“Kagome stop texting and come be with your father.”

The oldest of the two Higurashi daughters snapped her phone shut after her mother spoke. Though she was often distracting herself with her phone by reading her friend's blogs and downloading ringtones, for the last two hours she'd done nothing else but type numbers over and over. It was either that or stand here like her mother and watch her father die.

“Mom shouldn't I go get Sango?”

She shook her head, “I'm afraid she's too young.”

So it was irreversible then. The doctors of the hospital had known for a while now that there was no hope, and now the Higurashi family was accepting it. Their father had even accepted it for the longest time that he would die in a cold room like this, but saying good-bye was still hard. It felt like giving the final gesture would be like accepting that there was no miracles in this world.

“Let the girl be,” father whispered looking up at his wife.

He didn't love his his wife, and hadn't really felt much for her when they married. The Higurashi family had always taken advantage of the lifestyle that came with being rich and sociable. You didn't seek out love in this type of world, because the one you love could turn out to be a snake who deceives in order to steal what you have earned.

His wife, being the responsible choice he made, had been checking over and over again to see if Naraku was coming. The head of the Higurashi family was old fashioned in the sense that the oldest male heir would receive all the assets left behind. Naraku was his only son from a previous marriage who moved out of the mansion after inheriting a bit of wealth from the death of his mother and then again when he married Kagura, a model who was last successful about eight years ago.

“Kagome,” father spoke, “how are you doing with that Hojo boy?”

“Hojo?” she asked herself out loud, “oh...that Hojo. I haven't seen him in two years.”

“What a shame. I played golf with his father. I must be a horrible dad, I've always been unable to keep up with your social life.”

It was true Kagome did live fast paced life of the average rich teenager. She'd been so many places and done so many things in the last four years that she knew about six Hojo's in her social circle. The one her father had referred to was a crush in school that she lost her virginity to. She knew her future would be the same as her parents and her husband would see her only as the woman in the family portrait, so she might as well have all her fun now while she was young.

“I love you daddy,” she whispered.

He nodded, “Kagome I hope you find happiness in your life. That's all I've ever wanted for you and Sango.”

“Your son is here,” the mother whispered when her step-son entered the room.

“Naraku,” he whispered unable to see his son unless he got up close, “it's been a while.”

“Father,” was his only response.”

Kagome went to typing numbers again so no one would concern themselves with her tears.

Even though Naraku was her brother she'd never really been close to him. He was ten years older than her, and unlike her who'd spent her youth partying and making friends he'd always had his face in a book at her age. She was eight when he received his mother's trust fund and moved out to go to college and the only time he spoke to her before then was when he called her foolish for wanting to waste money on learning the piano.

Unlike her cousins and everyone else in this family who pursued careers in movies and fashion Naraku had become an accountant despite his current wealth. He wanted nothing more to do with the social scene, which is why his marriage to the super model was still a mystery.

Naraku didn't do what his father had done twice, which was marry responsibly. Right after their wedding and birth of their child Kanna, Kagura stopped going to gigs and became another socialite with no aspirations living off of her husband's bank account.

“Your my only son,” father spoke, “and despite certain issues that have come up you've handled your money quite well.”

The issue being Kagura, because somehow all her income from modeling was spent on the grand wedding making her a pretty hefty bill Naraku was responsible for paying each month.

“As were you father,” Naraku began to speak of the only positive quality in his father he could understand, “you helped my mother manage her inheritance in a, let's say, responsible manner.”

Everyone knew Naraku's mother as the heiress who attempted to give everyone in the world a dollar just to see if it was possible. Their father reminded her that she wouldn't be able to get those dollars back just before she lost everything. Maybe that was why Naraku had perfect attendance in school unlike Kagome who dropped out just because her best friend at the time stole her boyfriend, also named Hojo, and she didn't want to be reminded of it all. Kagome wasn't dumb or anything. She had perfect marks before she dropped out, but by the time she realized she'd done something stupid she figured for the life she was brought up into proof of her education wasn't necessary.

“Son you will inherit my estate as well as all my funds, as my will states, but you must do one thing for me.”

Naraku rose an eyebrow, “and that is?”

“Just take care of your sisters and step-mother. It shouldn't be too difficult. Just do what's best for them. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes father.”

That was the last exchange of words the father and son shared before the head of the Higurashi family passed away. He went peaceful thanks to pain killers and the reassurance that the women of his family would be well taken care of.

The funeral came and went with a large celebrity audience, seeing as how their father was a successful casting agent, but Kagome didn't feel like socializing. She didn't even write anything on Facebook, because she didn't want to make anyone think they had to respond. In the life they lived there was only the happiness that came from being rich and than there was drama. Emotions such as grief was something no one on her friend list could process.

“Sango stop bouncing that ball,” mother snapped the next week on a rainy day, “it's giving me a headache.”

“I'm bored,” wined the eight-year-old, “and you won't let me outside.”

“So you can get sick like your father? Not happening kiddo. That, and Kagura will be coming to stay so I won't have mud all over my carpet.”

Kagome, who'd been playing a lovely piece on the grand piano had her fingers drop on the keys at a second's notice, “Kagura? Why?”

Her mother sighed, “I know, I know. The least she could have done was given me more notice, or have gone to her father-in-law's funeral to make her presence known.”

“I hate that wench mom,” Sango glared, “if I were Naraku and had to see that witch everday I would poison her cereal.”

Kagome walked over to the conversation, “As nice as that sounds Sango, Kagura is a model. They don't eat food, just tape worms. So, mother, if she didn't find the funeral interesting why is she coming here?”

“Because, whether we like it or not, this is Naraku's estate therefore Kagura's.”

Kagome grimaced, “If you need me I'll be at the hotel.”

“And pay with what young lady?”

“I have the platinum card on me.”

“Even though places love taking your money Kagome the credit of a dad man won't get you far,” mother took out a pair of scissors, “Sango Kagome give me your cards. Until we know what Naraku decides we can't burden him with bills from the credit card company just because you want to go party in Aspen or wherever you were planning to go last week.”

Kagome sighed as she slid it on the counter. This couldn't be good.

“And Sango I want you to be on your best behavior. Kagura is bringing your cousin Kanna along.”

“That girl is a freak,” Sango noted before bouncing her ball again.

Now that her little sister was distracted Kagome finally asked her mother the scary question, “Mom...what is going to happen to us?”

She frowned, “Just keep your head up Kagome. No sense in worrying right now. We will figure it out once Naraku has made a decision.”

Naraku had been locked up in his father's office for days now.

If only he could have gone to the funeral and gone back to work, but now he had to sort through all his father's papers and figure out the financial situation. If only his father had remained a corporate lawyer rather than dealing with celebrities, because thanks to his death being known Kagura had every intention of coming down here and claiming what was hers.

“I really hate that woman,” he whispered to himself before figuring things out.

When his mother passed he received a trust fund of three million dollars minus the monthly installments he'd been living off of as well as his paycheck from working. It seemed that if he didn't include his father's estate, bills, and other income with his capital he would be receiving an additional four million.

Seven million dollars was a lot of money, but not something Naraku was too concerned with. He just wanted to focus on his work and talents and not be bothered with anything else. The one time he tried to conform he wound up married to Kagura, so for now on he only focused on himself.

Well...

There was the matter of his two sisters and their mother.

Their mother, Kikyo, had been good to his father. She stayed indoors where she belonged and took care of the children. She wasn't like his mother, always drunk and snorting cocaine in underground clubs bringing shame to the Higurashi name.

Only thing Kikyo was guilty of was the inability to work due to a mishap a few years back when she was a shoe designer. One of her heels were to be warned in a very important fashion show, and when it broke on the runaway making one of Kagura's friends look like a fool Kikyo Higurashi got blacklisted from all jobs in her career field. It would be difficult for her to find work again.

Since she was a good woman and Naraku didn't care about his inheritance he made the decision to leave the estate to Kikyo Higurashi as well as give her three million to pay bills and continue the lifestyle she'd been living. As for Kagome she would be fine. His sister was destined to do what Kagura had done and seduce herself a rich man, so hopefully by the time Kikyo ran out of funds her daughter would take care of her. It would only be a matter of time until Sango was the same.

The mansion, and three million dollars. Naraku could give that away and feel as though he'd done what was asked of him from his father as well as pocket a million for himself just in case it was needed.

This plan would have been kind of him, but the thought of kindness would only be temporary. Kagura had just rung the doorbell and was prepared to get what was hers.