Sabo ran his hand through his waves stressfully, "The entire estate."
"Everything?" Ace asked shuffling through the paperwork spread out across the dining room table.
"Which includes Newgate Industries." Thatch confirmed looking over the younger blonde's shoulder.
"Why? Who even is this person?" you had been sitting quietly with Zoro as Sabo analyzed the documents Marco had been served.
"Edward Weevil," Sabo answered reading over a different sheet, "he claims he's entitled to the entire inheritance because he's Pops' biological son."

"What?!" you, Marco and Thatch gaped.

"That's not possible, why would Pops keep a biological kid from us?"
"Maybe he didn't know?" Ace guessed.
"Even then, how would that make him entitled to anything, yoi?"
"Technically he's not," Sabo answered, "Pops couldn't leave something to someone he didn't know about. Also people leave biological relatives out of their wills all the time."
"So, legally he can't sue us." Ace attempted to confirm.
"Oh, no he can. He may not win, especially since we have the will and it was revised by attorneys and notorized."
"What are the chances the court would rule in his favor?" Marco finally sat down at the table instead of anxiously pacing.
"It depends," Sabo didn't look up from the page in his hands,"if he can provide proof, like DNA, or a signed birth certificate, how deserving they are able to paint him. They absolutely will try to find dirt on us and make us the villains here."
"Dirt." you murmured gnawing on your bottom lip.
"Like things that happened before the company was legitimately established?" Thatch asked raising his brows.
"Probably," Sabo replied, "I'm going to have to go over this with the legal team at the office. I'm not as familiar with civil cases and I'm too new to handle this on my own."
"Do whatever you need to do, yoi."

You sat quietly as the weight of the room settled on all of you. This year had already taken so much from the family, it made your already fragile heart pang. This was a beautiful life you were able to build because Pops had taken you in, and some faceless, heartless monster was threatening to take it all away.

Zoro's warm hand slid over yours offering a gentle squeeze for comfort. He wasn't always the best with words in these situations, assuming your distress could be furthered if he said the wrong thing. Making his presence known and staying calm seemed to benefit you more as you often spiraled quietly, shouldering burdens on your own.

You squeezed back showing your appreciation and letting him know you were still present in the moment.

Sabo began packing the paperwork into his briefcase, "I'll be able to get more information tomorrow."
"Wow, this guy is ugly," Ace muttered staring down at his phone, "And massive."
"Ace," Sabo voiced in a disapproving tone, "don't look him up."
"Too late." the raven shrugged.
"Let me see." you snatched his phone away to look over the social media page, "Oof. Well, he's trying hard to look like Pops."

There were pictures of a huge blonde man with a white mustache styled to look like your father's. It would have been comical if it didn't creep you out so bad. Your brothers gathered around you as you scrolled stopping on a picture of the man with a very, very petite woman. She was elderly with clearly dyed blonde hair. The caption indicated that she was his mother.

"That monster came from this tiny woman?" Zoro muttered.

Thatch leaned in for a closer look, "That's Miss Bakkin."
"You know her, yoi?"
Thatch nodded, "She was around before you guys. Pops ran with the same crowd as her when they were younger but then he left to build the company and adopted me. As far as I know she was obsessed with him and nothing more than a stalker. I only saw her once or twice."
"I wonder why she quit stalking him." you pondered continuing to scroll through photos.
"I assumed he'd gotten a restraining order or something. She suddenly stopped coming around and he said she moved to a different state." the brunette explained.
"Makes sense, why else would she disappear if she was so obsessed with Pops?" Ace leaned over the table.
"Yeah, besides it's not like he wasn't well known. At any point she could have come forward with her son." your boyfriend added.
"I'll check with the police department for the restraining order." Sabo commented rubbing his chin.
"Now you can't be mad that I looked him up." Ace chimed.
"Nice sleuthing, Freckles." you handed the phone back.

_________________________

Your boyfriend fiddled with your fingers as you lay on his sofa watching TV.

"Still worried about the lawsuit?"
"What makes you say that?" you rolled your head up against his chest to look at him.
"I just had to pry your fingers out of a fist," he chuckled, "I'd say you're a little tense."
A sigh pushed passed your lips as you attempted to relax, "I guess I was just lost in thought."
"Care to share?" he asked flattening your palm against his.
You hummed trying to find your words, "I guess... I guess there's just a part of me that's worried."
"That this guy is his son." Zoro finished your thought while you nodded sheepishly.
"What if he is? What if he can take everything away from us?"
He kissed your head, "Like Sabo said, even if he is your dad's biological son, there was a will. And that is harder to fight. You guys didn't break any laws."
"Ok, but what if he's able to get the judge to force us to let him have part of the company? Then he comes in and starts making changes and turning people against us and-" Zoro's hand came up to cover your mouth and stop you from spiraling.
"F/N," his slightly stern tone made you shiver, "you're getting way ahead of yourself here. None of that will happen. Your brothers won't allow it. You won't allow it."
You kissed his fingers just before he moved his hand, "Thank you, Tiger."
The left corner of his mouth lifted into a handsome simper, "I'm happy to remind you of your hardheaded strength whenever you need it."
"Hardheaded?" you tapped his nose feigning offense.
"So hardheaded." he affirmed with a chuckle, "Maybe the worst case I've ever seen."
"You're digging a grave here, Tiger." you turned to straddle him.
"I'm so scared." his hands moved up your sides.
"I'm serious, Roronoa." your eyes met as you attempted to drop your voice to a more serious tembre.

It was his turn to shiver.

Before you could do or say anything else he pushed you back and pinned you to the cushions with a cocky smile.

"Say that again."