Chapter 3 C3

DEREK GIBSON'S MANSION

"POP!" Derek's eyes snapped open as he was jolted awake by the loud, sharp sound of the party popper.

He slowly sat up with a start, disoriented, as the faint hissing noise gave way to a flurry of colorful confetti that rained down all over his body.

"Happy Birthday, Dee!!!" Sam exclaimed excitedly, but instead of getting excited, Derek hissed and laid back in bed, pulling the duvet over his head.

"Come on, Man. It's your birthday." Sam tried to cheer him up.

"It's just a normal day. A day like every other day. Nothing special. And there's nothing worth celebrating." Derek replied from underneath the duvet.

"Come on, Derek. It's your birthday. You're a year older, and I think that's worth celebrating, if you ask me." Sam pressed on.

Derek pulled the duvet off his face. "Well, no one is asking you, Sam. I just want to be alone." He said sharply.

Sam refused to back down. "No, I won't let that happen. I know what you're trying to do, but I won't let you do it."

"Ever since that incident, you've developed a strong hatred for any kind of celebration. You've refused to celebrate your birthday and even if you're invited to any other celebration, you turn it down immediately or ask me to attend on your behalf. You can't continue like this, man..."

"And who says I can't?!" Derek snapped at Sam, who closed his eyes and shook his head slowly.

"Tell me, what's there to celebrate when all this day reminds me of, is pain? Nothing but pain."

"Please, I don't want to get angry this morning. I'm already in a bad mood. Don't make it any worse than it already is." He added, and once again, pulled the duvet over his face.

Sam sighed. He understood Derek's pain, but at the same time he wanted him to cheer up, without having to push him too hard.

"I understand, but-"

"There are no 'buts', Sam." Derek cut him off. "Please leave me for now. I don't want to see anyone, including you, unless it's urgent."

"What if it's about work? About the company?" Sam inquired.

Derek pulled off the duvet once again, and shot him a deadly stare.

"I'm sure I didn't speak French. If it's not urgent, I don't want to hear it." He reiterated and Sam nodded.

"Alright, no problem. I'll leave now..." He was still speaking when his phone buzzed.

"Sir, someone is here to see Mr Derek." The caller said to Sam as soon as he picked the call.

Sam's eyes fell on Derek, who looked uninterested in what the caller was saying. He couldn't tell Derek that someone wanted to see him because he knew that the person chose the wrong day to visit, and Derek would not even grant such a person an audience.

"Alright, I'll be down shortly." Sam replied and ended the call.

He bowed and left the room, heading downstairs.

"Oh wow. Good morning, Lawyer Clark." He greeted him, extending his hand to him.

"Good morning, Mr Sam. It's been a while." Lawyer Clark replied, taking Sam's hand in a firm handshake.

"I agree. I hope you've been well?" Sam asked, with a slight smile.

"Yes, I have. Thank you for asking."

"You can have your seat, please." Sam offered, and the lawyer took his seat. "I must say, I'm really surprised to see you. What brings you here?"

"Actually, I'm here to see Mr Derek." He replied, and Sam sighed.

He continued, "I know today is his birthday and he probably doesn't want to see anyone, but this is very urgent."

Hearing him say that what he had to say was very urgent, Sam straightened up in his seat.

"Urgent? What is it about?" He inquired, curiously.

"It's about his father's last will." Lawyer Clark stated.

Sam frowned, "What do you mean? Wasn't it the same will which was read after he passed away?"

"Well, the first part of it was read after Mr Gibson passed away, but the other part wasn't read." The lawyer disclosed, and Sam was completely stunned.

"What!" Sam exclaimed. "But why?"

"Mr Gibson ordered me not to read it until Mr Derek's 26th birthday." The lawyer revealed, and Sam just stared at him, not knowing how to react.

Sam sighed once again, and said, "I'll be right back."

He then headed back to Derek's room. As soon as he opened the door and stepped in, Derek grunted.

"I thought I said I didn't want to be disturbed. Why are you here?" Derek complained angrily.

"I'm sorry, but there's someone here to see you." Sam replied, walking towards him.

"I thought I made it clear that if it wasn't ur-"

"It's urgent. It's your Father's Lawyer." Sam quickly interrupted him. He then explained what the lawyer told him.

Hearing this, Derek sat up. "Let him in." He instructed Sam, who immediately left to get the lawyer.

Shortly after, Sam came back in with Lawyer Clark.

"Good morning, Mr Derek." He greeted him. "Happy Birth-"

"Don't! Please don't!" Derek swiftly cut him off before he could wish him a Happy Birthday.

"What is going on?" Derek asked him.

"Just like I told Mr Sam, your father instructed that the second half of his will should be read on your 26th birthday." Lawyer Clark began to explain, but Derek frowned.

"Sam told me. What exactly is in this will and why does it have to be read today?" Derek asked impatiently.

"Here it is. It is a handwritten will. The last wish of your father." He handed a file over to Derek, who immediately began to read its contents.

As he read it, his eyes kept widening in disbelief.

"You've gotta be kidding me. What the hell is this?" He yelled as soon as he was done.

"What does he mean by he made an arrangement for me to marry someone? Without my consent? Really? That's preposterous!"

"If you think I'll do this, you must be joking. I don't even plan to ever get married. What nonsense is this?" He hissed angrily, and flung the file away.

Sam immediately picked it up and handed it back to the lawyer, who wasn't quite done with his assignment.

"Your father further instructed that if you refuse to do as he has instructed you in this handwritten will, every single thing he owns, including the ones you're in charge of at the moment, will be handed over to your uncle, Mr Damon Gibson." The lawyer explained further.

"What!!!" Sam and Derek exclaimed in unison, unable to believe their ears.

They knew that Derek's uncle would be more than happy to get everything. He was a selfish, and covetous man, who had always wanted to have the lion's share of all that his brother had even before his demise.

"That can't be possible!" Sam said, still in shock. "It can't happen, right?"

"It actually can. It's all written and signed by Mr Gibson already." The lawyer confirmed.

"The only headway is for you to do as your father has instructed, Mr Derek."

Derek immediately began to think of a way out, and suddenly he remembered something.

"I don't think father can win on this one, because who in their right senses would even agree to marry someone like me?" He laughed scornfully, knowing how impossible it was for anyone to want to marry him.

"Father must have been a comedian in his previous life." He added, still laughing, thinking he was at an advantage.

He was still laughing when the lawyer dropped the bombshell,

"Actually, the lady in question has accepted to marry you."