Gemotions

The antique clock ticked with agonizing slowness. Elias drummed his fingers on the mahogany table, the sound a frantic tattoo against the silence of the solicitor's office. He glanced at his sister, Clara, who sat across from him, serenely sipping tea. Hours they'd been here, trapped in this stuffy room while the lawyer droned on about wills and testaments. Finally, the man cleared his throat. "And for Elias, the elder son, your inheritance is a collection of rare, first-edition books." Elias’s jaw dropped. Books? He wanted the family estate, the sprawling vineyard!

“The books are quite valuable," the solicitor continued. Elias could feel a flush creeping up his neck. He wanted to scream.