Lahat ng Kabanata ng DARLA FIN:THE HEIRESS'S WICKED REBIRTH: Kabanata 181 - Kabanata 190

Melanie's POVI swallowed and forced myself to breathe evenly.“It wasn’t important,” I told Richard, keeping my voice steady even though my pulse was everywhere but calm.Richard didn’t look convinced for even a second.His eyes narrowed slightly, unreadable. “Who’s Sam? Is that the same Sam I know?”My breath hitched. I nodded, even though every fiber in my body screamed to avoid this conversation. “Yes… he’s the same Sam.”Richard exhaled slowly and placed his hand on his waist, that posture he always took when he was trying very hard not to lose his temper.“Alright,” he said. “Pick up the call. Put it on loudspeaker.”My stomach dropped. “Richard—”“No.” His voice was calm, firm, inarguable. “Pick it up. Loudspeaker.”My fingers felt cold. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want Sam involved in anything that concerned my relationship. I didn’t want Richard thinking something that wasn’t true. I didn’t want drama on a day that had already drained me mentally.I hesitated, but Richard d

Richard's POV Vincent raised his glass and took a sip. “And if she is?” I looked up at him, and for a moment, the room was silent. Pain settled heavy in my chest, heavier than expected. "If she's having an affair," I said slowly, "then I'll know what to do next. I haven't figured that part out yet." Vincent didn't probe into what that meant. He didn't have to. He'd known me long enough to read my silences. "So," he said after a beat, "what was she doing when Sam called?" "Acting nervous," I said without hesitation. "Too nervous. She said the call wasn't important but she hesitated. She looked guilty before she even said a word." “And you?” Vincent asked. “What did you do?” "I asked her to pick up with loudspeaker." He smirked a little. “Of course you did.” “She demurred,” I went on. “Too much. The phone stopped ringing and she acted relieved. But I told her to call him back. Vincent cocked his head. "Bold. “She called him,” I said. “And the second he picked, her tone chan

Richard's POVMandy was always Melanie’s shield. The one who hyped her up. The one who covered for her. The one who justified every ridiculous thing Melanie ever did.So why break loyalty now?Guilt?Fear?A conscience finally waking up?Or… something darker?I gripped the wheel tighter.I hated that I was even thinking this way.Hated that suspicion had turned into something feral inside me.But I couldn’t turn it off.I couldn’t unhear Sam’s voice.I couldn’t forget the way Melanie panicked when the call came in.I couldn’t unsee her slipping into the bathroom the moment I walked toward the room.Everything pointed to something.Something she didn’t want me to know.As the hotel came into view in the distance, a small, nagging voice in my head whispered—What if Mandy tells you exactly what you’ve been trying not to believe?I drove into the parking lot and killed the engine.For a moment, I didn’t move.I sat there with my hands resting on the steering wheel, staring at the entranc

Richard's POVShe continued, “I’m scared Richard will find out. He can’t know. He will never forgive me.”My jaw clenched so tightly that my teeth ached. A ringing sound filled my ears, drowning the rest of the background.She said the words clearly. Without hesitation. Without pressure.I’ve been having an affair with Sam.It felt like someone drove a knife straight into the center of my chest and twisted until I could barely breathe.The recording ended.Mandy locked her phone and watched me closely. Too closely. I could feel the weight of her gaze on every trembling inch of me.I didn’t speak for several seconds.I couldn’t.The air in the room felt poisoned. Heavy. Wrong.When I finally spoke, my voice sounded like it belonged to someone else.“That was recorded when?”“A week ago,” Mandy replied calmly.My hands curled into fists. “And you’re telling me this now?”“Because now you’re suspicious enough to believe it,” she said simply.I stood abruptly. The fury boiling in my chest

Richard's POV“Richard!” Her voice was sharp, slightly breathless, laced with a mixture of annoyance and relief. “I thought you were on your way home. Where are you?”I straightened, forcing my tone to remain calm and collected. “I… forgot something,” I said smoothly, letting the lie roll off my tongue as easily as I could muster. “Had to stop by Vincent’s.”There was a pause on the other end, and I could hear her inhale sharply, suspicion flickering in her voice. “I… don’t believe you.”Vincent smirked faintly, nudging me again. “Hand me the phone,” he said. I blinked, startled, then slowly extended it toward him.“You sure?” I asked, my voice low.“Trust me,” he said. His confidence was disarming. I handed over the phone.“Melanie,” Vincent greeted her, his voice calm, authoritative. “I’m Vincent. Richard is… right. He had to take care of something before heading home. He didn’t want to worry you. You can believe him now.”There was a long pause. I could practically hear her chewing