John held firm, and his gaze never wavered. He said, "Absolutely."
Peter said no more. She wasn't sure what to do, so she stayed silent. Then Vicki walked into the room and her dress floated as if she were an angel. She passed both of her brothers who offered her small smiles as she sat next to Peter. Her smile was the only warmth in the room.
Alice sat straighter in her seat as all the Morgans turned to stare at the lawyers.
One of the lawyers said, "Let's get this started."
Alice scooted her chair so her hand could stay in John's. The chair squeaked as she moved and everyone glanced at her. Her face heated, but she said nothing. John's fingers locked with hers.
The lawyer continued and read the will as the other took notes on a yellow sheet of paper. "Being of sound mind and in the presence of witnesses, I hereby bequeath my estate as follows."
John shook his head. "This should be so much fun."
Peter's entire body stilled. Whatever the paper said affected him the most, at least in Alice's view. He placed both his hands on the table as he whispered, "Don't be a hypocrite. We skipped the burial."
John's eyebrows quirked. "Because someone might shoot us."
"Neither of us wanted to be there."
"To my son, John…"
John's hand tugged on hers, and she tried to be his rock.
He held his head high as the lawyer said, "He never proved in his life that he could take care of himself or anyone else. I leave him one hundred million dollars and ten percent stock in all my companies, so he'll never have to."
John released her hand, his body so tight if he turned he might break. "I always loved the faith he had in me."
Alice massaged his leg until he took her hand again and then whispered to him. "John, don't worry about what he thought."
Their knees touched. John's temple pulsed. "I have a plan, Alice."
She pushed his water glass in front of him and urged him to drink. "Let it go," she said. "You're fine."
John pressed his hand on her leg that she entwined with his and said nothing else.
The lawyer continued. "In memory of my daughter Victoria, who was a disappointment in the end, I leave one hundred million dollars with no stock shares, to various charities for unwed mothers and adoption agencies. May newborns benefit from her tragedy as she always told us to care about children first."
Victoria scoffed and gazed around Peter toward John. "He's a total jerk. Is it too late to dance on his grave?"
John turned his chair to stare at his sister. "What does this mean to you, Vicki?"
Victoria shook her head and refused to reveal what happened to her years ago. Instead she said, "That Dad doesn't deserve one more second of my time."
Peter must have done the math in his head of the billions left over. He said, "I'll match the one hundred million, Vicki. Don't stress about money."
Victoria beamed her happiness. "I'm going to open a dress shop, be creative, and design wedding dresses. In life, he'd never have allowed me to go into retail."
Peter scowled. Alice swallowed. The idea of a Morgan working must have soured his mood.
John saw the same reaction. He tilted his head and said, "I'll fund your business idea, Vicki."
Vicki shrugged and didn't seem to notice any issues between her brothers. She simply said, "Thanks."
Alice pressed her knees closer to John. Neither John nor Victoria might have the power to change Peter's mind about her own contract. She had to search for a buyer and probably shouldn't be here. What kept her glued to her seat was that John might need her.
"Six hundred million dollars was left to various people that I won't read, unless requested." No one said anything. The lawyer then continued, "And finally my son, Peter. He has proven a sound mind in business and will do well with my business ventures. I do hope he forgets his promise to remain a bachelor and finds himself a wife. He receives the remainder of my estate, my house, my various holdings, and everything else I own."
Peter took in a breath as if he'd held it the entire time the lawyer read. He smiled at last. "I figured. I'll have the money drawn up for you, Vicki. And John, there is always a place for you in Morgan Enterprises, if you want it."
Vicki shrugged her shoulders as she stood up to go. "Doesn't matter, Peter. Right now I want to open my dress shop, but thank you."
John pushed his chair back to get up as well. Alice followed him, happy this was over.
"It's not done," the lawyer then said. They all readjusted their seats. The other lawyer held his pen like his life depended on it. "If Peter ends up childless, the remainder upon his death should go to John's heirs. If neither of my sons has children, then the remainder should convert to the designee I left in my lawyer's files that is only to be opened on these conditions."
John sat straighter and asked the lawyer, "Who would Dad leave everything to if we all wind up childless?"
Peter leaned in his chair like he too wanted to ask, but then he straightened. "Doesn't matter."
John turned to him and argued, "Yes it does."
Peter glanced at Vicki and the closed his eyes. "No, it doesn't. This doesn't matter at all."
John shook his head, clearly upset with his brother. He whispered to Alice, "I'm going to find out."
Her mind raced. "How?"
John pushed his chair back again, ready to leave. "Dahle, I don't want to be here anymore."
Alice followed. "Agreed."
Peter's fingers tapped on the table as he clearly considered this a threat of some sort. "If the money and company are mine, then it's mine to do with as I see fit at my own death."
"Legally, that's true." The lawyer sat up straighter. "Your father just wanted you to know he had a plan."
Peter leaned back in his chair as if satisfied he'd won the argument as he said, "I don't care what my father intended. I'll still leave the company to a pet monkey if I want to and he doesn't get a say from the grave."
"You don't have a monkey." Vicki placed her hand on his.
"I might when I get older. I told him I'd never have an heir."
John stood and the tension in his body snapped. He pressed his hands on the table and shook his head. "That's what you focus on? As long as you get the money and the company then who cares about everyone else? Aren't you curious who Dad would leave his fortune to?"
"You didn't ask about the six hundred million dollars, which are probably half-siblings." Peter stood and leaned on the table as if they were opponents. "And so we're clear, I'm already investigating a few people who are probably our family as well. Dad used to take me to a woman's house. She had children our age. Whoever Dad designated doesn't matter. The money is ours. The House of Morgan continues through whatever children we have."
The lawyer shrunk in his chair. "This part is unenforceable."
There was no way to enforce Dad's wishes, but John's shoulders hunched and Alice could tell he wanted to know who was next on their father's list. "You are unbelievable."