The Chosen Heir

“Thank you all for coming today and more years to be celebrated, I suppose?” there was a pause and the crowd was as quiet as the night. “Because I won’t be writing my will anytime soon” Patricia laughed and the crowd joined in, her sarcasm never seemed to fade away. She stared at the crowd gathered for her seventy-five years birthday as they sang and tossed to her. While some were happy, others were putting on an act and she knew this. She knew some of her very own were eager for her to kick the bucket and hear her last Will. Her body was still strong despite her age, she wasn’t giving up anytime soon, at least not until she found a befitting heir and they hated her for this. She needed someone to carry on her company, and it was not an easy choice knowing she had children of her own. Patricia had four children, two daughters, and two sons, but she lost a son over twenty years ago, her favorite child whom she loved like no other. Her only son, Jacob had no plans to be like a shadow around her, he was going to inherit all of their family’s assets he thought, and since he was the only son she had left, he was rest assured. He had a son of his own, Steve, who barely spoke in any gathering, almost as if he was invincible. Martha and Kate were Patricia’s daughters and the youngest was Kate, she was single, yet to be married and ambitious. She was a bone in Jacob’s neck. On the other hand, Martha got married to a man, whom her late dad found unfit to be a part of his family, a loser without wealth who abandoned her with two sons, Adam and Alex. There was nothing impressive about her children, and had her eyes set on her grandchildren instead. Kate would have made a great cut, but she is as greedy as her brother Jacob. Jacob never saw his sisters as a threat to being the next CEO of their company which has been passed on through their forefathers and is now the biggest company in the country. Even though it was only practical that he becomes the next CEO as soon as his mother stepped down, he put in no effort to make himself worthy. This put doubts in her mind. How can she put a greedy child to rule what her family has worked so hard to achieve all these years and expect it to do well? “Why do you make such jokes, mother?” Kate said with an extended hand as she approached her mother, to help her down the stairs. Patricia chuckled and took a sip out of her glass of champagne. “Perhaps a joke, perhaps not” Patricia responded, proceeding to greet her guests. She was about to be lectured by her daughter, Who should be mingling with bachelors around her age. Even though Patricia was indecisive about who her heir should be, Kate had a higher chance because she was closest to her mother after the passing of their father. She could be tolerating her mother for the sake of gaining favor, but Patricia wanted her to find love more than anything. She felt Kate lived her life trying too hard to be perfect, and be considered more than Jacob. That only caused a rift between these two. “Still thinking you could gain favor by being a shadow?” a whisper came from behind Kate’s ears where she stood still, watching her mother amid the guests. His voice was etched with provocation but she remained calm, refusing to allow his words to spite her. She sipped from her cup, and with a calm voice, she replied, “The shadow is always closer, and I rather be there than be a wanderer, lost in the darkness of entitlement” A deep sigh escaped his lips, brushing her cheeks as he heard her defiant words, a short silent laughter followed right after, filled with mockery and spite. With his hands resting on her shoulders, he leaned in closer to have the last say, “You will never be me and you will never be the CEO” he sneered, giggling while he walked away from the unshaken and stubborn sister he had. They never met eye to eye, and it has been that way for years. The guests proceeded to Patricia, taking turns to present their gifts. She appeared excited and had a lot coming her way from her prestige guests. A young man came next to Kate, tall and handsome. With a hoarse voice, he asked, ”What is your name?” he cuts a glance at her sudden reaction which leads him with a soft smile. His voice had startled her, and she didn’t take it well. “Everyone knows my name” she replied, coldly. “That is a surprise, I wish I did then I wouldn’t have asked” he replied. Kate is taken aback, finding it offensive that he doesn’t know her “The only surprise here is me, standing next to an uninvited guest,” She said with a cold and agitated tone. The moment arrives and a voice cuts through the crowd from the speakers, getting their attention “Now is the time for the children, of our beloved Madam Patricia, to come forward and present their gifts” the host announced, and the crowd gave applause as they anticipated her children’s presence on stage. With a confident and arrogant stride, Kate gave the man beside her a gawk and proceeded forward, sending a message to him that she was someone he should have recognized. Patricia’s children and grandchildren surrounded her with their beautiful looks that mused everyone and had eyes staring at them with admiration. A family whose wealth ran deep and thick on its soil. Gifts came in turns from her grandchildren first before she settled in to receive from her children. She asked her daughter, Kate, to present her gift first. Kate felt honored to be called first. With a smile, she confidently walks up to her mother, and as she passes by her brother, she intentionally brushes Jacob’s shoulders hoping to provoke a reaction. She was ignorant to let her guard down, little did she know he was more excited that she was called first, a man who always found reasons to taunt her could never let her have it so easily in pleasing their mother. She made a gesture with her hand, which signals a group that proceeded to the stage with a nicely wrapped box, it was so huge that it made everyone wonder what could be in it. She insisted that her mother open her gift right there. The smile and excitement on her mother’s face, pleased her as she gave glances to her brother in the subtle moment of sibling rivalry. “Open it mom, I also can’t wait to see what Kate has gotten for you,” Jacob said with a sly grin in the moment of picking on each other, adding a touch of tension at the last minute. This made Kate shaken, but she tried to be composed as the scissors in her mother’s hand began to cut and unwrap the gift. Her eyes darted between her mother’s actions and Jacob’s sneaky looks. Something was wrong and she could tell by his unbothered looks. The Jacob she knew could never hold up a smile in such a moment, he always appeared irritated whenever she was there. He was definitely up to no Good. That smile was more than wicked like he was barely containing the elation over the chaos he was about to unleash. The wraps were off and with anticipation in the air, Patricia lifted the lid of the box carefully. Suddenly, there is a burst of colors in the air. A flurry of flowers burst out from the box like a garden, floating in the air. A beautiful scene in the sight of all except Kate. These were not her doing, she flinched her head back in shock and her eyes widened. She realized they were the exact flowers her mom was allergic to. Her lips parted and out of the shocking surprise, she relentlessly tried to take down the floating petals in a failed attempt. “No, No, No” She repeated in a loud cry. Patricia’s smile faded, as she drops to the ground unconsciously. The room quickly fills with a mix of surprise and concern as her mom passes out. It is a shocking and unexpected turn of events that leaves everyone in disbelief. Many had eyes that passed judgment she couldn’t bear. She tried to kill her mother.