The Forced Marriage: The Journey Begins

Chapter Twenty-Four

The day of the burial dawned gray and dismal, as if the heavens themselves were mourning the loss of Elena's justice. The rain pattered against the windows of the mansion as the Wentworth brothers arrived, their faces etched with anger and sadness.

Sarah hovered in the background, feeling like an intruder in their private grief.

In the room, where the air was thick with the scent of aged leather and the whispers of secrets long buried, the three brothers gathered around Charles open casket.

Sarah noticed the youngest brother, the one who had been cold in the office, clutched a framed picture of Elena to his chest. It was a stark reminder of the pain that lay beneath their steely exteriors.

As the priest recited the final prayers, Sarah felt the tension in the room build like the pressure before a storm.

When the last amen was spoken, Damien stepped forward, a heavy envelope in hand. He cleared his throat and announced, "Gentlemen, your father had a final will and testament, which I am now ready to share with you."

The brothers looked up, their faces dread. Sarah watched from the sidelines, her heart racing.

She was finally cleared from the unique will. At the end she did not have to be burdened with Mr. Charles Wentworth clever condition of will.

Damien cleared his throat and began to read from the envelope. "In the event of my death," he read, "The first child to claim my dead body is to given all my property and upon not fulfilling this condition in ten days all my property will be transferred to Sarah Harris."

Damien looked at three person standing in perplex, "Now Gentlemen, on tenth day Mr. Charles Wentworth's property will be distributed within three of you equally."

The relief that washed over Sarah was palpable. The burden of Mr. Wentworth's final condition had lifted from her shoulders, and she could feel the tension in the room dissipate slightly.

She watched as the brothers' eyes darted towards her, then back to Damien, each one processing the new information."Why wasn't this mentioned before?" the eldest son demanded, his voice tight with barely contained anger.

Damien's eyes met Sarah's, "Perhaps he wanted to ensure you all had the chance to come together as a family one last time."

The room was silent, the only sound the steady drip of rain outside. The brothers looked at each other, their expressions a mix of grievances and confusion.

Sarah felt a strange sense of detachment, as if she was watching a play unfold before her.

The second son stepped forward, his eyes on the diaries. "What's in these?" he asked, his voice cracking.

Sarah took a deep breath, her voice trembling. "They're Elena's," she said. "Her story. What really happened to her."

The second son reached for the diaries, his eyes never leaving hers. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion." We need to know the truth."

As the brothers began to read, the room grew quiet. The rain outside seemed to mirror the storm of emotions that had been unleashed within. Sarah watched them, her heart aching for the pain they had been carrying for so long. She felt a strange kinship with them, bound by the suffering they had all endured at the hands of their fathers.

Damien's hand on her shoulder grew heavier, and she turned to face him, "I never knew," her eyes shining with unshed tears . "I had no idea what was really at stake."

Damien nodded, "Neither did I," he murmured his voice barely above a whisper. Damien's hand slid from her shoulder to hers, his grip firm and comforting. "You gave this family a chance to find closure."

Sarah felt a warmth spread through her at his words. It was true; she had been a catalyst for change, a beacon of hope in the dark tapestry of the Wentworth legacy. Despite the horrors she had uncovered, she had played a part in bringing the truth to light. The thought brought a bittersweet comfort to her weary heart.

The sons continued to read, their faces a canvas of emotions—grief, anger, and a hint of hope.

Sarah watched as they turned the pages, the weight of Elena's story etched into their expressions. Each line they read brought them closer to understanding the father they had never truly known.

The room fell into a contemplative silence, the rain outside a soothing backdrop to their tumultuous thoughts.

Damien studied Sarah, his gaze filled with something new—respect, perhaps, or the beginnings of affection. He knew the strength it had taken for her to navigate the treacherous waters of the Wentworth family's secrets.

Damien's hand on hers was a steady presence, a reminder that she wasn't alone in this tumultuous journey.

As the rain outside grew heavier, it seemed to mirror the tears that now flowed freely from the brothers' eyes.

Sarah felt a strange sense of accomplishment—despite the harrowing revelations, she had played a part in bringing the Wentworth family together. Sarah couldn't help but feel a strange sense of camaraderie with the man who had once been a cold, demanding boss. Together, they had unraveled a family's darkest secrets and brought them to light. The tension between them had shifted, the sharp edges of their professional relationship now rounded by shared experience.

The youngest brother looked up from the diaries, his face a mask of pain. "Thank you, Sarah," he choked out, his voice hoarse from the emotion. "If it wasn't for you..."

Sarah offered a small smile, her heart swelling with the knowledge that she had made a difference. "It's what Mr. Wentworth wanted," she said, her voice gentle. "For you all to know the truth."

The eldest brother looked at her, his eyes red-rimmed and haunted. "We owe you more than we can ever repay," he murmured. "And also to Elena and most importantly our father. We want to reopen this case and fight for justice. we want your help."

Damien stepped up, his jaw tightening with resolve. "You'll have it," he said firmly, his eyes never leaving hers. "We'll get to the bottom of this together."

The brothers looked at him in surprise before nodding in unison. Sarah felt a surge of gratitude towards Damien. Her perspective towards Damien took turn of one-eighty

Sarah took a step back, allowing the Wentworth brothers to grieve in private. She knew that the path ahead would be long and fraught with challenges, but she was ready to stand by their side. As she exited the study, she felt the weight of the mansion's secrets pressing against her back, eager to escape into the open air.