Be patient than powerful

"Is that all?" Ruby asked, her intuition whispering that there was more beneath the surface. Thompson appeared guilty, but he quickly regained his composure.

"What about his investments?" Ruby pressed.

"Yes, about that", Thompson replied, his tone serious. "They won't be going to any of you," Thompson clarified.

Confusion etched on everyone's face.

"What do you mean?" Granny asked.

"Mr. Elliott insisted that I do not disclose certain properties and shares in this will," Thompson explained trying to ease the tension.

Rose sat silently, trying to process his words.

"Why??!" Ruby shot back.

"He clearly states in his will that I will allocate the investments for donation," Thompson said, attempting to reassure them.

Ruby felt a sense of suspicion in his tone. "Donations?" she echoed.

"George, is that truly what Elliott wants?" Granny questioned.

"That's a lot," Ruby remarked. "Can go through that document?"

"Why would it be alot to you? It's my father's possessions, not yours. You don't dictate how it should be divided, especially when it's clearly outlined in his will," Rose retorted, her voice sharp.

Ruby shot daggers at Rose, her irritation palpable as she reached for the paper, casting a suspicious glare at Thompson.

"You should watch your tone when speaking to me," she warned Rose.

Ruby sensed that Thompson was hiding something, a flicker of unease in his expression. She scrutinized the document carefully.

"For goodness' sake, Dad entrusted Thompson, who's like family. What's the point of going through the papers?" Rose snapped, her voice laced with disdain.

"Yes, Ruby, it's Elliott's will. My son is a true philanthropist; that shouldn't surprise you," Granny chimed in, siding with Rose.

Ruby reluctantly handed the document back to Thompson, still feeling a nagging suspicion of what he might be withholding.

"You should know everything in the documents by now, since you were aware of the conditions and chose not to inform me," Rose said, frustration simmering beneath her words .

Thompson interjected, "No, I only told your mother about that. She hadn't looked through the will before now, but I made sure to explain the terms at the burial." He added, "But it's good that you'll soon be married."

Granny turned to Ruby, "But why keep such things from us?"

"There's no need to create a scene. Even if you are of age, you wouldn't be able to handle it," Ruby responded assertively to Rose.

Rose stood up, glaring at Ruby before storming out. "Why do you insist on being a rival in my life? Aren't you supposed to be my mother?". With that, she stormed out of the room.

Granny stood, reaching out to comfort Rose, who was fuming.

"Thompson, we'll continue this another time. Have a nice day," Ruby said, leaving the room. She had no choice but to make do with what Thompson had said.

"Granny, are you sure she's my mother?" Rose asked, tears welling in her eyes. She couldn't fathom why her mother would keep such vital information from her, it was overwhelming. Had she been hiding it until it was too late? Various thoughts raced through her mind.

Thompson observed the unfolding drama with a secret satisfaction that no one could decipher. Dorris, who was also present, noticed his unusual demeanor. Despite her age, she had a keen sense for spotting secrets, and his demeanour seemed unusual to her.

After instructing someone to bring Thompson, a glass of water, she watched him closely as he prepared to leave. In a calculated move, she bumped into him, causing his bag to fall and a few papers to scatter.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Thompson," she said, feigning innocence.

He hurriedly collected the papers, clearly anxious about their importance. "You're not at fault, Ma'am Dorris," he replied tersely.

"Neither are you, Mr. Thompson," she continued, her eyes narrowing. "I overheard you mention that our late master would be donating some of his properties."

Dorris caught the flicker of deception on his face as he struggled to respond. "Yes, yes, you know Elliott—he was always generous," he stated, his words clipped.

"Well, I'll have to get going now. Have a nice day," he added hastily before leaving.

***

In her room, Ruby reflected on a memory.

She stood at the mirror, carefully cleaning off her makeup while conversing with Elliott.

"If you're giving up everything for your daughter, make sure she has a spouse," she advised gently.

"Yes, I've thought the same. I want to see her and her spouse build a legacy together. But I also believe she can handle it herself, but I'd love for someone to support her when she's overwhelmed with the workload, someone who she would share her happiness and sadness with." His face beamed as he envisioned what he was saying, while his eyes stood still on his laptop.

Ruby gazed at him through the mirror, momentarily captivated by the hopeful future he envisioned for their daughter.

Taking a sip from her drink, tears filled Ruby's eyes as she gazed at his picture on the wall. "Elliot, I'm sorry for not giving you a child of your own. I regret lying to you. I watched you love a child so deeply, but I won't let her inherit your legacy. It feels wrong to see her take what belongs to you when she isn't your legitimate child, I've deceived you all this time."

***

"That was a relief. I'm glad to be out of Goldie's house. I promised to keep this secret, even if it costs my life. I will take this to my grave," he murmured to himself as he drove away, alerted by the changing traffic signal.

***

"Rose, you didn't tell me about any wedding plans. Is it meant to be a surprise?" Ruby inquired.

"About that…" Rose began, but Granny interrupted.

"Are you sure you didn't make that up?" Granny asked, anxious for a response.

"No," Rose quickly replied, sensing Granny's disapproval. "Yes, I made it up, but please don't tell Mum."

Granny listened patiently before sharing her thoughts. "I understand, Rose, but you shouldn't have said something like that. You need to inform Vince before making statements on behalf of both of you." Displeasure colored her tone.

"You could have been honest about your relationship status. Not sharing any details was an option."

Rose could see the disappointment on Granny's face. "But Granny, you know how Mum can be," she said, inching closer.

"That doesn't change anything. It's better to be patient than powerful," Granny replied, her head held high. "I guess you're a lot like your mother," she added before turning to leave.

Feeling guilty, Rose grabbed Granny's arm. "Granny, I'm sorry! Please don't turn your back on me. I'm your granddaughter," she pleaded, her voice innocent.

Tears began to well in her eyes.

Touched by her words, Granny turned back. Rose leaned into her as she quietly wept. Granny brushed her hair back gently, patting her shoulder. "I can't turn my back on you; you mean the world to me."

"What you need to do now is talk to Vince about this," Granny advised.

"Yes," Rose replied softly as her sobs began to subside.