“Yet, I don’t understand the reason why a healthy middle-aged man writes a testament and in addition, he stipulates three life insurance policies, for which he might have paid quite a sum. What was he afraid of? Did he feel threatened and considered a murder something feasible to happen? But then, why to also include his son? He would have been the direct heir,” he growled, biting his lower lip, hoping to find an answer to all those questions as soon as possible.
Silvia glanced at her clock and exhaled. “Those are indeed interesting questions, Detective Scala, but now we need to reach the room where my guests have arrived. Since Mrs. Martini has invited you, and you are investigating the case of Mr. Calvani’s murder, I believe you will find some of the answers in the reading of the testament.”
She stood up, gathering the folders on her desk, ready to reach the room designated for the meeting.
The air was already heated as they entered the room. The tension between Madlen and Giulia was tangible, and Luciano tried all his best to act as a cushion between the two, who might have forgotten their ladyship and start fighting like wrestlers in the arena.
“Ehem.” Silvia coughed gently to gather their attention, as she entered the room with Maurizio walking behind her. “Good afternoon, everybody. I would appreciate it if you could leave your arguments outside this office, so we can go forward with the reading.”
It wasn’t the first time that people who arrived to listen to the testament of a dear one, took the chance to take out old and new strife. It belonged to the process. After the mourning, they were ready to bury each other to get their hands on the inheritance. Regardless of whether it was for a pin or for a fortune, people always had to argue about who deserved and who didn’t.
Giulia glared at Madlen with pursed lips, before turning her eyes to the attorney, and Madlen grunted, placing her chair as far as possible from her.
With a smirk, Maurizio grabbed one of the chairs available and went to sit down between the two fighters, to avoid any further action that would have taken place, and the reading could start in a peaceful manner.
His position also had a strategic value, as the young Calvani, who sat on the other side was clearly observable from the point he was. Madlen’s and Luciano’s reactions and behavior were what he aimed to observe. Giulia was certainly bitter, but it was clear she didn’t have any reason or possibility to kill her ex-husband.
Silvia sat down at her desk and scanned, one after the other, the people in the room. “As you all know, I have invited you here this afternoon to read you the final wills of Mr. Claudio Calvani. Each of you has been mentioned in his testament, and I wish to have the chance to finish the reading without any interruption, and particularly to have this session proceed in the most civilized way.” She glanced at Giulia and Madlen, who were obviously the only two people present in the room who were ready to start a fight.
She took a short pause, and when she was sure she had their spirits calmed, with a slow movement, she opened the folder, where the testament was stored. Taking another visual tour of the heirs, Silvia began the reading:
I, Claudio Calvani, hereby declare that this is my last will and testament. I declare that I am of legal age to make this will and sound of mind and body. It expresses my wishes without undue influence or duress.
Although I have divorced my wife Giulia Martini, I recognize that without her help, the family business would have never reached the point where it is now. She has been working hard to keep our family intact. Despite the fact that our paths have taken on different directions, I feel obliged to recognize her the ownership of half of the family business.
The other half is to go to my son, and I hope he will take advantage of the experience Giulia can offer, as to have a solid base for his career and the one of future generations.
I possess a few real estate properties I have invested in, and they all will go to my son, Luciano. Certainly, we’ve had arguments in our life, but I hope he understood I never stopped loving him and never will.
Maurizio glanced at Luciano’s reaction, and he was sure he could spot a slight twitch of his mouth, like a sarcastic grin that was forced back. His expression didn’t transpire any sort of emotion, and he wondered whether this was something to be considered. Giulia, instead, looked surprised for being included in the testament. Her open-mouthed expression had rendered her speechless, which was completely fitting for the situation. Madlen was perhaps still waiting to understand why she was summoned there, as there hadn’t been left anything for her share. Yet, she remained silently waiting.
The attorney went on:
In my life, I have also considered the eventuality that my business could drop and be crushed by the competitors, and leaving a dead company wouldn’t have sounded anything a parent should have looked for. For this reason, I have stipulated three life insurances. They all have the same value of 20 million Euros. The first one goes to my mother, the second one goes to Luciano, and the third one goes to Madlen Fazekas, my girlfriend. I understand if I had her included in the testament, my son wouldn’t have accepted to share the firm with a stranger. Somehow, I sense some hostility toward Madlen, although, so far, they’ve never met. I believe it has to do with her being the reason for the divorce from Giulia.
