Chapter 4
Chapter 4 Waiting For Me
"We've been waiting for you for seventeen years," Charles whispered.
His words cracked through the numb emptiness inside me.
It then stirred up feelings I thought were long gone.
I did not know what he meant by that.
I could not believe they had waited for me for seventeen years.
I stared at Charles, completely dumbfounded.
His eyes showed me he was not joking.
There was a kind of joy in them, like he'd finally found something precious he'd lost, mixed with excitement he'd been holding back for years.
Margaret was intimidated by Charles, so she did not dare make another scene.
She glared at me viciously, grabbed her daughter Emily, and retreated to the side with bitter reluctance.
Just like that, the whole mess died down.
Charles took my hand and led me right to the front of the chapel.
Edward and Victoria flanked me on either side.
The four of us stood shoulder to shoulder.
We looked like an unbreakable wall. No one could touch me now.
I was suddenly the center of attention at the city's most elite funeral.
I was just a girl wearing a faded school uniform hidden beneath an oversized suit jacket.
Yet, I was shielded like a treasure by the three most prestigious heirs of the Wellington family, Charles, Edward, and Victoria, standing protectively around me.
I could feel countless gazes still shooting my way.
But this time, those looks weren't just full of contempt anymore.
But now, their stares were mixed with surprise, jealousy, and a whole lot of speculation.
I still did not understand why any of this was happening.
My mind was still a complete mess.
But I knew from that day on, my life was probably never going to be the same.
The funeral itself was a total hassle, so many steps, so much ceremony.
I felt like a puppet, just going through the motions as my siblings guided me, bowing to guests, returning their greetings, barely aware of what I was doing.
Charles never let go of my hand, not even for a second.
His palm was big and warm, and somehow, it made me feel safe in a way I couldn't explain.
Finally, the ceremony was over.
The guests started to drift away, one by one.
The chapel was almost empty now, just me, my siblings, and a handful of Wellington relatives.
Margaret and Emily were among them, of course.
The way they looked at me, honestly, it was like they wanted to set me on fire.
Suddenly, an imposing old man stepped forward, leaning heavily on a cane.
Henry Wellington was uncle to Charles, Edward and Victoria, and wielded great prestige within the family.
His gaze lingered over me, dull and heavy with age.
"Charles, what exactly is going on here?" he asked, his voice heavy with authority.
"Is this girl... Really your father's daughter?" he pressed, glancing between Charles and me.
Charles nodded firmly.
"Yes. She is," he said, his tone steady and without hesitation.
"Dad admitted it himself," Charles said, his voice firm.
He took a folder from his assistant and handed it to Henry.
"This is the paternity test Dad left behind," Charles explained.
"And this is his handwritten will," he added.
Henry opened the folder, slipped on his reading glasses, and started going through the documents with care.
His hands were shaking harder with every page he turned.
The relatives around us all craned their necks, eager to get a better look.
I watched as Margaret's face twisted with anger and disbelief, getting uglier by the second.
"This... This can't be!" Henry suddenly blurted out, his voice trembling with shock.
The papers in his hands slipped and scattered across the floor, shaken loose by his excitement.
Edward, who was closest, bent down and picked up one of the sheets.
He cleared his throat and read it out, making sure everyone could hear.
He read out, "Last Will Statement.
"I, Richard Wellington, hereby voluntarily bequeath thirty percent of my shares in Wellington Holdings to my youngest daughter, Anna Wellington, with no conditions attached."
As Edward finished reading, the room froze. Everyone was stunned into silence.
It was like the air had been sucked out of the chapel.
He left me thirty percent of the shares in Wellington Holdings!
That number was beyond comprehension!
I could not even comprehend that!
That was hundreds of billions in assets!
Everyone was staring at me like I'd just landed from Mars.
Honestly, I was just as stunned as they were.
I...
Did I just become a billionaire?
And it all happened because of a single will?
Margaret was the first to burst out screaming.
"I don't believe it!" she shrieked.
"This is definitely a fake!" Margaret snapped, her face contorted with rage.
"There's no way my brother would hand over that many shares to some illegitimate brat!" Margaret yelled, her voice trembling with fury.
Then a sharp crack rang out.
Another crisp slap echoed through the chapel.
This time, Victoria was the one who made the move.
She landed a fierce slap right across Margaret's face.
"I told you to watch your mouth," Victoria snapped, her tone cold as ice.
Victoria flicked her hand, her eyes cold enough to cut through steel.
Victoria said, her voice icy, "The top legal team on the planet notarized my father's will.
"If you think it's forged, feel free to take it to court.
"But honestly, do you even have the money to hire lawyers who can stand up to the Wellington family's legal department?"
Margaret clutched her cheek, completely stunned by the slap.
She had never expected Victoria to hit her in front of so many relatives.
Emily screamed and lunged at Victoria, her face twisted with rage.
Emily yelled, "Victoria! How dare you hit my mom! I'm not letting you get away with this!"
Edward stepped forward and grabbed Emily by the back of her collar, lifting her like she was a misbehaving kitten.
He still wore that refined, gentlemanly smile.
Edward said, "Emily, girls shouldn't be so rough.
"Otherwise, you'll have trouble finding a husband in the future."
Charles never even looked at Margaret and Emily, not once.
Instead, he leaned down toward me and asked, "Are you tired?
"Come on, let's go home."
Home was such a warm yet foreign word to me.
Charles took my hand and turned to leave, pulling me along without another word.
"Stop right there!" Henry barked.
Henry slammed his cane against the floor, the sound echoing through the chapel.
He said, "Charles! This is not that simple!
"Even if the will is genuine, how can some clueless girl who knows nothing about business end up with so many shares?
"This goes against everything our family stands for!"
Charles stopped in his tracks and turned around.
His gaze was so icy, it felt like the whole room could freeze over.
Charles scoffed, "Rules?"
"In the Wellington family, whatever I say, that's the rule," he declared.
He swept his eyes across the crowd. His voice wasn't loud, but the authority in it left no room for argument.
Charles spoke, his voice cold and commanding, "Anna is the only heiress my father ever acknowledged, and the only one named in his will.
"Her status in this family is equal to mine.
"Anyone who shows her disrespect is picking a fight with me, and with the entire Wellington family.
"Is that clear?"
No one dared to speak.
Henry opened his mouth, but ended up saying nothing.
Charles ignored them completely.
He took my hand and led me out of the chapel.
Edward and Victoria followed close behind us.
A sleek Rolls-Royce limousine was parked at the entrance.
The driver opened the door with a respectful bow.
I stepped inside, feeling as if I were drifting through a dream.
The seats were soft leather, and the space was so generous I could have stretched out and taken a nap.
A faint, elegant fragrance lingered in the air.
As soon as Victoria got in the car, she grabbed a bottle of strawberry milk from the mini fridge and handed it to me.
Victoria said, "Anna, here, drink this, it'll help you calm down."
"Ignore those crazies. They're just jealous," she added, rolling her eyes.
Edward handed me a tablet.
The screen was filled with rows and rows of math problems.
He said, "Anna, I put together a collection of tricky math questions for you.
"Take a look whenever you have some free time."
Charles sat across from me, his gaze quietly fixed on mine.
There was a gentle warmth and unwavering focus in his eyes.
He said softly, "Anna.
"Welcome home."
I cradled the bottle of strawberry milk in my hands, my gaze drifting between Victoria, Edward, and Charles.
I finally could not hold back any longer. The question that had been gnawing at me finally slipped out.
"Why?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Why are you all so good to me?" I looked at them, searching for answers.
"I'm just... An illegitimate child." The words felt heavy as they left my lips.
Charles let out a soft sigh.
He looked at me, guilt flickering in his eyes.
He said quietly, "No, Anna, you're not.
"You're the Wellington family's one and only true princess, the rightful heir."