CHAPTER 248: DENZEL’S WILL

It meant that River was still making phone calls during the period of time when she was supposed to have been dead. More so, there was still a mystery around the date of her death.

Ranon massaged his head. Hazel didn’t want to tell him anything about it; thus, he needed to use this roundabout route to find his answer.

"Maamaa... mama..." Ashlyn babbled. She snuggled against his chest, and Ranon caressed her head absentmindedly.

However, it would make sense if River were Hazel in the first place. It was Hazel who had pretended to be River since the beginning. It explained why River’s phone was with Hazel, since they couldn’t find anything or any identification on River’s dead body.

The location where the dead body was discovered led many to assume it was River’s. Later, DNA testing conducted by Arthur confirmed that it was indeed River’s body.

Ranon saw the call log. There were a few missed calls from Olivia on the day she was being held hostage in her own apartment, and after that, River called her several times before she made a call to Lyle.

He had to check Lyle’s phone number first before he was sure it was indeed him.

Ranon narrowed his eyes. Lyle was the assassin sent by the McKennas to kill him in the hospital. Hazel had let him go for what seemed like an understandable reason, but when he thought about it now, it appeared she knew him as more than just Olivia’s brother.

"What are you doing?" Hazel approached Ranon. "I called you a few times, but you didn’t answer me. The dinner is ready."

Ranon closed his laptop and then stood up with Ashlyn in his arms. He did it very casually, so Hazel was not suspicious.

"There are a few matters I have to deal with after my father’s death."

Hazel didn’t pry more after she heard that, just like what Ranon expected. She took the baby from Ranon’s arms, and both of them left the study.

It didn’t go unnoticed that Hazel put more effort into being close to their baby now. She became increasingly more relaxed, to the point that she began to use her other phone more recklessly, believing Ranon wouldn’t check the number.

Admittedly, Hazel grew more comfortable with her life that she put her guard down around Ranon, which allowed him to pick up some clues because of it.

"Why are you staring at me?" Hazel asked as they walked to the dining table.

"Because you look so beautiful."

"I know." Hazel flicked her hair over her shoulder confidently, which made Ranon chuckle.

If Hazel pretended to be River since the beginning, there was a slight chance that she was the one who killed her, but then it was only a speculation.

The motive didn’t make sense.

She wanted to avenge River, so why did she kill her?

***

A week later, the hearing of Denzel’s will took place in the Leighton family’s house. Ranon’s estranged sister didn’t come this time, either. However, she did send her lawyer.

They were sitting in Denzel’s old study. All of them were there, including Hazel and Ashlyn. Laurel and Daniel sat next to each other, while Ema was sitting on a single sofa with Eilon on her lap. She looked haggard, and this time she didn’t dare to look Hazel in the eyes, but it didn’t bother her at all.

The family lawyer began the formal opening. He was an elderly man in his early seventies who was close to retiring. His glasses were very thick, resting on his crooked nose, as his hair had turned white. His young assistant was sitting next to him, recording the whole process.

"Thank you for coming." Mr. Clarkey cleared his throat and then proceeded to let them know what their father had left them.

It started with Eilon. Basically, his school tuition would be covered until he graduated, but his college tuition would be covered only if he went to a business school and learned about business. Only after he graduated from the business school would he receive a large chunk of money to start his own business.

The sound of it left a bitter taste in Ema’s mouth, since Denzel should have known that their son didn’t have any interest in following his path. Even in his death, he was still petty. That was the man she married.

Next was Ranon.

Hazel almost laughed when she heard what Ranon got for his inheritance. It was an old, classic car that had been sitting in the garage for the last decade, and that was it.

Denzel even added the reason for that: Ranon had acquired the company. He held the higher shares among the stakeholders; there was no need for Denzel to leave anything to him.

Mr. Clarkey glanced at Ranon, thinking he would feel insulted, but he seemed not to care. He was holding his daughter in his lap and thanked him.

Next was Ashlyn. This surprised Hazel because she didn’t expect Denzel to leave anything to her, since he was very upset with the way Hazel gave birth to her and how they parented their daughter.

But at the end of the day, still, Denzel seemed to see the little girl as his granddaughter.

Ashlyn would get the same thing that Eilon would get. Her college tuition would be covered only if she took business as her major, and a large chunk of money would sit in her bank account once she graduated.

However, Hazel didn’t think that would make any difference for Ashlyn, since she had Ranon as her father, and Hazel’s profit from her family’s company would be more than enough to forgo her inheritance.

And for Terra, she got a vacation house two cities from here.

Hazel wondered what was in Denzel’s mind when he made all of this will, because he sounded as if he hated all of his children and grandchildren.

A vacation house for Terra, who lived in a different country, wouldn’t do any good for her. If anything, she was most likely to sell it. The lawyer that she was sent only sat there, flabbergasted because her client only got that. It was a waste of time.

Laurel inherited ten properties and a large piece of land in the city center, while Daniel inherited the rest: Denzel’s business, excluding the one that Ranon had bought out, and the family house.

That sounded more like an inheritance now.

"What about me?" Ema asked. Mr. Clarkey didn’t mention anything about her as he closed his book and pulled out something. It was a cheque.

"This is for you, Mrs. Leighton," the lawyer said. He handed over the cheque.

"Only this? There is no explanation?"

"I’m sorry. Mr. Denzel Leighton didn’t say anything else. I only needed to give this to you."

Ema’s whole body was shaking. She was in disbelief, and even Eilon could feel that. But none of them could see the amount on the cheque.

No matter how much it was, Hazel didn’t think it was the inheritance that Ema expected she would get after her husband passed away. Poor woman.

Hazel felt a little bit of sympathy for her.

Ema looked as if she had gone through all the emotions. From sadness to rage to anger and then disgust. She lifted her head and then glared at Hazel as if she were the one who had written the will and made Denzel leave her with nothing.

Hazel held her gaze for a while, until the lawyer cleared his throat and then spoke about a few more things before he closed today’s hearing.

Ema left the room first with Eilon, even before Mr. Clarkey gathered his things. It was understandable that she was upset, since she didn’t even get a house to live in. She only got money.

It was like a slap in the face, since it was her main goal to be with Denzel. She only wanted his money, and now that was the only thing that she got.

Of course, Denzel should know better than to be with a woman a few decades younger than him. Someone who used to date his son. But lately, Ema had been irritating him, so he changed his will.

She blatantly disrespected him by thinking of Ranon. She didn’t even try to hide it because she thought there was nothing Denzel could do about it.

Denzel was a disabled old man, at the end of his life, who relied on his young wife so much. Based on that, he didn’t think of being kind to her.

"What are you going to do with the car?" Hazel chuckled as they went to the garage because she wanted to see Ranon’s inheritance.

The car was parked at the sad corner of the garage, forgotten.

Hazel approached the car and then saw the interior. She thought it was abandoned, but it must have been well-maintained because it worked just fine when she turned the machine on.

"Do you like it?"

"I am not a fan of cars," Hazel replied truthfully.

"Let it be here." Ranon then opened the car door and pulled her out.

With that, they returned to their house. You could say this was a waste of time to hear Denzel’s will. Ranon didn’t even feel he was mourning his dead father.

And for the next month, life went by uneventfully, aside from the information that they managed to gather from Rize and Aubrey now and then. Until one day, someone came to their house.