Chapter 2
Dad's funeral wasn't grand, but it was dignified and solemn.
The place was packed—senior staff from the company, business associates, and every Brown relative you could think of.
Cora, dressed in black from head to toe, stood at the very front as the widow, accepting everyone's condolences.
She cried so hard she nearly fainted several times, always managing to fall perfectly into someone's arms at just the right moment.
Mom stood a little way off, looking like an outsider.
She just stood there quietly, and when people approached her, she simply nodded.
Her calm was a stark contrast to Cora's grief.
A few of the aunts gathered together, gossiping and pointing fingers at Mom.
"Not a single tear from her. She's so heartless."
"Yeah, Liam's heart has been somewhere else for thirty years, and she still puts up with it? She's not ordinary."
My uncle Ryan couldn't take it anymore. He stormed over and hissed at them under his breath.
"Shut up! My brother just died!" he snapped.
The day after the funeral, Michael Quinn showed up.
He was there to read the will in front of everyone, right in the living room of the Brown Residence.
All the Brown relatives were there—My uncle Ryan, a few aunts, and their kids.
Some of the company's major shareholders had been invited too.
And of course, Cora was there.
She sat in the seat of honor on the sofa that used to belong only to Dad.
Her eyes were still red, and she looked worn out, but her back was perfectly straight, her posture unyielding.
Mom sat alone in a single armchair, far from everyone else, cradling a cup of coffee with steam gently rising from it.
I sat nervously beside her, my palms slick with sweat.
Michael cleared his throat and opened the file folder.
"Mr. Liam Brown entrusted me to read out his final will after he passed," he announced.
The living room was dead silent.
All eyes were fixed on the papers Michael held.
"All of Mr. Brown's real estate—including this house and three commercial properties—will go to his only daughter, Avery Brown."
I was stunned. I never expected Dad to leave all that to me.
The relatives started whispering among themselves.
Michael continued, "Mr. Brown's personal savings and securities, totaling about eight million dollars, will all go to his wife, Jane."
One of the aunts curled her lip and sneered, "What is this, charity for a beggar?"
Everyone knew that compared to the shares in the Brown Group, that money was just a drop in the bucket.
Now came the main event.
Michael's expression grew serious.
"Regarding the Brown Group's share distribution: Mr. Brown held 85% of the company's stock. Five percent will be allocated to the employee stock incentive pool," he announced.
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the room.
"The remaining 80% will all go to..." he paused, letting the suspense hang in the air.
Everyone held their breath.
Cora's nails were digging so hard into the armrest of the sofa, it looked like they might break right through.
"It will all be left to Ms. Cora Perez," Michael finally announced.
Boom!
The living room erupted like a bomb had just gone off.
My uncle Ryan shot to his feet, pointing angrily at Michael.
"No way! Absolutely not! How could my brother leave the company to an outsider?" he yelled.
"Yeah! Who the hell does she think she is?" one of my aunts shrieked.
"This will is fake! We refuse to recognize it!"
The relatives went wild—chaos broke out, and the scene nearly spiraled out of control.
Cora's tears streamed down her face again. She clutched her chest, looking like her world had just ended.
"Everyone, I know this is hard to accept. But this was Liam's last wish. He was afraid I'd be left all alone, so he made this arrangement. I don't know anything about running a company. I just want to keep the memories he left me..."
She put on such a pitiful act, but honestly, it just made me feel disgusted.
All attention shifted to Mom.
Everyone was holding their breath, waiting for her to strike back with everything she had.
If Mom just spoke up, the whole Brown family would back her up and take Cora on, no matter what.
But she simply sipped her coffee.
Then she nodded lightly.
"I know," she said, calm as ever.
The whole living room went dead silent.
Everyone stared at her like she was crazy.
My uncle Ryan came right up to her, his voice low, practically begging.
"Jane! Are you out of your mind? This is Liam's life's work! How can you just let someone else take it without a fight?" he pleaded.
Mom just looked at him, calm as ever.
"Ryan, it was his. He can do whatever he wants with it.
"We don't get a say in this."
With that, she stood up, set her cup down, and started to head upstairs.
I grabbed her arm, my voice trembling.
"Mom! Why? Why are you accepting this?"
Mom turned to look at me, and for the first time, there was something in her eyes I couldn't quite place—something like pity.
She patted my hand.
"Avery, don't be hasty.
"Let the dust settle."