Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 161 - Chapitre 170

Richard “Come inside, both of you,” I said, pushing those thoughts aside for later. “We have so much to discuss.” “Yes, Dad.” I walked them both inside, but before we entered, I turned to Celeste and really looked at her. “How are you, my dear?” She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m fine, Dad.” I pulled her into a hug, and despite her attempt to maintain composure, I could feel the tension in her shoulders and the way she held herself too carefully. No matter how hard she tried to hide her worry, I could see it clearly. Jace was right—Celeste was nothing like her mother. I’d heard her with May just a few days ago, when she’d thought they were alone. I’d been passing by Celeste’s room and stopped when I heard raised voices. Celeste had been accusing her mother of being a cheater, telling May that I was a good man who deserved better. She’d even refused to help May steal the documents her lover wanted—refused to betray me despite her mother’s threats and manipulatio

Henry“Welcome, Richard.” I stood immediately as my old friend and his family entered the private dining room. I crossed the space with my arms extended, genuine warmth flooding through me. “It’s been far too long. How are you?”“Good, Henry,” Richard replied, his face breaking into that familiar smile as we embraced. “So good to see you again, my friend.”After we finished our greetings, exchanging the usual pleasantries and handclasps, we all moved to take our seats at the elegantly set table.“Madam,” I said, turning to Richard’s new wife with a respectful nod. “Good evening. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”We exchanged formal greetings, and I took a moment to really look at her. May was, I had to admit, an epitome of beauty—striking features, elegant bearing, and the kind of woman who naturally drew eyes when she entered a room.It was no wonder Richard had kept her somewhat hidden from his social circle; even their wedding had been surprisingly low-key for a man o

MayHow? How was this even possible?I’d dressed so carefully tonight, chosen my most elegant gown, my best jewelry, styled my hair to perfection. All of it to make the right impression on Sienna Parker. She was the only woman in this city who deserved to be my friend, given her husband’s status as the second-richest man in the country.But why had everything gone so terribly wrong? Why was my past, the past I’d buried so deep, the past I’d spent twenty-three years running from, suddenly catching up with me?I felt suffocated throughout the entire dinner. Every word they said seemed to be directed at me, as if they were getting closer to the truth. Even my husband, Richard, added fuel to the fire, leaving me feeling anything but secure.He had been the one to point it out, to call Henry’s attention directly to Celeste.“She looks remarkably like your wife, doesn’t she?”Celeste was the spitting image of Sienna Parker, with the same green eyes, blonde hair, and delicate bone structure.

AmeliaI was beautiful, classy, and powerful. I’d always gotten everything I wanted, exactly when I wanted it.Nobody, and I mean nobody, had ever spoken to me the way Jace Monroe did tonight. Not in my entire life.He’d insulted me, called me cheap, and rejected me in front of both our families. All because of that pathetic, low-life girl who’d sat there in her borrowed elegance, pretending she belonged at the same table as people like us.And his father, Richard Monroe himself, had dared to compare my noble mother to his stepdaughter. What kind of audacity was that?Mother was born into wealth and status and raised in the finest circles. She was perfection. Nobody could compare to her. Yet Jace’s father had looked right at that girl and said she looked like Mother. As if that nobody could ever measure up. And my own father? He’d done nothing to defend me. Nothing to support me. He never did.He was always like this, blaming me for everything, treating me like I was the problem inste

AmeliaThe Next MorningI hadn’t slept a single minute.I’d spent the entire night pacing my bedroom, thinking, planning, replaying every moment of that horrible dinner. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. The more I thought about Celeste sitting there quietly with those green eyes that looked exactly like Mother’s, the more certain I became.That girl needed to disappear. And she needed to disappear soon—before any DNA test could confirm what my parents already believed in their hearts.I dressed carefully, choosing my most powerful outfit: a structured cream blazer, tailored black trousers, and my most expensive heels. I needed to look like what I was—the heir to the Parker empire.“Where are you going?” Mother’s voice came from the hallway as I descended the stairs, fully dressed and carrying my designer bag.I looked at her—the woman who wondered if a stranger was her real daughter. The woman who’d said I could feel it—she’s mine about Celeste. And now she was standing