Lahat ng Kabanata ng Rich Family's Substitute Sweetheart: Kabanata 871 - Kabanata 880

Paul stood by the door, his hand lingering on the handle. When Ellena finished speaking, he looked momentarily startled, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he quickly composed himself. He offered a small, respectful smile and a brief nod of acknowledgment. "I'll take care of it then, Miss Ellena," he said quietly before stepping out and closing the heavy door behind him with a soft click.The office grew quiet once more. Ellena took a deep breath, trying to shake off the remnants of the conversation she’d had at lunch with Chloe and Martin. She didn't want to carry that heavy, gloomy energy into the lounge where her daughter was resting. Pushing open the door to the inner room, she found the space bathed in the soft, golden light of the early afternoon.Elaine was still tucked under the blankets, a tiny, motionless mound on the oversized sofa. Ellena approached quietly. Elaine was a stickler for routine; she ate her meals with the precision of a clock, and it was already w

Apart from Marilyn, only Spencer was left.Ellena was not surprised that Spencer would do such a thing. She had already expected it in her heart. It was only that she needed to confirm it again for herself. Some people never really changed, no matter how much time passed. Spencer was one of those people.After all, Spencer had used Elaine before. He had treated an innocent child as a tool to reach his own goals. He almost had Elaine… burned to death.When Ellena thought of this, her expression stiffened slightly. The memory was enough to make her chest tighten. She secretly clenched her teeth and forced herself to stay calm. There was no point letting anger show on her face now. What mattered was protecting Elaine and making sure such a thing would never happen again."Mommy, I'm full."Elaine's clear voice pulled Ellena back from her thoughts.She came back to her senses at once. The coldness in her eyes disappeared, replaced by warmth. She smiled at Elaine and said gently, "Come ove

Ellena only raised her eyes to glance at Madeline and said a name indifferently, "Spencer."The single word was enough to change Madeline's expression.The pride that had been on her face a moment ago immediately showed a crack. Her fingers tightened around the coffee cup, and for an instant she did not know how to respond.The smile lingering on her lips stiffened before gradually disappearing. She instinctively lowered her gaze, trying to hide the sudden panic that flashed across her face. Although it lasted only a moment, Ellena caught every subtle change in her expression.Ellena had guessed from the beginning that the person who spread the news about Elaine was Spencer. There had never been many people who knew enough to use that matter against her. Spencer was the most likely person.After all, Elaine's existence had always been carefully concealed. Very few people knew the truth, and even fewer possessed both th

Everyone in the office looked at each other.No one spoke immediately. The atmosphere in the meeting room turned subtle and tense.The silence stretched for several seconds. Although no one dared to question Ellena openly, the surprise on everyone's faces was impossible to hide. Some quietly exchanged glances, while others lowered their eyes to the documents in front of them, trying to conceal their thoughts.Although the Smith family only owned a small company, they were still fairly well-known in Herton City. Much of that attention had originally come from their engagement with the Arnoult family. Back then, the connection alone was enough to place them in the public eye.The marriage alliance between the two families had attracted considerable attention from both the business community and the media. Even people who had never paid attention to the Smith Group had heard of its name because of its relationship with the Arnoult fa

Madeline heard Ralph's words and slowly nodded. Her expression was lowered, and there was something faintly frightening in the way she spoke.Her eyes remained lowered, hiding the emotions within them. Her voice was soft and gentle, yet for some reason, it carried an indescribable chill."Please take the medicine first."She picked up the medicine from the table and handed it to Ralph as though nothing unusual had happened.Ralph was still full of anger, but he did not continue arguing. He took the medicine she handed him and sat back down. The room gradually became quiet.The only sounds left were the faint clinking of the glass and Ralph swallowing the medicine with water. The tense atmosphere settled into an uneasy silence.Not long after, Nolan returned.The front door opened, and hurried footsteps echoed through the living room.The moment he entered the room, his eyes went directly to Madeline.