Katelyn pressed the answer button, and the butler’s voice came through the phone.

“Miss Bailey, by now you should have seen the will His Lordship left. The funeral is set for tomorrow morning, and your attendance is required. His Lordship had some specific plans made beforehand.”

The butler’s statement only deepened Katelyn’s confusion.

She cautiously asked, “Is there an error in the will? Why is my name included?”

The butler responded, “There’s no error. On the day you met His Lordship for the first time, he updated his will. It was only after he saw the scars on the young master’s body that he decided to divide his estate.”

This meant that, had Austen not been in the picture, the entire Poulos legacy would have gone to Katelyn. But why?

Katelyn switched her phone to speaker mode so Jaxen and Vincent could listen in as well.

Typically, such an estate would be passed on to one’s offspring or close family members.

While Earl Poulos had no children, his family network was vast, filled with numerous distant relatives. It seemed implausible that any part of the inheritance would be directed towards Katelyn.

Katelyn voiced the lingering question.

Earl Poulos had always treated her with exceptional kindness, his eyes often filled with deep affection whenever he looked at her. Katelyn was perceptive, but she never understood the source of this warmth.

Could she have reminded him of someone from his past?

More ? ? g?ν

“Could you tell me why Earl Poulos left his inheritance to me?”

The butler simply shook his head. “It was His Lordship’s directive. I am unaware of his reasons. But, Miss Bailey, please make sure you are not late for the funeral tomorrow at nine.”

“Alright.” Katelyn ended the call, the weight of unresolved questions still pressing on her.

She looked over at Jaxen, who was giving her a puzzled look. He rubbed his chin and studied her carefully.

“You bear no resemblance to any of his family, so why would he leave everything to you?”

“There’s no resemblance to Earl Poulos,” Jaxen remarked. Their previous speculation about a family link between the two now seemed less likely.

“I have no relationship to Earl Poulos, and I’m still at a loss as to why he made this decision,” Katelyn said, her gaze settling on the hefty pile of documents.

The large bundle contained a detailed account of all the assets Earl Poulos had accumulated over his lifetime. This inheritance was meant to be Austen’s, and Katelyn had no desire to claim it.

“If it’s puzzling you, don’t let it keep you up. Try to get some rest,” Vincent suggested, his voice filled with concern.

Katelyn’s eyes were still red from the tears she had shed earlier. However, Vincent kept another worry to himself. With the will naming Katelyn, a relative outsider, as the beneficiary of such a substantial estate, it was bound to provoke significant unrest. He also feared that the funeral the next day might lead to unforeseen complications. They needed to brace themselves.

“Alright,” Katelyn nodded resolutely and retreated to her room, but how could she possibly sleep after such an intense turn of events?

She spent the night restless, catching only brief moments of sleep before dawn.

The funeral was set for nine o’clock in the morning. Katelyn dressed solemnly in black, with a white flower pinned to her chest. The butler had texted her the address earlier.

Upon their arrival by car, the entrance was packed with vehicles. A significant number of these belonged to reporters, eager to scoop the latest updates. This was because Earl Poulos’ attorney was scheduled to disclose the will’s contents at the funeral.

Katelyn and her group entered without causing much of a stir among the reporters, who were primarily focused on the butler.

The butler respectfully approached Katelyn. “Miss Bailey, this way, please.”

“Alright,” Katelyn responded, and they proceeded inside.

Earl Poulos lay in his coffin, surrounded by a throng of unfamiliar faces—presumably his relatives. They were paying their last respects, but Katelyn noted the lack of genuine grief on their faces. Some even smirked while pretending to cry.

None of them seemed to genuinely mourn Earl Poulos; their focus was on the potential fortunes to be claimed from his will. Spotting Katelyn, one of them sharply inquired, “Who are you?”

.

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