The Heir's Masquerade

Chpater 4: Funeral and Inheritance

As soon the driver opened the door Jackson saw flashes which made him shield his eyes. He got out of the car hearing mummers and seeing tons of people to the side. This wasn’t a red carpet show it was a funeral but it certainly didn’t feel like it.

To his back he saw rows and rows of limos parked, to his side he saw paparazzi, reporters, newsmen, and regular civilians trying to look at the event. None of them could enter the church since it was a ‘private ’event. “It’s Blake Starkwood I thought he was dead”, “Seems he’s alive and well what’s he been doing these past few months”.

Adrian came to Jackson’s Side stopping any reporters or cameramen from getting close. “This is a troubling time for Mr Starkwood so please just let him through he doesn’t need all this”, Adrian said to the reporters.

 Adrian led Jackson to the church while shielding him from many cameraman as he possibly could. When they both entered the church there was murmuring heard, men with black luxurious suits and women dressed in black they were conversing with one another but as soon as they so Jackson and Adrian stepped in they all stopped. The silence was deafening.

“What’s the problem did I do something wrong?”, Jackson asked. “No like one of those paparazzi outside said most here thought you dead and that the company was just keeping it under wraps not to lose any assets so this is quite a shock for most of them here”, Adrian answered.

“Oh Alright”, Jackson replied. They weren’t wrong the person standing before them wasn’t Blake Starkwood but was an impostor, who would ever guess that he was a nobody wearing the face of a dead man? Jackson and Adrian went to look for seats but were immediately approached by a man in his forties.

 “Mr Starkwood It’s such a relief seeing you here alive and well”, he extended his hand going for a handshake. Jackson was conflicted and what to do. Was this someone Blake knew? In the end, he gave in and shook the man’s hand. “Thank you and thank you for coming”, Jackson said.

“My name is Toby Cameron I was working with a mutually beneficial deal that would gain us millions  I’d like to discuss it with you after the funereal”, The main said giving a fake smile

“Really, right here right now? Talk about being desperate”, Jackson said. “I’ll think about it”. Jackson left the man not saying anything more. Others came most offering condolences, others just wanted to talk business with him wherever he went somebody wanted something from him.

It was an odd feeling to Jackson he didn’t know Whether he hated it or liked it, as an orphan and then as a servant for the Starkwood no one paid him a second glance he had nothing to offer them so why would they but now as the sole heir to one of the greatest companies in the world everyone wanted a piece of him.

There were rows of seats in the church one was reserved for the company workers some did seem indeed saddened about the Starkwoods' death. Jackson came to them and thanked them all for coming as he and Adrian planned. He shook hands with as many of them as he could but Jackson suspected this was just them being polite as he had heard, the company workers who had met Blake didn’t enjoy his company the same as the servants didn’t just in the mansion.

“Bro so good to see you’re not dead”,  a voice said.  Jackson looked to where the voice had come from and found a well-built man with dark hair and green eyes smiling at him. Jackson recognized him It was Brian Weston one of Blake’s friends, his father’s automobile company had merged with Starwood's due to the threat of bankruptcy leaving him and his family with a lot less of money than they originally had. He had spent a lot of time with Blake and tormented him every single time to met, If Jackson's mood hadn’t soured before it was now.

“The others are at the back, It was a surprise seeing you here come on let’s go meet up with them”, Brian said. Jackson stood there for a moment clenching his fist, trying so hard not to let the anger in his face show, and walked off.  “What where are you .. ”, Jackson was trying to say. “Piss off!”, Jackson said not turning his back.

Maybe that was a mistake certain to bring up suspicion, but Jackson didn’t care he had a chance to tell him off and he took it. He thought he could endure a few hours of their presence but he was wrong, he didn’t want anything to do with Blake’s friends even If it meant getting his secret exposed.

Jackson sat near the front of the rows of seats beside him was Adrian there was a space reserved for the board members. None spoke to him and simply waited for the ceremony to commence. When it did begin there were different people who came up a pedestal to talk about the Starkwood couple all were inspiring, loving, and heartwarming.

None of the speeches sounded like the Starkwoods he knew, to Jackson they were spoilt, rude, self-entitled snobs but that was just his perspective of them as a servant. Perhaps they had more sides to them than he was shown or maybe they were all full of crap and were just saying nice things to warm up to him, he would never know.

It finally came his turn to speak of the Starkwoods. He looked at Adrian who gave him a nod and walked up to the pedestal. He brought out a small note and began to read from it. “My parents were taken from me in an unfortunate accident.

When I woke up from the hospital and heard the news I was devastated the only family I had was gone. Then I remembered something my father always used to say that the Starkwood automobile company was family. I regret not taking much of a part in It in my previous years but with my parents no longer with us I intend to change that.  After laying my parents to rest today I will continue my parents’ dream, of leading the company to a bright future. I look forward to working with all you company workers who could make it, thank you from the bottom of my heart ”, Jackson said.

“Wow, I am a pretty good actor”, Jackson thought as he descended down from the pedestal and to his seat. “You did a marvelous job”, Adrian said with a smile. There were murmurs after the speech.  After the service, they all left for the cemetery to put the Starkwood couple in the ground.

As the machine was putting the two coffins containing the Starkwood couple, Jackson had a thought. “Adrian what did we do with my servant’s body … Jackson?”, Jackson asked. “We cremated it, he didn’t have any friends or family so I believed there was no need for a funeral”, Adrian replied. An ache was felt in Jackson’s chest he didn’t feel sad throughout the entire funeral but now he did. But he brushed it off he was no longer Jackson he took it as a type of symbol, destroying his old self so he could become something else, something more.

 He didn’t completely believe that, but thinking that way helped with the pain. Besides that wasn’t really him that was cremated, the corpse that was cremated was likely the real Blake Starkwood.

The coffins were laid deep in the ground and some undertakers started to close the grave with dirt. People started leaving,  Jackson wanted to as well but Adrian grabbed him by the shoulder. “Don’t be in such a rush, you need to be the last to leave so they can believe you’re still mourning them”, Adrian said. Adrian was right it was annoying but he was right, he stayed with Adrian waiting for the undertakers to be done covering up the buried ground which took about two hours.

After that, they went back to the mansion. “You did well young master truly well now let’s talk about what's next”, Adrian said. “What do you mean?”, Jackson asked. “Well now we have to plan for the next few days, it might be proper for them to assume that you’d be mourning your parents so you wouldn’t visit the company in a few weeks or months but I suggest he go to the company in a few days and assume your position as CEO”, Adrian said.

This was moving a bit too fast for Jackson but he agreed. He went to his room laid on the massive yet very comfortable bed and tried going to sleep. “CEO of  a multi billion dollar company having all the power and money in the world. That’s a nice thought”, Jackson said with a huge grin on his and finally went to sleep, he couldn’t wait for tomorrow to come.