Chapter 288: Warning (3)
Luke stared at the gun placed on his table. He laughed shortly after at the failed attempt to scare him.
"I assume that for a man who makes guns, they are all over your estate where your children can play with them, but it is different here. I don’t like weapons being out in the open like this. You should put it back," Luke said, his gaze fixed on the gun.
Luke had his own gun on his own, but it was put away. It was unfortunate that Claire wouldn’t know where to find it when Luke so desperately needed it.
"This might work on others, but you’re not going to scare me in my own home," said Luke.
"I’m happy to change that. I won’t shoot you as long as you don’t do anything foolish. End your interest in the mines, both of you," said Edgar.
Claire walked further into the room and said, "I am blood-related to the Cromwells. I am owed plenty from the mines."
Edgar smiled, happy to be the bearer of bad news. "You have gotten all that is owed to you. Wilma Cromwell left all of her share to her beloved granddaughter Alessandra Collins. My wife has been so kind to support you by splitting her share, but that ends now."
"What?" Claire responded, turning to Luke for help. "We have always received money or jewels."
"You have, and that stops now. You are fortunate that I haven’t found ways to take it back, though it was a gift. Cutting you off is all that we shall do now. Hopefully, you were smart and made the most of it for your children’s future," Edgar said, though he knew that wasn’t the case.
"Wise with it? We were always to get money from the mines," Claire argued.
"There is no telling what you will find in the mines. Perhaps they have found all the jewels there, and there is nothing more to be sent. You shouldn’t live so carelessly when you have children. At least you have homes," said Edgar.
"Luke," Claire whined, wanting her brother to do something.
"Duke Collins, you are also not blood-related to the Cromwells; therefore, you cannot speak on the mines. If my dear sister-"
"She is not your sister," Edgar corrected Luke. "You don’t share the same parents."
"Her mother has raised me like her own, and by right, we are step-siblings. She is my sister. If Alessandra wants to change who is paid from the mines, then we should all go to court. I will not have you or her use your power to steal from my sisters," Luke said.
Luke’s words were met by laughter from Edgar.
"Go to the court. Your sister can even go now and demand that Alessandra no longer be in control, but it won’t change anything. See, if you were smart, you would have gotten close to Wilma when she was alive, so she would consider you," Edgar pointed out.
"When you’re greedy, you should try to be smart so you don’t end up as you are now," said Edgar.
"She didn’t leave much for us?" Claire asked, at a loss for words.
Claire never for one second thought that her grandmother would do such a thing. She didn’t know Wilma well, but still, what grandparent would do this?
So far, the mines offered more than one person needed, so all of it shouldn’t only go to Alessandra. It was unfair since Alessandra didn’t need the mines. Neither did Alessandra’s children.
"How can you speak poorly of my mother, yet you would allow my grandmother to not offer us anything? I have children to care for. Why is it that something is only wrong if Alessandra is made the victim?" Claire asked, tired of this.
They were all victims in their own way.
"I cannot control the actions of Wilma, but what she did will protect Alessandra from greedy people like you both. Rather than fight this, I urge you to find something good to do with your time," Edgar advised the pair.
Edgar had the money and time to waste entertaining Luke or Claire, but he couldn’t say the same for others.
"Do you think this is right, Edgar? To take from my sisters?" Luke asked, frustrated that his plans were already failing. "Has Melody said something to you? Is that why you are upset? You should have heard from everyone before you assumed the worst."
"I only trust Melody. Her words are good enough," Edgar replied.
Tyrion looked at the glass filled with wine. He also didn’t trust it, though Luke wouldn’t have the balls to poison a prince and duke.
"You shouldn’t take only her word," Claire argued.
"So," Edgar’s gaze shifted from Luke to Claire. "You are saying that Melody is a liar?"
"Well," Claire said, but didn’t finish. She knew it wouldn’t be right to claim Melody was a liar, though Melody was backstabbing them. "None of us wants to hurt Alessandra or your children. We just think it would be fairer if our mother dealt with sharing out what belongs to us."
"You’ll have to excuse her, Duke Collins. From my talk with her at the door, she has trouble hearing unless you stand near her. The duke has already told you that you are not owed more from the mines," Tyrion said loudly for Claire’s sake.
"The Cromwells aren’t fond of outsiders poking around at their mines. They won’t be too thrilled with you troubling Alessandra for what belongs to her-"
"My mother is a Cromwell by blood!" Claire yelled.
It was thanks to Melanie that Alessandra had something to claim. Why didn’t anyone realise this?
"Your mother cut ties with the Cromwells when she decided to leave everyone and marry your father. Had I not found your mother, you would have done well without the mines. You will survive if you are wise," Edgar said, but he started to doubt it.
Edgar stood up. "My wife is the only one who seeks to have a big family and welcomes you with open arms. If you were wise, you would have stayed on her good side. We are not close enough for you to claim you do business with me or for your husband to say he is my doctor. I shall spread the word."
"We have not done anything to be treated this way. We had a right to question what was being done about the mines. I must speak to Alessandra," Claire said, confident she could fix this.
"If you step on my land, a bullet will be coming toward your head," Edgar warned Claire.