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“I’m afraid this is a legally binding testament drafted by Elijah Radcliff and Elijah Radcliff alone. Ava knew nothing of this.”
Benjamin threw his arms up high into the air.“But how could that possibly be? This sounds insane! Required to marry? Ava Burns?”
“You’re incredibly arrogant, you know that, don’t you?” Ava said, undeterred. “I have absolutely nothing to do with this. I came here in the hope that we would not be kicked out of the gardener’s house. That’s God’s honest truth.”
“Wait… you are living in the gardener’s house? Since when?” Lucy wondered; her brows raised high. Ben and Ava both rolled their eyes. Lucy faced Walter again, her pearl bracelets clacking as she waved with her hands. “Why didn’t you tell him that he was making a mistake?” She slammed her hands down on the desk. “He was sick in his final days, mentally compromised. He needed guidance to do the right thing. It was your job to –”
“I know my job, Lucy. Remember that I worked for Elijah, not you.” Walter tried to maintain a level voice; he had to. He had to be as sane as ever. “I’ve known Elijah for a long, long time. He would never do anything spur of the moment,” he sighed and glanced at the papers before him, “at least not without thinking about the consequences and having a good reason for it. Besides, he had himself evaluated psychologically right before and after drafting this will, so nobody would try to have him retroactively declared incompetent or clinically insane.”
Benjamin let out an exasperated sigh and started pacing. He bumped past Ava and their fiery eyes met briefly.
“Isn't there something in there that can explain better? Another recording… ANYTHING?” Lucy almost begged.
“Yes, let’s skip to the part to where we all agree that this marriage will not happen.” Ava announced.
“Excellent plan. Let’s do that,” Ben demanded.
Walter wore a harrowed expression, “There’s more.”
Lucy and Benjamin drew closer to the table, desperate to hear what ‘more’ there was.
“What else?” Benjamin asked hastily, absently unbuttoning the collar of his shirt.
Clearing his throat and starting all over again, adjusting his glasses with his thumb and mumbling to himself, Walter’s eyes fixated on the papers before him.
“Scrawled on this piece of paper, and signed I might add, is what Elijah has termed ‘The Final Clause.’ It states that both parties must adhere to these rules… wait a moment,” he shifted the papers and took out two copies from the file and handed them to Ben and Lucy.
“Both parties must live together in this estate as husband and wife within one week from now. You may not be separated for longer than twenty-four consecutive hours and no romantic relationships outside of this marriage shall take place. Once a week you are to dine out together. Twice a week you shall spend time together in addition to the dinner. You may spend it in any activity of your choosing, but the activities shall be no less than one hour in duration. All expenses incurred by the couple during these six months of marriage shall be paid for by a fund put aside for you as long as they are deemed reasonable expenses… by me.” He paused for a few seconds and then added: “At the end of the six months, we shall meet again to conclude the will. If all rules are followed according to this will, and the couple splits up, then the entire Radcliff inheritance shall be awarded to Benjamin. Ava shall, in that case, receive a compensation of $10,000,000. However, if one of the two parties breaks this agreement, the entire inheritance shall be awarded to the party that adhered to the rules.”
For a moment, everybody was dead silent, rooted to the ground, being eaten by their racing thoughts. Ava was the first to break the silence.
“So, what happens if we don’t get married?”
Ben looked at Ava and back at Walter.
“In that case, the entire inheritance will be awarded to the Radcliff non-profit.”
“We’ll be penniless?” “All the money gone?” Ben and Lucy cried out at the same time.
Walter frowned, “Pretty much.”
“Ha!” Ava threw her head back in amusement. “I guess that’s settled then. I have no interest in marrying Benjamin Radcliff. My heart is not for sale.”
“Nobody would want to buy that little thing anyway,” Lucy mumbled loud enough for Ava to hear.
Hurt briefly flashed in Ava’s eyes. “I am done here. Welcome to the real world,” were her last words before she strode quickly out of the room, her head held high.
Ben wildly shook his head. “Walter, come on! She’s obviously not going to marry me. I don’t want to marry her either. Can’t something be done?” Benjamin tossed away the paper he’d been given; it floated briefly in the air before gliding smoothly to the floor.
“I’m sorry, but this is his will,” Walter said, pointing at the paper in front of Benjamin’s feet. Benjamin groaned and picked it up before storming out of the study slamming the door behind him.
Lucy stared at a copy of the very same paper in her hands. “Elijah is really serious about this will?”
Walter nodded.
Deep in thought, Lucy placed a well-manicured finger on her immaculate row of white teeth and tapped, her mind busy. She shifted on her seat and her eyes narrowed. “If the girl doesn’t marry my son, we will lose everything,” she said, thinking out loud.
“For Elijah,” she suddenly said, smiling at Walter, “would you mind talking to her again? I am certain there must be something that can motivate her to change her mind?”
“I promised Elijah I would do my best so I will try… Her father has accrued a lot of debt from his wife’s medical bills in the final months of her life, and the girl is rather attached to him. I am certain she will reconsider…”
“Good. Tell her six months will go by quickly and after that she will never have to see my son again.” Lucy narrowed her eyes. “I will make certain of it.”
