My darling Allyssa

William

*WILLIAM*

"And then she said, 'I want more than what you're giving me, Harry,'" Noah Harrison Scott, one of my closest and yet most exasperating companions, mimicked in a grating, high-pitched tone.

Christian looked up from the chessboard, his gaze shifting from the game to Noah, who sprawled across the couch in front of us. With a glass of whiskey in hand, he absentmindedly toyed with a stress ball, a whimsical dance above him.

I seized the chance to capitalize on his distraction. "Checkmate. I must say, Noah, Knight consistently besting you over these years is growing rather monotonous, wouldn't you agree?" I quipped, reaching for my whiskey tumbler. A grin played upon my lips as he scowled.

"Don't get too cocky, Will. I'm still the reigning monarch on the football field," he retorted, a clear attempt to salvage his pride. Granted, he did excel in football, or as Americans call it, soccer. The audacity.

"Does anyone care about my presence besides Christian?" Noah's voice drew my attention, finally extracting Alex from his phone, which had held him captive for over two hours. We lounged in Alessio's office, awaiting him to commence our weekly business discussions.

"I certainly don't," Alex sighed, glancing up at Noah with evident weariness, finally breaking his phone trance. We had become practically invisible to him amid his digital world.

"Speaking of Alessio, where is he? It's unlike him to be tardy, considering William is usually the one to blame for meeting delays," Christian remarked, casting a glance at his Hublot watch. I chose to ignore his comment, allowing it to wither into the ether.

"Precisely my point. I have to be in D.C. by morning. Managing multibillion-dollar companies beckons," Noah asserted, taking the seat next to Alex across from Christian and me. He drained his whiskey, his expression etched with impatience.

"We're all in the same boat, Noah," Alex responded, swiping playfully at Noah's meticulously styled hair, causing it to flare. Noah nearly choked on his drink, taken by surprise.

"And if memory serves, you, Noah, lack an actual occupation. Remember, your repertoire includes attending board meetings, occasionally embracing inebriation, and playing stand-in for your absent father. Oh, and let's not forget your remarkable skill at evading legal entanglements," I mused, my words causing Christian and Alex to exchange amused smirks.

I relished in ruffling Noah's perfectly polished feathers. It was a minuscule source of amusement amidst my otherwise dismal existence, a tiny fragment of happiness.

"Foul play, Henderson," Noah retorted, his eyes narrowing as he focused on me. "You don't see me mocking your numerous predicaments. Besides, I'm not the one who must prove passion to my DECEASED father's lawyer, all for a chance at reclaiming my inheritance. Plus," he added, his smirk growing, "being the family's prodigious disappointment is a full-time role, though the perks are scarce. Still, it's an admirable job. I'd take it over yours any day."

"And pray, how fares your own quest?" Kishimoto interjected, his gaze zeroing in on me. "Given the stakes of your uncle's manoeuvring for the inheritance, I'm inclined to believe he's prodding you. Had I £186 billion at risk, I wouldn't be seated here. You possess a singular task left, one you've evaded for years. You're approaching thirty-six in just three months, Will. Marrying for love can't be such a daunting ordeal."

I diverted my gaze from Kishimoto to the chessboard, a battleground of kings and knights. If only affairs of the heart were as clear-cut as a strategic move in a game.

The events of eleven years ago remained etched in my mind. My parents' untimely demise bequeathed to me an inheritance of £186 billion, accompanied by £300 million worth of real estate. Yet, the legacy came with strings attached, encapsulated in four seemingly simple yet profoundly challenging tasks, scripted for me to complete.