don't have a future here, not unless you stay in line," she said, her words icy and firm.
The lawyer stared at her for a long moment, then sighed in resignation. "Fine. But we both know there's no guarantee that the old man is going to wake up, and you don't have much time left to make your move."
Margaret's anger flared again. "Don't tell me about time. I'll deal with that. You focus on your job. You better make sure nothing goes wrong."
And that's when the lawyer dropped the bombshell.
"I'm done with the games, Margaret. I've been playing this role for you for years. But let's not pretend I haven't been part of this whole thing from the start. Benson isn't Williams' son. He's mine."
Margaret froze. Her heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat. For a moment, she couldn't comprehend what the lawyer had just said.
"You—what?" she whispered, her voice shaking with disbelief.
The lawyer's eyes gleamed with a mixture of anger and triumph. "You heard me. Benson is mine, Margaret. I'm his father. He's been my son all along. There is no connection between him and Williams. It was all a lie."
Margaret stumbled back in shock, her hand gripping the edge of the table to steady herself. "No... no, that can't be true." She felt a wave of nausea rise in her stomach. "You're lying. You're lying to ruin everything."
But the lawyer's expression remained cold, his gaze never wavering. "I'm not lying. Benson has always been my son, and I've kept him hidden for years. I was there when he was born. Williams never knew, and I made sure it stayed that way. Now you're the one who's been playing games."
Margaret's mind spun, her thoughts scattered in all directions. Benson was never Williams' son. The man she'd married had been nothing more than a stepping stone to her goals. And now, everything she'd worked for—everything she thought she had—was crumbling.
"Why are you telling me this now?" she demanded, her voice low and dangerous.
"Because I've had enough," the lawyer said coolly. "I want my share, Margaret. I'm done waiting. And if you don't give it to me, I'll expose everything. You can't keep playing these games with me anymore."
Margaret's hands trembled as the full weight of the lawyer's words settled in. She had been playing with fire all along, but now the flames were burning her from all sides.
Her mind raced as she tried to think of a way out of this. Benson—her son, but not Williams'—the lawyer's words echoed in her mind like a drumbeat. If she couldn't control this situation, if she couldn't get the lawyer back on her side, everything was at risk.
Finally, she met the lawyer's gaze, her expression steely. "You've made your point," she said coldly, "but don't think for a second that I won't make you regret this. Benson and I, we'll finish what we started. And you… you'll get your share. But if you cross me, it'll be the last thing you ever do."
The lawyer smiled, an unsettling smirk that didn't reach his eyes. "I'm not afraid of you, Margaret. I'm just getting started."
Margaret turned and stormed out of the room, her heart pounding with fury. She had to regain control. She had to fix this before everything came crashing down.
Harriet, who had been quietly working in the background, had been instructed by Adrian to gather evidence against Margaret and Benson. She had kept her distance but was always observant, knowing that everything happening behind closed doors was a ticking time bomb. She had always admired Adrian's strength and resilience, and she knew she had to protect him.
The moment she received the message from Adrian to collect the evidence, Harriet's role became crucial. She carefully recorded every conversation and interaction, ensuring she had the proof Adrian would need to expose Margaret and Benson's sinister plans. Every phone call, every shady conversation, and every suspicious action was documented and sent to Adrian without delay. She knew that this information would be the key to uncovering their lies and malicious schemes.
Meanwhile, Margaret and Benson were becoming increasingly desperate. Their plans to eliminate Mr. Williams and secure the family fortune were almost at their peak. They needed him out of the picture, permanently, to make sure their claim to the property was undisputed.
Benson, always ruthless, had come up with a plan to have Williams eliminated from the hospital. They bribed one of the nurses to inject him with a fatal dose of medication. The nurse, a young woman with a son she loved dearly, was reluctant at first. But when Margaret threatened the life of her child, using the most manipulative tactics, the nurse was left with no choice but to comply.
Margaret's voice had been icy with malice as she told the nurse, "You do this, and your son's life will be spared. You don't, and you know what happens." The nurse, fearing for her child's safety, had reluctantly agreed.
That evening, as the nurse administered the fatal dose to Mr. Williams, his body began to shut down. It was only hours later when the hospital pronounced him dead.
Margaret and Benson arrived at the hospital, pretending to be distraught. They played the part of grieving family members, but inside, they were elated. The man who had stood between them and everything they wanted was gone. Their victory was near, and the fortune would soon be theirs.
Adrian, however, was not fooled. He had already received the evidence from Harriet, and though he was in shock over the death of his father, he knew something wasn't right. He had been hearing whispers about his father's condition, and now, with the recordings Harriet had sent, the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place.
He stormed into the hospital, his heart heavy with grief, but his mind sharp with suspicion. Margaret and Benson were waiting for him, their faces the picture of false sorrow.
"Father's dead," Margaret said, her voice trembling as she tried to act devastated. "Adrian, this is a tragic loss for us all."
Adrian didn't respond. He looked at her, his eyes cold, his emotions seething beneath the surface. He knew what had happened. His father hadn't just died; he had been murdered. And now, Adrian was more determined than ever to make sure the truth came to light.
His mind raced as he thought about the recordings Harriet had sent, the plans that had been set in motion long before his father's death. This was no accident. His father's death was orchestrated by Margaret and Benson, and Adrian would stop at nothing to make sure they paid for their treachery.
He turned to leave the room, his gaze locking with Margaret's one final time. "You're going to regret this," Adrian whispered under his breath, his words carrying a weight of fury.
Margaret's smile faltered for a split second, but she quickly recovered, her eyes flashing with irritation. She knew Adrian wouldn't back down easily. But she was convinced that once the inheritance was in her hands, nothing would stand in her way.