Chapter 4: The Lawyer They Tried To Ignore
Samuel Reed entered the sitting room with a sealed black document case in one hand.
He was older than Emma expected, with silver hair and a face built for patience.
His coat was wet from the rain, but his voice was dry and steady.
“Mrs Whitfield,” he said to Diana.
Diana stood near the fireplace, smiling like a hostess facing a rude tradesman.
“Mr Reed, I believe there has been some confusion.”
Samuel looked at Emma first.
Not warmly.
Not dramatically.
Only with recognition.
That small look told Emma he knew exactly who she was.
Diana continued, “Our family solicitor has already handled the will.”
Samuel placed the document case on the coffee table.
“Then your family solicitor handled an outdated document.”
Gareth Vale went still in his chair.
Chloe laughed from the doorway. “Is this Emma’s new performance?”
Samuel did not look at her.
He removed a folder and placed a signed instruction letter on top.
“Thomas Whitfield retained my firm privately for estate revision and asset protection.”
Diana’s smile thinned. “Thomas told me everything.”
Samuel looked at her. “Clearly not.”
The sentence was soft, but it struck the room like dropped glass.
Chloe stepped forward. “You cannot just walk into our house and make claims.”
Samuel finally looked at her.
“I can when the deceased client instructed me to do exactly that.”
Emma stood beside the sofa, the watch hidden in her hand.
She had not realised how badly she needed someone else to speak the truth first.
Diana’s voice hardened. “I want you to leave.”
Samuel opened the black case and removed a sealed envelope.
“I cannot do that.”
He turned to Gareth.
“Nor should anyone proceed with the non-objection document you placed before Miss Whitfield.”
Gareth tried to smile. “It was only administrative.”
Samuel looked at the signed draft on the desk.
“It was coercive.”
Gareth stopped smiling.
Diana said, “You are upsetting my family in my home.”
Samuel turned one page.
“At present, Mrs Whitfield, that is also under review.”
Chloe’s mouth opened.
Diana’s eyes flashed with something close to panic.
Samuel continued before either of them could recover.
“All transfers, account changes, asset disposals, and estate-related signatures should stop immediately.”
Diana laughed once. “On whose authority?”
“Thomas Whitfield’s final will.”
The room froze.
Emma felt the watch grow warm in her palm.
Diana said, “The will was read yesterday.”
Samuel opened the sealed envelope and placed a certified notice on the table.
“The document read yesterday was revoked two years ago.”
For the first time since Thomas died, Diana looked truly afraid.
Emma did not smile.
She only stood straighter.
Samuel unlocked the document case.
Then he said, “If everyone is ready, I will read the real will now.”