David Lin paused, letting the gravity of his words sink in. I was suddenly aware of the courthouse’s dull surroundings—the peeling paint, the fluorescent lights flickering overhead—as if the world was coming into sharp focus for the first time in ages.
“A condition?” I echoed, my voice barely a whisper, each word a lifeline pulling me away from the abyss I had been staring into moments before.
“Indeed,” David replied, his tone shifting to something more serious. “Mr. Whitmore’s will stipulates that to inherit the estate and the company, you must take an active role in the management of Whitmore Industries for at least one year. He was adamant that his legacy be continued by family.”
