Mark unrolled the thick parchment paper, his eyes scanning the sharp, familiar cursive handwriting of his late father.
Mark: This is Dad's handwriting. He dated this document just three weeks ago.
Uncle Richard: What does it say, Mark? Read it out loud!
Mark: "To my eldest son, Mark. If you are reading this, I am gone, and Evelyn has likely tried to erase my youngest son, Leo, from existence."
The crowd went dead silent. Several aunties pulled out tissues, dabbing their eyes in shock.
Mark: "Evelyn discovered my second marriage to Sarah three years ago. She threatened to destroy the family business and take everything through lawsuits if I revealed Leo to the public."
Aunt Clara: Oh, that horrible woman! She blackmailing him while he was dying!
Mark: "I stayed silent to protect Leo and Sarah from her cruelty. But I have left fifty percent of my total estate, including the trust fund, the Chicago workshop, and the family house, directly to Leo Vance."
Uncle Richard: Fifty percent?! That estate is worth over twelve million dollars!
Mark: "I appoint Mark as Leo's legal guardian and executor of this trust until Leo turns twenty-one."
Leo looked up at Mark with big, innocent brown eyes, holding onto Mark's hand tightly.
Leo: Does that mean I don't have to go back to the shelter?
Mark's breath caught in his throat. He wrapped his arms around the boy and pulled him into a warm hug.
Mark: You were at a shelter, Leo?
Leo: The lady in black came to my house yesterday with two big men. She told me to leave or she would lock me in a cage.
Mark: She threw a seven-year-old child out on the street right after my father died?!
Leo: A nice man at the shelter gave me a bus ticket to come here today.
Mark stood up, his jaw set firm, his eyes blazing with fury as he looked around at his relatives.
Mark: Uncle Richard, take care of Leo here by the altar for five minutes.
Uncle Richard: Mark, where are you going?
Mark: I'm going to find Evelyn before she reaches the bank.
Mark turned around and strode down the long marble aisle toward the exit doors of the funeral home.
He pushed the heavy glass doors open and stepped out into the bright sunlight of the parking lot.
Evelyn was standing next to her luxury black sedan, furiously typing on her phone with one hand while holding an ice pack to her red cheek with the other.
Mark: EVELYN!
Evelyn jumped, dropping her phone onto the pavement as Mark marched toward her.
Evelyn: Stay away from me, Mark! I'm calling my lawyer! I'm suing you for assault!
Mark: Go ahead and call him! Call the police while you're at it!
Evelyn: You hit me in front of fifty people! You're going to prison!
Mark: And you threw a seven-year-old child onto the streets and stole his inheritance! Let's see who the judge puts in handcuffs first!