Chapter 4

"Mom, can't you meet us halfway? Can't we both compromise a little?" Josiah added, trying to sound reasonable.

Ruby lifted her tear-streaked face from his chest and looked at Charlotte pitifully.

"Charlotte, as long as you give your blessing, Mrs. Barnes will accept us," she pleaded. "I don't even need a marriage license. Just being allowed to stay by Josiah's side is more than enough for me."

Josiah looked deeply moved by her words, but I couldn't help giving a cold, mocking smile.

What a fool! He genuinely believed he'd found true love.

If Ruby hadn't overheard him demanding five million dollars a month for her, she probably would have walked away without a second thought.

She stepped toward Charlotte, who immediately recoiled.

"Keep your pathetic act away from me. It's disgusting," Charlotte warned.

Before Josiah could start another argument, I raised a hand and signaled security to take them out.

As the two were being hauled away, I couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh. How had I ever been blind enough to adopt such an ungrateful parasite?

The more I thought about it, the more irritated I became, and it ruined the rest of my afternoon tea. Just as my guests were preparing to leave, the housekeeper hurried over with news that made my heart leap.

"Mr. Mervin Barnes is awake."

I shot to my feet, clutching my chest as I turned to Charlotte. "Mervin woke up. Would you like to come to the hospital with me?"

She agreed immediately, and we rushed to the hospital. The moment we entered the private room, a weak but familiar voice reached me.

"Mom, it's been a while."

He reached out his hand, smiling brightly. His face looked so much like my late husband's that my heart nearly broke.

I hurried to his bedside and threw my arms around him, unable to hold back my tears.

"Mervin... my boy. I miss you so much."

Eight years of grief, longing, and helplessness poured into that embrace. He gently patted my back, trying to comfort me with the same warmth and humor he'd had as a boy.

Once we'd both calmed down, I pulled Charlotte forward.

"Do you remember the Thorne family's daughter? You two used to play together when you were little."

Mervin thought for a moment before his eyes lit up. "I remember her now. She used to follow me everywhere, saying she was going to marry me when she grew up."

Charlotte's face turned bright red at those words. She shyly stepped behind me, while Mervin looked at her with unmistakable fondness.

I smiled so widely that my eyes crinkled. I could already tell these two were going to be a perfect match.

Once Mervin's health checks were complete, I brought up the arranged marriage with the Thorne family. Just as expected, he had no objections.

We scheduled the formal engagement ceremony for early the following month. I intended to use this occasion to send a clear message to everyone in Glimesford: the true heir to the Barnes family was back.

Over the next two weeks, invitations went out to every prominent family in the city. The invitations announced only that the Barnes and Thorne families would be holding an engagement ceremony, without revealing the couple's identities.

Making the grand reveal live on stage would deliver the ultimate impact. It would crush the schemes of anyone still hoping to get their hands on the Barnes fortune.

The day of the engagement ceremony arrived before we knew it.

With the master of ceremonies guiding the event, hundreds of guests turned their attention to the stage. The entire ballroom fell into an expectant silence, only to be shattered by a frantic shout from the back.

"Why didn't anyone tell me? Mom, you almost made me late for the ceremony!"

Josiah, dressed in a sharp tuxedo, sprinted over to confront me. I looked at the obvious hickeys scattered across his neck and felt nothing but disgust.

Without giving him an answer, I pointed toward the stage. "Tell you? Who do you think you are?"

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the audience.

"Isn't that Mervin Barnes? He's still alive?"

"He was such a brilliant young man back in the day. Ms. Thorne couldn't have made a better match."

...

Josiah's eyes widened as the whispers reached him.

He suddenly charged toward the stage, shouting frantically, "Is this a joke? You hired some guy to impersonate Mervin? Everyone knows he died years ago!"

He pointed a finger at the man on stage. "Who the hell are you, stealing my spot? Get off that stage right now!"

I grabbed Josiah by the collar and yanked him back, my voice ringing out with authority. "An outsider like you has no right to stand here and insult my son!"