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Chapter 66: The Final Confrontation

مؤلف: LORI D. LEE
last update آخر تحديث: 2025-11-03 01:49:29

The call came at seven in the evening. Right when the bridal shower was in full swing.

I was standing in the garden with a glass of champagne I hadn't touched. Around me, women laughed and clinked glasses. Helen was the center of attention near the fountain. Telling some elaborate story that had everyone doubled over. My mother sat with a group of older guests. Her smile soft and proud.

Then my phone buzzed in my clutch.

Unknown number. I almost dismissed it. But something made me look closer at the area code. It was from upstate. Near the federal correctional facility.

My heart dropped.

I stepped away from the crowd. Moved toward the far edge of the garden where the string lights didn't quite reach. My thumb hovered over the screen.

Answer or ignore?

Every logical part of me screamed to let it go to voicemail. But curiosity, or maybe something deeper, made me press accept.

"Hello?"

There was a pause. Static crackled faintly on the line. Then a voice I hadn't heard in months.

"Emelda.
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  • Return Of The Betrayed Heiress    Chapter 68: The Honeymoon Revelation

    "Not one," I said honestly. "Everything I went through led me here. To you. To this life. I wouldn’t change any of it."He kissed my temple. "Good. Because you’re stuck with me now.""Promise?""Promise."***Three days later, we landed in Tuscany.The villa Smith had rented sat high on a hill, overlooking miles of green vineyards. Cypress trees lined the driveway, tall and still against the orange glow of sunset. Everything looked painted in gold. Like a dream I didn’t want to wake from."This is incredible," I breathed as we stepped onto the terrace.Smith came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Wait until you see the sunrise."We spent the first two days doing nothing but being together. Sleeping in. Making love. Eating pasta and drinking wine on the terrace while the world around us slowed to a whisper.On the third morning, I woke before Smith. Soft light slipped through the curtains. I slid out of bed quietly, pulled on one of his shirts, and made my way to the

  • Return Of The Betrayed Heiress    Chapter 67: The Wedding Day

    The morning of my wedding arrived with soft golden light filtering through the curtains of my childhood bedroom. I woke slowly, peacefully, with none of the anxiety I'd expected. Just a quiet certainty settling in my chest.Today, I was marrying Smith Robinson.A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts."Come in."My mother entered, already dressed in an elegant champagne gown. Her hair was styled perfectly, but her eyes were soft. Vulnerable in a way I rarely saw."Good morning, darling." She sat on the edge of my bed. "How are you feeling?""Strangely calm."She smiled. "That's how you know it's right."We sat in comfortable silence for a moment. Then she reached for my hand."I need to tell you something," she said quietly. "Before the day gets away from us."I turned to face her fully. "What is it?""I'm proud of you." Her voice caught slightly. "Not because you're marrying well or because you rebuilt your reputation. But because you survived something that would have destro

  • Return Of The Betrayed Heiress    Chapter 66: The Final Confrontation

    The call came at seven in the evening. Right when the bridal shower was in full swing.I was standing in the garden with a glass of champagne I hadn't touched. Around me, women laughed and clinked glasses. Helen was the center of attention near the fountain. Telling some elaborate story that had everyone doubled over. My mother sat with a group of older guests. Her smile soft and proud.Then my phone buzzed in my clutch.Unknown number. I almost dismissed it. But something made me look closer at the area code. It was from upstate. Near the federal correctional facility.My heart dropped.I stepped away from the crowd. Moved toward the far edge of the garden where the string lights didn't quite reach. My thumb hovered over the screen.Answer or ignore?Every logical part of me screamed to let it go to voicemail. But curiosity, or maybe something deeper, made me press accept."Hello?"There was a pause. Static crackled faintly on the line. Then a voice I hadn't heard in months."Emelda.

  • Return Of The Betrayed Heiress    Chapter 65: The Bridal Shower

    The sunlight streaming through the curtains felt almost too bright for how little sleep I'd had. My phone buzzed on the nightstand for the third time that morning, but I didn't move to check it. I lay there for a moment. Staring at the ceiling. The quiet hum of the city faint beyond the glass.Smith's bachelor party had been last night. He'd texted me once before midnight. "Heading home soon. Don't wait up." Short. Simple. The way he always was when he didn't want me to worry. I smiled at the memory of it now. Imagining him surrounded by his friends. Probably laughing for the first time in weeks.It was strange. How calm I felt. For the first time in years, my life wasn't chaos. No scandal. No secrets. No knives waiting in the dark. Just peace. And love that didn't hurt to hold.I sat up slowly. Ran my fingers through my hair. Reached for the phone. Dozens of messages blinked across the screen. Congratulations from friends. And one from Helen Robinson.Helen: Breakfast at the estate.

  • Return Of The Betrayed Heiress    Chapter 64: The Bachelor Party

    The city skyline glittered outside the rooftop lounge. Lights twinkled against the deep blue night. The air carried a chill. It was laced with the scent of whiskey, cigars, and faint traces of laughter echoing between glass walls. Inside, Smith Robinson sat among his oldest friends. A tumbler of bourbon rested in his hand, though he'd barely touched it."Man, I still can't believe you're getting married," Adrian said. He leaned back on the leather sofa with that familiar half-smirk. "Smith Robinson, CEO of Robinson Empire, Mr. I-don't-do-commitment-anymore, is about to say 'I do.' Hell must've frozen over."The group erupted in laughter. Smith just shook his head. A quiet smile formed. "Guess hell's colder than we thought.""Or maybe," another friend, Jason, said, raising his glass, "you finally found someone who could thaw that ice you've been carrying since Claire."The mention of Claire's name hung in the air for a moment. The laughter dimmed slightly. Everyone in that room knew wh

  • Return Of The Betrayed Heiress    Chapter 63: Mirror of My Rebirth

    Smith picked me up at noon on Saturday. The drive to the bridal boutique felt surreal. Six months ago, I couldn't imagine standing in front of a mirror trying on wedding dresses. Now, with Smith's hand resting on my knee as he drove, it felt like the most natural thing in the world."Nervous?" he asked."A little.""About the dress or the wedding?"I took a long, steady look at him. The strong line of his jaw. The way his eyes softened when he glanced at me. "Neither. I'm just realizing how different this feels.""Different how?""The kind that feels like starting over." I squeezed his hand. "Real different."The boutique was tucked between a flower shop and a café. Large windows displayed elegant mannequins in white gowns. A small sign read "Bella's Bridal" in delicate gold letters.Inside, soft music played. The scent of vanilla filled the air. Racks of dresses lined the walls. Each one more beautiful than the last.A woman approached us. She was older. Maybe sixty. Her silver hair

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