Chapter 3

I looked up, my still gaze taking in every member of the Bourne family.

“You put on the whole waterworks to get me back, just to humiliate me with a fake scandal in front of elites at this family gala?

“If people didn’t know I was your long-lost son, they’d assume I had committed some unforgivable crime against your family to deserve this.

“This party is over. I couldn’t care less about being part of this family. If there’s nothing else, I’ll see myself out. Don’t come looking for me again.”

Seeing that I was walking away, Archie could barely hide the joy in his eyes. Still, the show had to go on.

“Brock, don’t do anything rash… Oh, Mom!”

Archie turned toward Chloe, his expression pained and distraught.

“Brock was only in that line of work out of desperation. Do you really have the heart to send him back to that hellhole?

“Didn’t we agree that we’d accept him no matter what, so long as he was home? Say something, Mom.”

Archie knew perfectly well how much Chloe cared about appearances. The thought of having a son with a scandal like this attached to his name was more than she could bear.

However, Archie’s words boxed her in a corner. At this point, Chloe didn’t know what to say.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Chloe flushed with frustration. She looked at me and hissed through clenched teeth, “Wait. Call the lawyer. I want him written out of my will.”

She had made up her mind. Since I was walking out on my own, she might as well take the opportunity to cut me loose.

The Bourne Group was already on shaky ground. Chloe couldn’t afford to take in a son with a scandal hanging over his head.

The Bournes’ lawyer wasted no time. Before long, he had two copies of the paperwork ready and placed them in front of me.

The documents made it clear that I was being cut out of the family inheritance. The family also required me to sign a statement admitting that I’d chosen to walk away because of my supposed misconduct and promising never to trade on the Bourne family’s name or claim to be its rightful heir again.

I read through the papers without the slightest trace of anger. If anything, I felt as though fate had just handed me the perfect excuse to wash my hands of the family for good.

It was not as if I ever cared about the Bourne family’s money in the first place. The quarterly profits from any one of my subsidiaries would be enough to buy out the entire Bourne Group as it stood today.

The only reason I came back was to see for myself what this so-called family love was really worth.

Now that I had gotten a good look, the family was absolutely revolting.

“Fine. I’ll sign.”

I pulled my custom-made fountain pen from my bag and, without bothering to read the fine print, signed my name, Brock Walker, on the last page.

The signature came out bold and unwavering. I had no reason to hesitate.

The moment I put my name on the paper, Archie’s eyes lit up. Still, he squeezed a look of dramatic grief.

“Mom, you’re throwing Brock to the wolves!”

Archie took my hand. “It’s okay, Brock. Mom isn’t thinking straight. I won’t turn my back on you. I took the life that was supposed to be yours anyway. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have…

“Rest assured, even if you sign your rights away, I’ll write you a check for 20 grand every month. I refuse to let you fall back into that lifestyle.”

The crowd swooned over his heart.

Keeping a stoic face, I slipped the fountain pen back into my bag. I narrowed my eyes, looking straight at Archie.

“Save your money. You’re going to need every penny of it to hire a good criminal attorney.”