Chapter 70: Your parents died in a fire
The shock helped Michael lose his erection, but the same could not be said for Noah. He needed a moment to get rid of it, so he let Michael go to the door alone.
"If something happens, I’ll hear and I’ll come to you right away." He assured Michael who wouldn’t stop worrying and Michael nodded.
Since Noah gave his word, he would listen to him.
So, he went to open the door and just as Noah said, one of them was indeed a lawyer. One he was familiar with.
"Mister Pedro?" He asked, surprised to see their family lawyer at his door. And the person next to him was a stranger.
What was his family lawyer doing in front of his house? Were they really not there, so sue him?
He gulped.
"Hello, Michael. It’s been a while." The lawyer, Pedro, said, but Michael did not nod or acknowledge his words.
After all, the last time they met was when his family disowned him, terminating his rights to inherit their company and giving him a legal severance fee.
It wasn’t a pleasant one.
This was the man who finalized the disownement.
"Yes, so what do I owe this visit?"
"First of all, this person here is an acquaintance of your parents, and he was there to bear witness when they wrote their will." He said, and Michael turned to the man Pedro claimed was an acquaintance.
He looked a bit scrawny and though it looked like he tried to clean up properly before coming, he still looked rough in the face.
Michael didn’t remember such a face or his parents being acquainted with someone like that, but what did it matter?
He turned his gaze to Pedro. Why were they here?
"Can we come in?" Pedro asked, but Michael frowned.
"I’d first like to know why you’re here." He said.
"That’s exactly what we’re going to discuss. It’s about your parents will." Pedro said, but Michael still didn’t see how that had anything to do with him.
He was very sure the only thing his parents would have in their will was the assets they were giving to their precious son.
Pedro saw the doubt and indifference in Michael’s face and twisted his lips in confusion.
"Wait, haven’t you heard the news?" He asked, and Michael raised an eyebrow.
"What news?" If it had anything to do with his family, then he definitely wouldn’t hear it, and if it had something to do with Mark, then he was better off not hearing of it.
"About the fire three days ago." Pedro said, but it caused Michael’s eyebrow to raise even further. Your parents, as well as your older brother, died in an unexpected fire a few days ago. Did you... Not hear of it?"
Michael froze, stunned. What was that? Did he just say they were dead?
Seeing the stunned look on Michael’s face, Pedro guessed that he indeed hadn’t heard the news.
"Let’s go inside then. If you have never heard of it, then we have a lot to talk about."
Michael had no choice but to let them in if he wanted to understand what they were talking about.
So, it turned out his father called for Pedro exactly four days ago to write his will. His father didn’t look sick in particular or out of his mind, but when he called Pedro, he called two more people with him to act as witnesses.
One was this man called Alexander, and the other had unfortunately died in the fire with them.
He decided to write his will because, according to him, he had grown old and anything could happen to him at any moment.
He also had enemies, and he never knew when they would strike and try to take everything from him.
His reasons felt rational, so Pedro began, waiting to draft the will. He expected his client to give his company as well as his houses to his elder son, whom he was so proud of, but the moment he began to speak, Pedro’s eyes widened and he looked at Michael’s father in shock.
’Had he really lost his mind?’ Was the thought that crossed Pedro’s mind.
The other two who were there had no vivid expressions, but they weren’t too shocked by the words of his will, as if they had come to that conclusion together.
"Is there a problem?" Mr Rodolfo asked with a calm tone, but Pedro shook his head, despite his shock, and said,
"No. There’s no problem, but can you repeat that?" Pedro asked. He wanted to make sure he did not mishear it.
Mr Rodolfo looked at Pedro with a blank expression on his wrinkled face, his eyes looking unimpressed and rather tired.
"I said," Mr Rodolfo began again. "After my death, I would like all my properties, including my businesses, my lands, and houses, to be sold and the money gotten from all that be given to my second son. Michael Rodolfo."
Pedro had not misheard it, and so he wrote it as it was said. That was all Mr Rodolfo stated for his will.
He did not include his wife or his son. It was as if they didn’t matter anymore.
"I feel sorry for putting my son through what he went through. I hope this helps him so he doesn’t have to worry about anything in life. And that... He forgives me." Pedro recounted those words from Mr Rodolfo and concluded the story.
Michael was shocked. He was speechless. How... Why? Why would his father do that?
He didn’t even think of Mark when creating that will.
"And after that, as if your father knew what was going to happen, he died in a fire the next day. And in that fire were your mother, elder brother, and the man who had witnessed his will. There were no other victims."
He took out the field from his bag.
"That was all I came to say. You’ll need to plan the funeral with me afterwards." He handed Michael a copy of the will. "After all the property is sold, I will come again to hand you the money."
Pedro did not waste time seeing himself out, along with Alexander. It was a tragedy, but he could not help but wonder what Michael would do after he left.
Michael stood at the door after closing it. It was as if reality was yet to hit him. But even when it did, he just found one single thing off.
"Are they gone?" He heard Noah’s voice and turned around sharply.
"Can you see the future?" Michael asked Noah all of a sudden, and Noah’s face slightly contorted in confusion.
"What?"
Michael marched towards him and grabbed his arms.
"I asked if you could see the future." Michael repeated, but Noah found this strange.
"If I could, do you think I would’ve been caught by my pursuers and lost my memory?" He asked in return, and Michael dropped his gaze, his grip on Noah’s arm tightening.
He couldn’t understand it, and it didn’t make sense to him, no matter how hard he thought about it.
"What is this about?" Noah asked, pushing Michael’s hand down since he was gripping too tightly. His fingertips would go numb at that rate.
"Noah, last week, you asked me if I would be sad to hear that my parents were dead," Michael said. "Of course, I just imagined it and decided it was not a big deal. I would be relieved if that were the case, but... Just a week passed, and they actually died. They... They can’t disturb me anymore, just as you assured me. So tell me..." Michael looked into his eyes, desperate for answers. "...did you know this was going to happen?"
Noah stared at Michael’s disturbed expression and shook his head. He couldn’t even tell the truth if he wanted to. It wasn’t time yet.
"No, I can’t see the future." Noh answered. "And I didn’t know this was going to happen either. I just felt... If the people who had been in your life the longest suddenly disappeared, then you might be sad, but it didn’t seem like you’d get sad. You said you’d be relieved."
"That doesn’t answer my question, Noah!" Michael raged at him. "How did you suddenly have the feeling that my parents would die? Is it some kind of supernatural ability you have? Please, tell me the truth."
"And I said I didn’t know. Michael," he brushed his hair. "Bad people always have bad endings. So, I assumed they would eventually have a tragic end since they had treated you this way and made you suffer."
Michael gritted his teeth. Was that all? Was that truly all there was to it? Just a coincidence? It was too big of a coincidence.
"Michael," Noah called, lifting his head gently. There were tears in his eyes. So, he got sad after all. "Even if I did have some sort of ability that can see the future, what would you want to use it for now? They’re already dead."
Michael clenched his arm and then crumbled down, but Noah caught him. He caught him by the waist and pulled him into his arms.
Michael cried. Even if he hated them and wished that they would disappear from his life for good... He didn’t know they would have such a death. They burned to death.
How horrible had that been?
They must’ve screamed and struggled, trying to get out, but they couldn’t. They... They died such a tragic death.
His cries suddenly transformed into a crazy laugh.
It started low and deep, his shoulders vibrating slowly, but then he let out a laugh, laughing like a maniac, and Noah wondered if he had lost his mind to the news of his parents’ death.
He held him, regardless, and took in his crazy laugh as well as his tears.
It was only a matter of time before he got over it. He thought. This would pass soon, and they would go back to their peaceful life. That was what he was after, and that was all he needed.
Despite the way Michael laughed, his heart felt heavy and bitter. He felt like he was breaking. Just why? Why was he so pathetically crying for those people? Feeling pain on their behalf and sympathizing with their death.
