Chapter 192
Jonathan’s POV
Conference Hall – Council Meeting
Ever since my identity surfaced on me being a River surviving member, I’ve spent most of my time here or in the office.
Today, again I returned for an emergency meeting.
Vance had come and already informed me Alex’s lawyer’s had submitted a formal challenge in front of the council challenging me inheriting the legacy.
He said the argument was simple.
Alex claimed I was raised as Jonathan Rollings.
I lived under the name Jonathan Rollings.
I built my career on that name as well.
His lawyers are debating, I cannot, out of the blues, use the River name, or have authority over their inheritance.
“So, he wants to attack my identity p>
As I sat beside Vance, Alex’s lawyers began to present documents.
“These are Mr. Rollings’ school, and college records,” one of them said.
“Please note, all are under Jonathan Rollings name p>
“Family records, business records p>
“Again to be noted, all Jonathan Rollings name p>
“As you can see, everything identifies him as Jonathan Rollings p>
“Mr. Rollings never publicly used or claimed to be a River p>
“He never used the River name as his identity p>
According to them, their implication was clear.
I smiled as I understood they wanted to show I purposely didn’t use the River identity, and now am claiming because of the inheritance.
The implication was crystal clear.
“Now, may I?” Vance said, looking straight at the council chair.
He nodded.
“Sir, Mr. Vale’s lawyers have misunderstood the most basic fact regarding Mr. Rollings using a surname p>
“My colleagues claim being raised a Rollings, weakens his claim as a River p>
“Mr. Rollings father was a Rollings p>
“Even if the River family had survived, even if his mother, the only child of the River family had survived, Mr. Rollings would have still carried on being a Rollings being his father, a Rollings, son p>
“Even then he would not be known as Jonathan River p>
“His identity as a Rollings is not fake p>
“And this does not mean he hid his identity as a River p>
“Mr. Rollings just didn’t know about his maternal family.
“Living under your father’s surname, does not mean you cannot inherit your mother’s inheritance, if she’s not alive to take her inheritance p>
“Therefore, being a Rollings does not prevent Mr. Rollings from inheriting the River inheritance p>
Alex’s lawyers began to raise their objections.
“The River inheritance always passed down from River to River for generations p>
“Mr. Rollings father was not a River, he was a Rollings p>
“Therefore, the question stands, can he inherit the River wealth p>
Tension was getting heavier by the second as I remained silent.
I let Vance speak as this was his domain.
“My colleagues are confusing the River surname from the River bloodline p>
“I have already provided legal proof, Mr. Rolling’s mother was the only child of River’s son, and the only grandchild of the senior River p>
“Mr. Rollings is the only child of Senior Mrs. Rollings, Ms. River before her marriage p>
“Mr. Rollings carries both River and Rollings bloodline p>
“DNA reports are provided as well p>
“From what Mr. Vance has provided, Mr. Rollings is the direct living descendant of the River family,” the council chair said.
“And now that it’s confirmed, his mother passed away p>
“He is the only surviving heir p>
“Maternal inheritance is not void, if the heir carries his father’s surname p>
“As for what my colleague said p>
“Regarding the inheritance going from generation to generation to River heir p>
“Such an incident never occurred, therefore, the inheritance is legal p>
“Mr. Rollings is a legal heir, and rightful heir to the inheritance p>
“Mr. Rollings’ mother never abandoned her family p>
“She just never claimed her identity to protect her son from a potential danger that she knew was looking for him p>
That’s when I realized the argument was not about me carrying the River bloodline.
It’s about Alex being able to convince them elsewise.
I saw Vance was looking directly at Alex’s lawyers as he said,
“She never surrendered her inheritance p>
Just then Daniel entered.
“He was called to confirm the Blue Heart history,” Vance leaned over to tell me.
I shook hands with him as he took the seat next to me.
He began without wasting another second.
He passed a file, and began.
“The purchase records and images from the shop, make it clear I purchased the Blue Heart gemstone from the said shop p>
“I’ve also attached the purchase receipt of the shop, he bought from p>
“My purchase is verified by the council p>
“After it came into my possession, I designed the necklace p>
“The draft is attached with the timeline p>
“After making the necklace, I presented it at the auction, Jonathan bought it at p>
“As the Blue Heart was originally his, he didn’t have to pay the full price p>
“But he still did p>
“And he gave it to his wife, Mrs. Veronica Rollings on their eighth anniversary p>
“And the Blue Heart was never purchased by Fredrick or Sanders p>
“I also want to state,” Veronica said.
“Mr. Alex Vale’s attempt to turn my husband’s River inheritance into a technical argument is baseless p>
“I’ve known Jonathan since college p>
“He has been an honest person all his life p>
“He built his name and built Rollings Designs from ground zero p>
“He doesn’t owe anyone any clarification as to why he didn’t know about his maternal family p>
“He doesn’t have to choose between Rollings and River p>
“As both are his family’s p>
“Being a Rollings p>
“Does not make him any less a River p>
“His grandparents were River p>
“His mother was a River p>
“He is her only son p>
“His father was a Rollings p>
“He is his only son p>
I finally exhaled and spoke.
“I will not choose one family over the other p>
“For me,” I continued.
“My maternal and paternal families are equally important p>
“I will not erase one for the other p>
“Rollings is my father, River is my mother p>
“I am Jonathan Rollings, the only child of my father, and the only son of the River family’s only daughter p>
Silence fell in the hall.
“One last document, it concerns Mr. Rolling’s mother,” Alex’s lawyer said, getting my attention.
“According to this police report, she never stepped up to claim she was the only survivor p>
“Does this not mean she abandoned the River name p>
“We just told you right now, she was protecting her son p>
“Even so, can you explain why she never inherited her wealth?” Alex spoke for the first time.
“She could have given him the best life p>
“Yet lived a poor life, and finally he ended up at the orphanage p>