When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 22: Inheritance

Chapter 22: Inheritance

Samuel hurried to the company, feeling every stare as he passed by. The whispers followed him like shadows, reminding him that everyone was talking about the news. He tried to ignore it, but the tension gnawed at him. It was hard to block out the curiosity and judgment in people’s eyes.

When he finally reached his office, Samuel immediately called Timmy. He tried to keep his voice steady. "How’s it going?" he asked.

"Sir, we’re still working on the investigation," Timmy said carefully. "I’ll let you know as soon as we have something."

Samuel nodded, though Timmy couldn’t see him. "Alright, I’m in the office. Keep me posted."

"We’ll do our best, Sir," Timmy replied before the call ended.

Samuel tossed the phone onto his desk, frustration bubbling inside him. He couldn’t just sit there, waiting for answers that might not come. The uncertainty was suffocating. The quiet in his office was too loud, so he began pacing, his eyes flicking to the clock. Every tick seemed to mock his helplessness.

Time dragged. Minutes felt like hours, and Samuel’s mind wouldn’t stop racing. Thoughts of Zinnia, James, and the company all tumbled together. Everything he had worked for, everything he thought was his, now seemed to be slipping away.

When Timmy finally arrived, Samuel could see the hesitation on his face. It only made the knot in his stomach tighten. Timmy held a folder close, and Samuel knew the news wasn’t going to be good.

"What did you find out?" Samuel asked, trying to keep the tension out of his voice.

Timmy handed over the papers, his hand trembling slightly. "Sir, James Lucas is definitely the son of Jane Lucas, your grandfather George’s daughter. Jane fell in love with a man of lower status, and your grandfather didn’t approve. She ran away with him, but he died in a car accident just before their wedding."

Samuel felt a heavy weight in his chest. "And my grandfather?" he asked.

"He was furious," Timmy explained, "but he decided to keep Jane’s pregnancy a secret to protect the family’s reputation. George promised financial support, but only if Jane’s son used the Lucas name. The resemblance between you and James makes sense—your family’s genes are strong. Your grandfather looked like his father, your dad looked just like you when he was young, and Jane looked like a female version of your dad. So it’s no wonder you and James look so alike."

Samuel clenched his fists. His mind was spinning with the implications. "What about the shares?" he asked.

Timmy nodded, anticipating the question. "According to George’s will, out of the 100% shares of the company, he owned 95%. The remaining 5% belonged to the board of directors. The will stated that 40% would go to his eldest grandson, 25% to the younger grandkids, and 30% to his son, Steven Lucas—your father. Because everyone thought you were the only grandson, you received both the 40% and 25% shares, giving you 65% ownership."

Samuel felt a chill run down his spine. "And now?" he asked, already dreading the answer.

"There was a hidden clause in the will," Timmy said, his voice quieter now. "The moment James returns and claims his inheritance, the 40% will automatically transfer to him. He’s three months older than you, which makes him the rightful heir."

Samuel’s world started to crumble. "What about his mother?" he asked, though he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear more.

"She died abroad, a month after they moved there for her surgery," Timmy explained. "James stayed abroad and continued his studies. The photos of him and Zinnia are real, Sir."

Timmy hesitated, clearly struggling with his next words. "It wasn’t easy confirming those pictures, Sir. They were close—very close. Reporting this to you was... difficult."

Samuel’s heart sank. "What happened next?" he forced himself to ask.

"A week after their high school graduation, James and Zinnia went on a yacht to celebrate his birthday. A tsunami hit, and James went missing. Zinnia stayed behind to search for him, but after she graduated, her parents urged her to come home."

Samuel felt like the ground was disappearing beneath his feet. He sat down heavily, overwhelmed by everything Timmy was telling him. Questions swirled in his mind—was Zinnia with him because he looked like James? Was he just a replacement for the man she truly loved?

His thoughts were a chaotic mix of anger, confusion, and fear. "Where is James now?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

"We haven’t found anything since he went missing," Timmy replied. "We can’t locate him, and there’s no information about whether he’s alive or dead."

Samuel’s head was spinning. "Then what’s all this about his return? If he’s still missing, where did the news come from?"

"We don’t know, Sir," Timmy admitted, shaking his head. "We tried to trace the source, but the people who posted the news said they were paid by someone they didn’t know. They took the money and shared the news on their social media, not caring whether it was true or not."

Samuel stared at the papers in front of him, feeling completely lost. The ground beneath him felt unstable, and for the first time, he had no idea what to do next.

Timmy’s voice broke through his thoughts. "Sir, if James is really alive and comes back to claim his inheritance, you’ll only be left with 25% of the company shares. But you can still get the 30% shares your father owns if you follow his will. It says that as long as you get married, you’ll automatically receive those 30% shares. But if you divorce, the shares will go back to the company and be sold."

Timmy hesitated, then added, "If you secure those 30% shares, you’ll still have a total of 55%."

Samuel felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He could feel a knot forming in his stomach, tight and unyielding. "Do you think, with everything going on, Zinnia will still choose to marry me?" he asked, his voice betraying the fear he usually kept hidden.

Timmy sighed, his own worries clear. "If only my boss had married Zinnia sooner and not dragged it out this long, none of this would be happening," he thought to himself, though he didn’t dare say it aloud. Instead, he wondered, "What will happen to me if these changes in the company go through?" All he wanted was to survive and live peacefully, but now even that seemed uncertain.

Doubt and anxiety gnawed at Samuel, refusing to let go. The thought of losing both the company and Zinnia weighed heavily on him.

All his life, he had been raised to take over the company, to continue the family legacy. But now, that future seemed to be slipping away. And with Zinnia—he had tried so hard to push her away, convinced he didn’t deserve her, that he wasn’t good enough.

But now, the thought of truly losing her terrified him. No matter how much he tried to deny it, he couldn’t escape the truth that had been staring him in the face for so long—he had fallen in love with her, and the fear of losing her was more than he could bear.