“Yes,” Alan said. “And I spoke with them personally.”
A tense silence fell over the room.
“And?” Alexander asked.
Alan hesitated, then delivered the blow cleanly.
“They are refusing to attend.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and unreal.
“What?” Zayn said sharply. “Refusing?”
Alan nodded. “They have made it very clear that they are not interested in attending the will reading, nor in having any involvement with Logan Specter or his legacy.”
Shock rippled through the family.
“That’s absurd,” someone muttered.
“They must understand what’s at stake,” another said.
Zayn felt heat rush through his chest.
“They can’t just refuse,” he said. “That’s not how this works.”
Alan remained calm. “Legally, they can. They are under no obligation to engage unless they wish to claim their inhe
