« Seems fair. »
Mr. Wallace slowly closed the folder.
« I’m afraid that’s not what your father wrote. »
The room became completely still.
Jennifer frowned.
« What do you mean? »
The lawyer unfolded another document.
« This is the operative section of the will. »
His voice became more formal.
> « I leave my entire estate, in equal shares, to my children, Jennifer and Henry… »
Henry smiled.
« There we go. »
« …provided they fulfill the condition described below. »
Henry’s smile disappeared.
« The condition? »
Mr. Wallace nodded.
« If either beneficiary refuses or fails to complete it, the inheritance passes in its entirety to the State Heritage Trust. »
Jennifer blinked.
« I’m sorry… »
She looked between the lawyer and her brother.
« Did you say… all of it? »
« Every dollar. »
« The house too? »
« Yes. »
« The land? »
« Yes. »
« The savings? »
« Everything. »
Henry laughed.
« This has to be some kind of joke. »
« It isn’t. »
« My father wouldn’t throw away forty years of work. »
« He wouldn’t. »
« So what’s the condition? »
Mr. Wallace reached into another envelope.
« This letter was sealed by your father six years ago. »
He placed it gently on the table.
Across the front, written in Colin’s unmistakable block handwriting, were seven words:
**Read this before you argue with each other.**
Jennifer felt her throat tighten.
Henry stared at the envelope.
For the first time all afternoon…
he wasn’t looking at his watch.
—
This sets up the mystery while keeping the story grounded and believable as fiction, rather than presenting it as a real event.
