Heir Of The Blackwood Legacy

Chapter 3

As Mark entered the study, the stranger stood up, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Mark, my brother, it's so good to finally meet you!" he exclaimed, opening his arms for a warm embrace.

Mark was taken aback, unsure of how to react. "Brother?" he repeated, his mind racing with questions.

He thought his whole family was all dead. Who knew he had a brother?

Truly the resemblance between them was not that much, but the truth was Mark had a younger brother he did not know of. It turned out they were separated along the way.

The young man chuckled. "Yes, I’m your younger brother! We were separated at birth, and I've been searching for you for years."

Butler Thompson stepped forward, a gentle smile on his face. "Allow me to introduce myself, young masters. I am Butler Thompson, the loyal butler of the esteemed Blackwood family."

Mark's eyes widened as he processed the information. "Blackwood family? But that's...that's a legendary family! One of the most powerful and respected families in the country."

Butler Thompson nodded solemnly. "Indeed, it was. The Blackwood family was known for their wealth, influence, and philanthropy. But alas, they were betrayed, and the family was destroyed overnight. Your father, the patriarch, was murdered, and the family's assets were stolen. You, Master Mark, were just a child at the time, and you were separated from your brother to protect you."

Mark's younger brother, who introduced himself as Alexander, took over the explanation. "I was younger, and when Butler Thompson here remembered me of our family's legacy. I fought my way back, reclaiming what was rightfully ours. And now, with your return, as my elder brother, we can finally restore the Blackwood family to its former glory."

Mark's mind reeled as he tried to process the revelation. He was a Blackwood, a member of a family he had idolized from afar. And he had a younger brother who had fought to reclaim their heritage.

It was all sounding crazy to him and he started to feel like he was dreaming. His gaze was shifting and he was trying to maintain his stance and not fall.

Butler Thompson's expression turned solemn as he continued the story. "Your foster parents, Mr and Mrs. Feathering, the ones who raised you, were once loyal followers of the Blackwood family. However, they saw an opportunity to advance their own interests when your family fell. They took you in, pretending to be benevolent, but in reality, they illegally seized the fortune that rightfully belonged to you."

Mark's eyes widened in shock. "So, they're not who they claimed to be? They're just manipulators who used me for their own gain?"

Butler Thompson nodded. "I'm afraid so, Master Mark. But what they don't realize is that they only got their hands on a small portion of the Blackwood family's wealth. The majority of the fortune has been safely kept hidden away, guarded by me all these years. And now, with your return, we can finally restore the Blackwood family's legacy to its former glory."

“Those people need to pay for what they have done to our family!”Alexander, Mark's younger brother, spoke up, his eyes gleaming with determination. "We will not let their betrayal go unpunished. We will reclaim what's rightfully ours, and we will make sure justice is served."

Mark felt a surge of anger and purpose all of a sudden. He was ready to take back what belonged to him and his family. He was ready to reclaim his birthright but his thoughts shifted to his wife, Felicia Feathering.

How was he going to tell her?

Butler Thompson's eyes pleaded with Mark. "Master Mark, as the last surviving heir of the Blackwood family, the first son, it's your duty to come back and claim your rightful place. Your family's legacy is at stake."

Mark shook his head, feeling a sense of responsibility but also a sense of detachment. "No, Butler Thompson, I can't do that. My younger brother, Alexander, is the one who should take the reins. He's the one who's been fighting to reclaim our family's honor."

“Don’t say that…”Alexander stepped forward, his eyes filled with a deep sadness. "Mark, I know you have a new life now, a wife and an unborn child to protect. But I'm afraid I don't have much time left to reclaim what is lost. I'm terminally ill with cancer, and I need to hand over the reins to you before it's too late."

“Cancer?” Mark's eyes widened in shock. "Alexander, I...I had no idea. I'm so sorry."

“It’s not your fault. Don’t have to be sorry.” Alexander's voice was weak but still firm. "I know this is a lot to ask, Mark, but I have no one else to turn to. You're the only one who can ensure the Blackwood family's legacy continues. Please, Mark, come back with me and take your rightful place as the head of the family."

Mark felt a heavy weight settle on his shoulders. He had thought he'd left his past behind, but now it seemed his destiny was calling him back.

“Your condition is dire…” Mark's eyes filled with concern. "Alexander, how long do you have left? How much time do I have to make a decision?"

Alexander's voice was weak, but his words were laced with urgency. "Not much time, Mark. Maybe a few days, maybe a week. The doctors say my cancer has progressed too far, and I don't have much longer to live."

Mark's mind raced with worries. He thought about Felicia Laura and their unborn child, and how this new development would affect the trust he was trying to build with her family, despite their betrayal. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.

"I need some time to think about this, Alexander. I can't just make a decision like this on the spot. It’s too quick, I never knew I did have a younger brother, good of all, being part of a powerful family."

Alexander's expression turned grave. "Mark, there's no time for all that. I'm sorry, but every minute counts. You have to make a decision now or risk losing everything our family has worked for. Which would you do?."

Mark felt a surge of pressure, his heart racing with the weight of the decision. He knew he had to make a choice, but he was torn between his loyalty to his younger brother and his new life with Felicia Feathering.

“Okay, I agree.” He decided.