Generations: The Long Game

The Solicitor

2025

The remaining board members had been summoned to a solicitor's office. Reece, Autumn, nor Mia had ever heard of an association between this specific office and Roger. They chatted in hush tones as they entered the building. The only other board members were the silent partner and Siobhan. No one had seen Siobhan since the night of the ball except maybe Vivian whose son still came to the nursery every day. If she knew anything she sure wasn't sharing information with the siblings.

The solicitor was a stodgy older man whose mustache was severely overgrown. So much so that his lower lip was barely visible. He started the meeting just as Siobhan entered the room.

"Thank you all for coming today. We are here to discuss the ownership of the Knight Nursery and its associated properties. As Roger Knight has been convicted of a crime he relinquished all rights to said properties. As you may know Roger owned 49 percent of the company which he then split giving each of you 10 percent and Miss Siobhan Serpent 5 percent. The remaining 14 percent will by order of the courts be split between the four of you." The three siblings shared glances of confusion. Roger had only owned 49 percent of the company? All the documents they went through when they were building a case to take over and none had mentioned that he owned less than half of the company.

He continued, "as for the matter of the senior silent partner .." Were they about to find out who that was? "It has been disclosed to the courts that that partner was a one Maximillian Roberts. Max also used this firm to write his will, so we were able to pull that file as well. I would like to take this time to read that as it is of importance to this matter.

The Last Will and Testament of Maximillian Roberts

I hereby bequeath my entire fortune and all properties herein to Mrs. Lilian Knight with the provision that if she is already deceased our combined fortunes and properties will be split between my child Amelia Roberts, her child Reece Knight, and our child Autumn Knight.

He then listed bank accounts and their totals, their properties and businesses they owned shares in.

Siobhan was the first one to leave the room. They owned 91.5 percent of the nurseries even she had to admit that defeat. Her vote would never amount to anything. The look of defeat was not lost on the siblings, but they were all in shock.

Mia had tears streaming down her face. She had done Roger's bidding all those years for information on her father who was already long since in the ground ... and for money. He had been paying her with her own inheritance. Her own damn inheritance. She was shocked but not surprised. That was just the kind of snake he was.

The three agreed to meet at Reece and Marjorie's house in half an hour to discuss everything. They all needed time to process before they sat down to discuss what to do with the properties and businesses they were now in possession of.

Reece

Reece wasn't even sure he should be driving. They had only had a few months to acclimate to the fact that much of their life was a lie, and now they were charged with the dispersal of properties and businesses they hadn't even known they owned.

A chain of boutiques, a chain of salons, the nurseries and even a chain of restaurants that he and Mia had frequented as teenagers.

He felt lightheaded and he could feel the acid rising up his throat. He opened the car door just in time for his sick to hit the ground instead of the car door. He reached in the glove box and found some tissues to wipe his face, shut the car and pulled out of the car park.

Marjorie met him at the door, but he just passed right by her and ran up the stairs. He brushed his teeth and showered quickly. Aut and Mia would be there soon. He pulled on some pants and a shirt that was a little oversized. He didn't want to feel suffocated. He felt suffocated.

Mia

Mia drove straight home, but called Char's parents to come sit with the girls. They had stayed at the house in town the night before so she had plenty of time for this morning's appointment. Char's mum reassured her that they would meet her their. She dialed Char's number and asked her to get ready to go to Reece's as soon as she arrived. Char asked what was going on, but Mia said she would explain on the way.

Autumn

Autumn fell into Winter's arms and sobbed. Winter was at a loss. She was speaking, but he couldn't understand a single word of what she was saying. When her sobs subsided she told him they needed to go to Reece's. He drove as she filled him in on what had happened at the solicitor's office. She told him in short, succinct sentences and then just stared out the passenger window for the remainder of the trip.