The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 477

He finally just murmured, "He's in the morgue. Follow me."

Josh walked half a step behind Sloane in silence. He didn't hold her hand, didn't say a word, just locked his gaze firmly onto her back.

The morgue hallway was bone-chillingly cold. The fluorescent lights were stark white, and the air reeked of antiseptic.

Sloane stopped abruptly in front of the stainless-steel doors. She stood there, staring at the closed entrance, as if mentally preparing herself for something excruciating. Then she reached out. Just as her fingertips brushed the icy handle, a piercing screech exploded from behind her.

"What are you doing here?!"

Willa stormed down the hallway. Her eyes were red and swollen, her hair a mess, and her flawless makeup was ruined by streaks of tears.

Tessa followed closely behind, her eyes equally bloodshot. She supported her swaying mother and glared at Sloane with pure hostility.

"I thought you died years ago!"

"What a joke! You haven't come home once in all these years, and now that he's dead, you show up. Are you here to laugh at us, or are you here to steal the inheritance?"

Willa's voice echoed off the barren walls, shrill and grating.

Garrison stepped forward smoothly, planting himself between Sloane and Willa.

He spoke calmly, his tone not loud but carrying an undeniable, absolute authority.

"Mrs. Taylor, you have no right to stop Sloane. She is Jackson's biological daughter. Morally and legally, she has every right to be here."

Just then, the steady, rhythmic sound of dress shoes clicking against the terrazzo floor echoed down the hall.

A middle-aged man in a dark gray suit approached, carrying a briefcase. His expression was stern and professional. He gave a polite nod amidst the explosive tension, acting as though he hadn't noticed the hostility radiating in the air.

"Everyone, my name is Nathaniel Shaw. I am the lawyer appointed by Mr. Jackson."

A lawyer?

All eyes immediately snapped toward him.

The lawyer spoke with a leveled tone. "I am deeply sorry for Mr. Taylor's passing. However, I have a will from Mr. Taylor that must be read."