6: A storm is brewing

Seth

The quietness was a concept I had been begging to have since Edward died. I wanted that peace that came with not having to think about anything. But this silence, after Armani was done speaking, was tainted. I could feel the heated gazes of everyone in the room on my skin. I didn’t dare look, I didn’t want to see the look on August’s face.

Like a spark in a room dense with gasoline, someone started an outrage: “You have to be fucking kidding me!?” She stood in fury, casting her eyes around the room, but occasionally landing on me.

“That Will is fake! It is forged! There is no way Uncle will give everything he has to this…slut!”

I winced softly at the choice of the word. I didn’t expect August to defend me, what kind of selfish person would I be to expect a nephew to defend his boyfriend who was fucking his Uncle?

“I can assure you that the Will is really, real, Ms Selena,” Armani said firmly, “I went over the will with him so many times to ensure that he knew what he was doing. He even went as far as subjecting himself to a psychiatric evaluation to have a certificate that evidenced his mental soundness.”

“That doesn’t mean jack shit! He must have found a way to trick the old man or something. Hey!” Now I could feel the blows of the words directed at me. My eyes were tied to the intricate weaving of the carpet, never once looking up even when I felt the gentle thuds on the carpet when Selena started walking in my direction.

“What did you do to him, huh?” Each step made her tone more aggravated. My chest started to collapse, it felt like my ribs were squeezing my lungs in and holding them captive. My throat suddenly forgot the sole purpose of carrying air down and back up.

Why was the light too bright all of a sudden and the voices that clamoured around began to sound muffled and distant? My stomach tightened into knots as the nausea hit me, I wanted to throw up so badly. I staggered to my feet, stretching my hands around to stabilise myself.

“I have to…ugh…leave now,” I whispered to myself, informing my body of what it was time to do. It was time to leave this place, to run as far away from here as possible. In the last second before I exited the room, I clung to August’s eyes: they were blackened by rage, a storm of betrayal brewing in the background.

There was a deep frown lodged on his face like it had been permanently placed there.

Something was wrong, how was this possible? I had only known him for a few weeks, it wasn’t up to a month yet he had given me the majority of everything he had?

Fuck! August, how was I supposed to know that Edward was his uncle? He didn’t have the Beaumont name.

That’s because his mother married out, you idiot.

I sighed as I ran my fingers through my hair. The frigid air nibbled at my skin pushing back the bile that had begun to rise. It was a much-needed change, different from the hostile air that hugged me like smoke. I inhaled deeply, letting my lungs swell before exhaling just as arrogantly.

I didn’t know what just happened in there but I wanted to be far from August and his family drama. The way Selena had stalked toward me, sneering as she spoke, she looked like she was capable of doing anything.

I pushed ahead, determined to leave the last hour of my life behind the gold-plated doors and immaculate building. I snapped quickly when I heard the crunch of gravel, ready to run in case anyone tried to attack me. It was Armani.

Should I keep walking or should I leave? I was ready to leave everything behind me, to abandon this. Maybe I should talk to him, he was the one who called me into this mess. He walked toward me and stretched his hand:

“I know we have met, but there was no proper introduction then. My name is Armani Jamie, I was and still am Edward’s lawyer and apparently now the Executor of the will.”

I swallowed, clutching his gloved hand firmly. I had so many questions, so many things to say, but where to start from? How to start was the problem.

I coughed, “I know you have a lot of things to say and perhaps a lot of questions as well,” he interrupted. I nodded.

He sighed and dropped his briefcase on the ground, “Look, the confidentiality I share with my client will not allow me to say much, but all I can say is that he knew what he was doing when he made the will. He was sure and affirmative when he gave you ninety percent of everything he had.”

I felt this weight on my shoulders, “I never wanted this,” I said softly.

“I know but there is a storm that is coming and you will need all the help you can get.”

My eyes prickled, a sting running along the bridge of my nose, “I didn’t ask for this! I don’t want it to change,” I barked. He smiled, a sad one that didn’t reach his eyes.

“I know, Seth, but right now, I am the best chance you have to navigate this mess.”

I averted my gaze toward the house when the door groaned and the gravel quaked under the weight of August. Fuck. He charged, huffing with his eyes glazed in anger. A chill ran up my spine when I saw him clench his fist repeatedly.

“How could you?” He stopped a few feet away.

The words kept catching in my throat.

“How could you do this!? To us!?” He barked again.

The tear broke free and crawled down the side of my face, “I’m sorry,” I croaked, “I didn’t know he was your uncle.”

He chuckled, “And that makes it better? You were fucking old men! Hell, you were sleeping around, whoring yourself, and for what? So you can stay in a place you don’t even fit in the first place?”

“That’s not fair, August and you know it,” I bit back.

“Oh, we are past what is fair at this point,” he scanned my frame, the venom pouring from his looks, “I hope the money was worth screwing my uncle.”

He spat at my feet.