Chapter 239
Jonathan’s POV
Rollings Designs – The next day
The next day I called the River representative to come over at the office.
I placed the completed list before him.
“I’ve personally checked every house that has assets in the vault, including the succession person’s legal details, and current ownership details p>
He picked the file and studied it closely.
Even though I did as my mother told me in the letter, I was still nervous.
The representative began with the first file.
He compared them to the original files the River family had of them.
“Some of the heir’s names have changed,” he said, eyes fixed to the paper.
“Some business have passed from generation to generation p>
“While some have gone to the daughter and changed the family name p>
“Some of the house documents are lost, but you managed to retrieve them p>
“You nicely reconstructed the missing pieces and made a legal connection p>
I exhaled as I felt relieved my work had paid off.
The representative nodded.
“The list is correct and legit p>
“Every house in your list holds a legit claim on the assets that belong to their house and currently is protected under the treaty p>
Odd as it may sound, I was expecting to get at least one bad review from the representative.
But there wasn’t any from him.
Looks like my mother’s instructions were exactly for this reason.
I was feeling respectful to the quiet words my mother left for me to follow.
“You verified them exactly the way a River should p>
“Your parents would have been proud of you p>
I exhaled.
“So I trailed off a bit.
“Now what p>
“I mean, the houses have been verified p>
“The claims of the houses are legit p>
“The vault is closed p>
“I won’t open unless necessary p>
I tilted my head as the representative looked at me for a few seconds.
Somehow I felt verifying the houses was not the hardest part I may have to do regarding the treaty.
“Jonathan,” the representative said.
“There’s no doubt you are the River and the Rollings heir p>
“But being the heir is not all the treaty needs p>
“The River treaty needs an admin p>
“Fact, as the River heir, you inherit the inheritance of the River family p>
“Fact, the River heir also inherits the admin responsibility of the River Treaty p>
“Means the heir has the responsibility to enforce the treaty at will, protect the vault, and keep the assets safe p>
I exhaled as I realized the treaty gives me a position, but the responsibility also demands my full care.
“So, at the present I am the River heir,” I said.
“But not the admin p>
“Yes..and no,” the representative said, smiling.
“As the River heir, you already are the admin p>
“Only there is a procedure that has to be followed p>
“First, you will have to make a declaration of your River lineage, as in formally acknowledging before the public you are the sole River surviving heir p>
“Second, you will have to take the administrator oath, and accept the duties that come as the River treaty admin p>
“Third and last p>
“You will be officially entered in the River lineage registry and only then will you be the legal River heir and the legal River treaty admin p>
The weight I felt was gone…was back on my shoulders as I realized the seriousness of the decision I had before me.
Something that was tangible and permanent once I took it.
“So, unless I do all this, I can’t open the vault p>
The representative nodded.
“And after I do…I can p>
The representative nodded.
“Yes, but p>
His but was too heavy for just a simple but.
“It’s not really a choice as your the only and last living River p>
“Until Janet or Joshua are big enough to take over the responsibility p>
“The River lineage register p>
“Yes,” the representative said.
“The River Lineage register is over at the council p>
“You will stand before it as the council head will enter your mother’s name next to your p>
“Your birth and family records will be attached as evidence forming the declaration p>
“Your wife, and kids will be added as family members of the River family p>
“Your children will be listed as next heirs p>
“Janet will be second and Joshua will be third p>
“Of course the decision to make the next River heir among your children will stand with you, when the time comes p>
“This will establish you as the legal River heir no house can object to p>
It felt odd listening that after this I will be legally a River heir considering the years my mother hid me to keep me safe.
I glanced at the declaration form before me.
I filled it without any hesitation.
Then came the Administrator’s oath form.
The one that would bind me to the treaty responsibilities.
I felt like I was signing an oath to fight in a battle.
Once I signed this oath, I would protect every house’s legal claim, preserve the treaty’s neutrality, keep their assets safe, and prevent any misuse of them as well.
I knew this was just a ceremonial deed.
It was a deed that would bind me to duty.
Once accepted, I can never turn my back to.
It also meant placing the River legacy alongside my own family’s responsibility.
“Once I take it, I can’t walk away from this…ever.” I said in my mind.
I saw the representative remove a seal.
“This is the River seal p>
“Once you are confirmed p>
“Wherever you need to sign as a River, you shall use this seal and sign Jonathan Rollings p>
“Once you sign the oath, your and your family’s name will be entered in the River Lineage register p>
A few signs away was all that was between me and their rights.
My eyes were fixed on the River seal.
I thought things through.
The Blue Heart can continue to stay in the Federal vault.
I can show the mother’s list to the houses to verify their assets are the same and safe.
Once I take over as the admin, the vault and treaty are safe in my hands.
I exhaled as I realized this way Veronica and the kids would also be safe.
After proving the assets are safe, I won’t have to open the vault p>
My family is safe.
“And if I refuse to accept the admin role p>
“The treaty remained void because we were waiting for the River heir p>
“If you as the heir do not accept the treaty admin role p>
“The treaty cannot remain with an admin p>
“After all it is safeguarding the assets of the other houses p>
“If so p>
He trailed off a bit.
“Another admin would have to be found among the current houses p>
“Can Alex also be seen as a viable admin p>
“Of course,” he said.
“After all he’s the owner of a reputed jewelry house p>
“One that other jewelry house representatives listen to p>
I realized refusing the treaty would not ease my issue, it would only make the matter worse.
I realized even if the choice is mine, the consequences are also mine to bear.
I stared at the admin oath.
I was the River heir…that’s a fact that came with my blood.
One I can never and won’t change.
The River treaty admin is a post I can choose to keep or leave.
But leaving would also mean the likes of Alex being the treaty admin.
“But..” The representative got my attention.
“If you do not become the River treaty admin, you must hand over the key to the vault p>
I was shocked as this was one thing I totally forgot.
The Blue Heart may be a gemstone that belongs to the River family.
But it is also the key to the vault.
Even if I don’t hand it over…I will have to give it whenever the admin asks for it.