Chapter 152 The Deferred Inheritance
Chapter 152 The Deferred Inheritance
The chandelier in the nursery glowed softly, creating a calm atmosphere that sharply contrasted with the tension etched across Evan’s face. The tiny gold watch shimmered in his palm. It felt heavy, not only because of the metal, but because of the history it carried.
Evan turned the watch over, his thumb brushing the delicate engraving on the back. “This is handmade, Alice. Look at the detailing. There’s only one craftsman in the world who can make a mechanism this small function with perfect mechanical precision.”
Alice stepped closer, her hands still trembling slightly. She touched the glass surface of the watch. “You said it was ordered ten years ago? That means… before the dam tragedy happened?”
“Exactly,” Evan replied shortly. His gaze shifted to Lily, who stood frozen near the door. “Lily, are you absolutely sure you didn’t see anyone? Think carefully. A servant, catering staff, anyone passing by?”
“I swear, Young Master,” Lily’s voice shook. “I only went into the nursery bathroom for two minutes to rinse the bottles. I closed the door tightly. I didn’t hear footsteps, I didn’t hear the door open. When I came out, Madam was already here.”
Evan exhaled and motioned for Lily to leave. After the door closed, he guided Alice to sit in the rocking chair in the corner of the room.
“Sit down. You’ve just been through a major event. I don’t want you going into shock,” Evan said gently.
“How can I stay calm, Evan?” Alice asked, her eyes fixed on the crib where Lucas slept soundly, completely undisturbed by his parents’ turmoil. “That watch belonged to Papa. How could it appear in Lucas’s crib on the very night of his welcoming party?”
Evan pulled out his phone and called Rico. “Rico, check the CCTV footage on the second floor hallway for the last ten minutes. I want to know exactly who passed in front of the nursery.”
There was a brief silence as Evan listened. His jaw tightened, then slowly relaxed.
“No one?” Evan asked into the phone. “Check again. Use the heat sensors if necessary.”
After ending the call, Evan looked at Alice. “Rico says no one was in that hallway except Lily and you. The cameras didn’t capture any other presence.”
“Then how did this watch get here?” Alice’s voice rose in confusion. “Did it just fly in on its own?”
The tension did not last long. The door opened slowly, and Zavian stepped inside, his expression tired but composed. When he saw the gold watch in Evan’s hand, he released a long breath.
“Don’t blame your security, Evan,” Zavian said as he walked in. “And don’t blame Lily.”
Evan and Alice turned at the same time. “Dad?”
Zavian stepped closer and took the watch from Evan’s hand. He studied it with a nostalgic gaze. “This was Elino’s plan, set in motion a long time ago. Long before everything fell apart.”
“What do you mean?” Alice asked.
“Ten years ago, when your mom pregnant, before the accident, Elino ordered this watch. He firmly believed that one day, our families would be reunited through the two of you. He placed the watch in a private Swiss bank with very specific instructions,” Zavian explained.
“What kind of instructions?” Evan asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Instructions to deliver this item to the Nathaniel residence on the night of the welcoming celebration for the first male heir of this family. The bank hired a special courier with VIP master access privileges. They operate extremely discreetly. I suspect the agent entered while everyone was distracted by the fireworks outside, using access credentials Elino registered ten years ago,” Zavian said, handing the watch back to Alice.
Alice took it, her eyes filling with tears. “So this wasn’t a threat? It wasn’t someone sneaking in to scare us?”
“Not at all,” Zavian said with a faint smile. “This was the fulfillment of a father’s promise. Elino wanted Lucas to know that his grandfather had already welcomed him, even before he was born into this world.”
A profound sense of relief filled the room. Evan wrapped an arm around Alice’s shoulders, pulling her into his embrace. The mystery was resolved in the most touching way possible. There was no enemy, no intruder, only lingering love from the past that had finally reached its destination.
“I almost ordered Rico to lock down the entire city over this watch,” Evan said with a soft laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
“You’re too dramatic, Evan,” Alice said, lightly tapping his chest. She pressed the watch to her cheek. “Thank you, Dad. Thank you for explaining everything.”
“Enough now. Go get some sleep. Lucas needs parents who aren’t sleep deprived,” Zavian said before leaving the room.
That night, warmth returned to the Nathaniel estate. Evan and Alice went back to their bedroom after making sure Lucas was safe under Lily’s now heightened watchfulness.
Evan helped Alice remove her jewelry in front of the vanity mirror. “So, everything is really over now. No more mysteries.”
“Yes,” Alice replied, watching their reflections. “It’s just us now. And a mountain of diapers you’ll be changing tomorrow morning.”
Evan chuckled softly and kissed her bare shoulder. “I don’t mind. As long as it’s for Lucas, I’ll do it.”
One Month Later
Life in the Nathaniel family had reached a peak of harmony. That morning, sunlight streamed through the large dining room windows. Lavina sat at the end of the table, absorbed in a fashion magazine, while Zavian focused on his tablet, occasionally smiling at newly taken photos of Lucas.
Evan entered the dining room with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He looked far more refreshed, the dark circles that once shadowed his eyes now gone.
“Where’s Alice?” Evan asked, pouring himself a cup of black coffee.
“She’s in the back garden with Lucas. She said the morning air is perfect for getting a little sunshine for him,” Lavina replied without looking up.
Evan headed to the garden. There, he found Alice sitting on a picnic mat spread across the green lawn. Lucas lay on a small pillow, wearing ridiculously cute baby sunglasses, kicking his legs in the air.
“He looks like a big boss on vacation,” Evan said as he sat beside Alice.
Alice laughed. “He is the big boss of this house now. Look at him, he won’t even drink his milk unless the temperature is just right.”
Evan lay down on the grass, resting his head on Alice’s lap. He closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the soft sound of his wife’s laughter.
“You know, Evan,” Alice whispered as she stroked his hair, “sometimes this all feels like a dream. We used to fight, doubt each other, and run from one problem to another. Now… everything feels so calm.”
“Because we’ve already been through the hardest part, Alice. We paid the price,” Evan replied without opening his eyes. “Now it’s time to reap the rewards.”
“What are you planning for Lucas’s birthday? Zavian’s already talking about renting an island,” Alice asked.
Evan opened one eye. “Renting an island? Father really has nothing better to do. I want something simple. Maybe just us, Grandma, and Dad at the beach house.”
“I agree. Lucas won’t remember a party on an island, but he’ll feel the warmth of a beach house,” Alice said.
That afternoon, Evan took Alice and Lucas for a ride around the Nathaniel estate in an open golf cart. They followed winding paths lined with lush trees. There was no tight security detail trailing them, only a few estate staff greeting them politely as they passed.
Evan stopped the cart by a quiet artificial lake.
“When I was a kid, my mother used to bring me here,” Evan said, pointing toward a small wooden dock. “She said that one day, I’d bring the people I love most here. And now, I’ve brought the two of you.”
Alice rested her head on Evan’s shoulder. “Grizelle would be proud of you now, Evan. You’re no longer the cold, frightening man you used to be.”
“I’m still frightening to my business rivals, just not to you,” Evan said with a playful wink, earning a pinch on his arm from Alice.
Night fell once again, but this time without any lingering unease. They had dinner together in the grand dining room, chatting lightly about Lucas’s progress as he began making adorable little sounds.
After dinner, Evan took Alice out to the main balcony. They gazed at the stars scattered across the night sky. The Nathaniel estate looked like a glowing castle in the darkness of the surrounding forest.
“Alice,” Evan called softly.
“Yes?”
Evan pulled a small box from his pocket. “I know I’ve given you jewelry many times before. But this one is different.”
He opened the box. Inside lay a small golden key with a charm shaped like the initial “L.”
“What key is this?” Alice asked, puzzled.
“It’s the key to a private vault at headquarters. I’ve transferred all of Elino’s asset documents into your name and stored them there. I’ve also included my new will,” Evan said seriously.
Alice frowned. “A new will? Why are you talking about wills at a time like this?”
Evan clasped Alice’s hand. “This isn’t about death, Alice. It’s about certainty. In that vault, I’ve declared you the sole controller of all Nathaniel assets if anything happens to me. I don’t want anyone else, including the board of directors, to ever interfere with you or Lucas.”
Alice fell silent. She could feel the depth of Evan’s responsibility and love in that single act.
“Thank you, Evan. But I hope I won’t need to use that key for a very, very long time,” Alice said.
“Of course. We’ll grow old together until Lucas has children of his own,” Evan promised.
They returned to the bedroom, the atmosphere peaceful. Alice lay down beside Lucas’s crib while Evan went to the bathroom to clean up.
Just as Alice was about to close her eyes, she heard Evan’s phone buzzing on the nightstand. Alice never touched Evan’s phone, but the notification kept repeating, urgent and insistent.
Alice picked it up. The screen lit up, displaying a message from an unknown number.
She read the short message, and instantly all sleep vanished. Her heart pounded, not from fear, but from confusion.
“Evan! Come out here, now!” Alice shouted, her voice shaking.
Evan rushed out of the bathroom with a towel still around his neck. “What is it? Is there something wrong with Lucas?”
Alice turned the screen toward him. The message read:
“Young Master Nathaniel, this is the National Archives Department. We have just discovered a marriage document registered under the names Grizelle Nathaniel and Elino Smith, dated twenty five years ago. Could you please explain this?”