A wealthy man modifies his will, disinherits his children, and gives everything to a set of enigmatic triplets. His wife later learns who they are.
No one was meant to be informed of Graham Carlyle’s will change, at least until he passed away. But as it turned out, his lawyer’s son was courting his daughter, so the secret was out.
Caroline Carlyle exclaimed, “Who is he leaving it all to? What do you mean, we get nothing in the will? To find out who these heirs were, they went to the orphanage named in the will, where the lawyer’s son had previously informed Caroline, who had, in turn, informed her brother Ralph.
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To their surprise, the three children were only four years old. They were Kyran, Kevin, and Kyle Manovich, the new heirs. One glance at the three identical Manovich brothers immediately revealed the mystery.
“He cheated on Marcy!” Caroline thoughtfully told her sibling, “They’re dad’s kids!” Ralph drank a Pelligrino while the two returned to the office in the limousine.
“Yes. Imagine Marcy’s reaction!” said Ralph. “The nuns said the boys were four, and their mother died last year! The affair may have been ongoing.”
Caroline’s smile was unpleasant in the extreme. “I think Daddy will do anything to keep his darling Marcy from discovering he knocked up another woman and left him. Don’t you?”
Three years after Caroline and Ralph’s mother’s cancer diagnosis, their father married Marcy. She had initially been received poorly by Caroline and Ralph.
Despite being nearly 20 years younger than their father and having expressed her wish to have children openly, Marcy was also beautiful and kind. However, the years went by, and there were no new arrivals to lessen Caroline and Ralph’s inheritance portion.
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But there was no baby, and finally, one brave doctor told Marcy there would never be a baby. Marcy had dragged their father to fertility specialists from New York to Geneva.
Marcy had fallen into a deep depression tinged with sorrow at the time, five years prior. Her recovery and acceptance of her infertility had taken a long time, and their father, who adored his young wife, would stop at nothing to keep Marcy from learning this knowledge.
Ralph and Caroline waited until after supper to surprise their father in his study.
“Daddy!” cried Caroline sweetly, “I’ve missed you!”
Graham Carlyle looked at his daughter and raised an eyebrow. “My dear Caro, we were in meetings almost the entire afternoon!”
Caroline giggled and sat on the arm of his chair. “Oh, I meant real father-daughter time! And Ralph’s missed you too!” Ralph, waiting for his cue, slinked in, smiling slyly.
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“So!” exclaimed Graham Carlyle. “What do you two want? New cars? More personal time with the company jet? What’s up?”
“Well,” Caroline smiled. “We were just worried about your health, Daddy, because my boyfriend mentioned you’d been to see his father and made a new will.”
Suddenly rising, Graham Carlyle pushed his daughter out of the path. “So that’s what this is about!” he cried angrily. “And I suppose he’s been snooping and told you you’re no longer my heirs!”
Ralph stepped forward. “How could you, Dad? Caroline and I have slaved for you these last 12 years.”
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Graham Carlyle laughed mockingly. “SLAVED?” he asked. “You both hold VP positions and have fat salaries you do little to earn. Those positions and those salaries are safeguarded in my will. What more do you want?”
“But…” Caroline grasped for an argument. “What about your grandchildren?”
“Grandchildren?” asked Graham Carlyle. “Neither of you is married and have given no indication you are interested in having children. When you do, we’ll talk about it.”
Caroline flushed with rage. “But if something happens.”
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Graham Carlyle had had it with this. “Then you support your children on your salary and endeavor to make your fortune as I did.”
“We know those brats are your children,” cried Ralph. “And if you don’t provide for our share, we’ll tell Marcy!”
A calm woman’s voice intervened right then. “I think you already did, Ralph.” When the three turned around, Marcy was holding a cup of coffee and standing in the study entryway.
“I came to bring you your coffee, Graham,” she said with a strained smile. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but now that I’m here, please enlighten me.”
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“Out, both of you,” Graham said as he turned to face his children before facing his wife. “Marcy, love, please sit down. I can explain.”
Marcy gave him a tear-filled, piercing gaze. “I think I’ll stand, but please do explain.”
Uncomfortably, Graham shifted. “Well. Do you remember when we came back from that trip to Geneva? I had to go to that conference in Lake Tahoe, and you were ill.”
Marcy cut in by cocking her head. “You mean when I fell into a depression because we couldn’t have a baby?”
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Graham was polite enough to flush. “Well, yes…The thing is…I…had a bit too much to drink, and there was this woman — a dancer –, and one thing led to another…”
Marcy nodded thoughtfully. “I see. While I was grieving because I couldn’t give you a baby, you were busy having an affair with another woman, and SHE had no trouble falling pregnant! Is it a boy or a girl?”
Graham squirmed. “Three boys…identical triplets. But Marcy, I didn’t even know! I only found out three months ago that the woman died, and her lawyer sent me a letter…”
Marcy nodded thoughtfully. “I see,” she said calmly. “Graham, you’d better sleep in one of the guest bedrooms tonight.”
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“Marcy,” Graham cried. “Please, it was only that once! I never cheated before or since…” But his wife had left, walking away with her back to him.
Graham remained anxious for the following week, but Marcy remained silent and kept her distance. In hopes that their father would ignore their involvement in his conflict with his devoted wife, Caroline, and Ralph kept to themselves like mice.
A child’s voice and laughter emanated from the garden one afternoon as Graham arrived home early. When he quickly went to look, he discovered Marcy on the grass having a game of catch with three adorable toddlers.
“Marcy!” he gasped. “What…”
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Marcy looked at him and smiled. “Graham: I hate your cheating, but I love you, so I love your children, all your children. And if you allow it, these boys can be my children too.”
Graham cried out in front of his wife and collapsed to his knees. “Forgive me, Marcy,” he whispered. “I know I’ve hurt you! I don’t deserve a woman as wonderful as you!”
Marcy said wrily. “I know THAT, Graham! But I do forgive you.”
The three boys were raised by Graham and Marcy together, and although he ultimately forgave Caroline and Ralph, he refused to amend his will to name them as beneficiaries.
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