Chapter 6 My Father's Will

~Ethan's POV~

There was something really wrong with my head because it made no sense that I was still thinking of that disrespectful woman two freaking days after seeing her. I turned around in my chair as my mind kept going back to the way she treated me. My phone rang taking me out of the daydream that I was having. I looked at my screen and saw that it was my brother. It had been weeks since I received a call from him about my father dying. Since then, he had been on my neck about the reading of his will but for some reason, the lawyer had been postponing it.

"Let me be, Aiden"

I spoke to the phone like it was going to deliver the message to him as I watched it ring. A knock on the door made me look in that direction.

"Come in"

The door opened and my secretary Rosa, walked in, dressed in a tight shirt and a short skirt.

"You have a message from the lawyer, sir" she announced. I gestured for her to read it aloud and as she did, I got to my feet and picked up my blazer that was on my chair. Putting it on, I gave her instructions to cancel all my meetings for the rest of the day before rushing to my car. By the time I got to the lawyer's office, Aiden was already seated.

"Took you long enough, brother"

He smirked at me as he played with a joint in his hand. The air in the room was heavy with angst. The lawyer cleared his throat and unfolded the document in front of him.

My brother Aiden and I sat on opposite ends of the couch, bracing ourselves for the contents of our late father's will. Aiden was the most careless person I knew. He blowed through women, drugs and money like no man's business.

"This is the last will and testament of Mr. Jonathan Gonzales," the lawyer began, his voice steady.

"I hereby bequeath the following assets." My heart raced as the lawyer's words echoed in my ears. Was I going I inherit the family business, as I had always hoped? Or was my my father's favor going to fall upon Aiden, the child whom he always pitied and hoped was going to turn a new leaf?

"To my son, Aiden Gonzalez, I leave the house on the beach, known as Gonzalez Manor. To my other son, Ethan Gonzales, I leave the... "

What? I get Just the house?!"

Aiden roared standing up from his seat as he interrupted the lawyer.

"Sit the fuck down, Aiden" I was already rubbing my temples in anticipation of the head ache that was definitely going to come from being in the same environment as Aiden. If it were up to me we would have listened to the will at different times.

"How dare you think you can order me around like I am your secretary? Do you really think Father would give you any of his inheritance?" Aiden sneered at me.

"We both know that I was his favorite and still the old bastard only gave me his house. A stupid house! What the fuck am I supposed to with a house?"A muscle ticked in my head and I knew that I was going to end up losing my cool if he didn't shut up.

"Don't talk about father like that" I growled quietly.

"What did you say, rejected son?"

He taunted, a stupid smile on his face. That attitude of his got to me and I stood up with a fury and jacked him up by the collar before slamming him on the nearest wall.

"I said, don't talk about Father like that".

"May I continue now, gentlemen?"

The lawyer interrupted our banter, clearly unmoved by what was happening. Being my fathers lawyer for years, he was used to us having spats and going after each others throats.

Aiden and I stared at each other and the tension in that air could be cut through with a knife. With a grunt, i released him and he adjusted his shirt before taking his seat, I also sat down and faced the lawyer.

"And to my son, Ethan Gonalez," the lawyer went on, his eyes flicking to me.

"I leave the entirety of my estate, including Gonalez Enterprises"

I sent a trimumphant look to Aiden who looked like he was going to combust but the next words from the lawyer made me realize that I rejoiced too soon.

"The properties will be his on the condition that he is married before three months after the reading of the will."

"What?"I let out at the words that hung in the air. The lawyer shrugged.

"Your fathers words, not mine"

"What do you mean he gets everything else? Is this some kind of fucked up joke?"

"Shut the hell up Aiden"

I ordered because there was bigger fish to fry than his pride being hurt at me getting everything else but the Gonzales manor that was now his. I turned to the lawyer,

"what do mean that I should get married by the end of three months? I'm not involved with anyone and marriage isn't on my plate right now" The lawyer adjusted his glasses before responding to me.

"According to the will, that's what you have to do or the business goes to the public and is put up for auction"

"Told you, Father was a fucker"Aiden chipped in which made me swivel towards him angrily.

"Shut up!"

I said through gritted teeth before I snatched the will from the lawyer's hand "let me see that"I allowed my eyes robe through the document. Like my father knew that we were going to doubt the authenticity of the will, he had it handwritten and laminated with his signature at the bottom which meant that he was really the one who prepared such preposterous condition for me.

"I'll take that"

The lawyer picked the paper from my hand and put it back into his suitcase before snapping it close and leaving me with my twin brother in the room. The room was silent as the weight of my father's ultimatum settled upon me like a leaden shroud. The clearing of a throat made me turn to Aiden whose expression was a mix of distaste and scorn.

"Ethan, I'm so sorry," He began, his voice filled with mockery and betraying the words that he was saying to me.

"I know this must be a lot to take in. You can always come to live with me when you lose everything or who knows? Perhaps I'd marry my fiancée and take the company for myself" He said, laughing as he left the room. I clenched my fist, my mind swirling with annoyance and frustration.

On one hand, the prospect of inheriting the family business filled me with a sense of pride and responsibility. On the other hand, the condition attached to the inheritance felt like something impossible to achieve. My eyes fell on the portrait of my father on the table.

"I don't know what you were thinking, father. But I promise I am not going to let this opportunity slip through my fingers. Never"