The room fell silent. Derek’s transformation from “millionaire-in-waiting” to a man with five thousand dollars and no home was instantaneous. Theodore had also included a personal letter, read aloud by Vincent, praising Joanna’s integrity and tenacity while exposing the sons’ preoccupation with consumption. Theodore had deliberately tested Derek, observing how he treated Joanna when he thought wealth was assured, and Derek’s cruelty sealed his own disinheritance.
The aftermath became a lesson in social mobility and poetic justice. Derek’s attempt to contest the will failed spectacularly, as witness testimonies painted a vivid portrait of emotional abuse and financial parasitism. With no marketable skills and a ruined reputation, Derek was forced into a basement apartment—a stark contrast to the luxurious lifestyle he had envisioned. The woman he called “worthless” was now, in effect, his former landlord.
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