493 The family's shock

As the mournful day of Sazama Suzuki's funeral came to a close, the moment to unveil his last will and testament had arrived. The air in the room was thick with anticipation as the Suzuki family gathered, a collective sense of eagerness and anxiety palpable among them. Sazama's legacy was not just a matter of familial curiosity; it bore significant implications for the future of the Suzuki Group and the distribution of his personal wealth.

The spacious living room of the Suzuki estate was filled with a tense anticipation as the family gathered to hear the reading of Sazama Suzuki's will. The atmosphere was thick with a mix of grief and covert expectancy as relatives from across the spectrum of the Suzuki lineage found their places. Shimizu Myoga, Mai Suzuki, and Shira Miyoshi, Shin's aunts; Shintani, Shigero, and Shinto, his uncles; along with a contingent of cousins, siblings, and, of course, his parents, Shiro and Airi, all awaited the unveiling of the patriarch's final wishes.

At the center of attention stood the family lawyer, an old friend of Sazama and a trusted confidant, holding a document that held the final wishes of the patriarch of the Suzuki Group.

The room fell silent, the only sound being the rustle of paper as the lawyer prepared to read aloud the contents of the will.

"Good evening," the lawyer began, his voice steady and clear. "We are gathered here to honor Mr. Sazama Suzuki's final wishes as outlined in his last will and testament. Mr. Suzuki was a man of great vision and principle, and his decisions regarding his estate reflect his desires for the future of his family and the Suzuki Group."

As the lawyer cleared his throat, the room fell into a hushed silence. As the lawyer began to read, a collective silence enveloped the room. The will stated that all of Sazama's personal properties were to be shared among his children — a revelation that brought smiles to the faces of Shin's uncles and aunts. It seemed, for a moment, as if their father's passing had brought them a windfall, easing the pain of their loss.

However, the atmosphere shifted palpably as the lawyer approached the matter of the Suzuki Group's shares. There was a palpable sense of suspense, with many in the room expecting that the shares would be evenly divided among Sazama's children and, possibly, their own offspring.

"And to regarding the shares of the Suzuki Group," he announced, "...and to my beloved grandson, Shinro Suzuki, I bequeath all my shares in the Suzuki Group," the lawyer finally declared, the room suddenly charged with shock and disbelief.

Shin's uncles and aunts exchanged stunned glances, their smiles fading into expressions of outrage.

"This is preposterous!" Shintani exclaimed, breaking the silence. "Why would father leave the company to Shin of all people?"

"How could father leave everything to Shin? What about us?" Shira added, her frustration evident.

Shimizu Myoga, Mai Suzuki, and Shira Miyoshi, the sisters who had always maintained a graceful presence, now struggled to mask their astonishment. "There must be some misunderstanding," Shimizu said, her usual composure wavering. "Our father wouldn't leave us out in the cold like this."

However, it was Shito's reaction that captured the room's attention. As the vice chairman, his aspirations to consolidate control over the Suzuki Group were well-known. The revelation hit him like a thunderclap, his face turning an ashen hue as the lawyer read on. For a moment, he appeared lost in thought, perhaps calculating the ramifications of this unexpected turn of events on his position within the company and the family hierarchy.

"Well, if this isn't a surprise," Shito finally spoke, his voice steady but carrying a cold edge. "To think Sazama would entrust everything to Shin, bypassing those of us who've spent our lives upholding the Suzuki legacy." His comment, though measured, was a clear expression of his discontent, which echoed silently among his siblings.

The atmosphere grew tense, as if the air itself bristled with the collective resentment of Shin's uncles and aunties. Whispers filled the room, speculations, and grievances mingling in a cacophony of family discord.

Even among the cousins, murmurs of discontent began to spread. Etsuko and Kazue looked at each other, their earlier jealousy now mingled with a sense of betrayal.

Yet, amidst the uproar, Shin's elder brothers, Shiko and Seki, couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction at the discomfited faces of their relatives. While they too harbored their own reservations about Shin, seeing the others so perturbed offered them an unexpected sense of vindication.

Shiko leaned over to Seki, whispering, "Looks like grandfather knew what he was doing after all."

Seki, despite his usual rivalry with Shin, nodded subtly, a wry smile touching his lips. "Let's see how they handle this."

As the implications of Sazama Suzuki's will sank in, the reactions among Shin's cousins ranged from disbelief to outright indignation. Atsushi, who had always fancied himself a contender for a significant role within the Suzuki Group, struggled to mask his frustration. "This is unprecedented," he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "How could all of Grandpa's shares go to Shin alone?"

Shuichi, who had always maintained a more measured demeanor, couldn't hide his surprise, though he tried to stay composed. "There must be a deeper reasoning behind Grandpa's decision," he said, attempting to rationalize the situation, yet the undertone of envy was unmistakable.

Kazue, less inclined to hide her feelings, voiced her discontent loudly. "It's unfair! Shin's just one of us. Why should he get everything?" Her words echoed the sentiments of many in the room, stirring a murmur of agreement among the younger generation of Suzukis.

Etsuko, usually more reticent, found herself caught up in the wave of frustration. "There's got to be more to it. This can't be the whole story," she suggested, hoping there might be some overlooked detail that would redistribute the balance of power.

Even Shuji, who seldom involved himself in family politics, felt a sting of injustice. "Grandpa always said he valued fairness," he remarked quietly to anyone who would listen. "How is this fair?"

Amidst the cacophony of discontent, Reina and Ruki, Shin's elder sisters, exchanged knowing glances. They had always known their brother to be their grandfather's favorite, but the reality of him inheriting all the shares still came as a shock. However, unlike their cousins, they harbored no ill will towards Shin. Instead, there was a silent acknowledgment that perhaps Sazama saw something in Shin that he did not see in the rest.