Chapter 9 — The Forgotten Son
The man walked into the ballroom like he belonged there.
Because according to him...
he did.
"My name is Alexander Hayes."
Daniel stared.
"No."
Alexander smiled.
"You spent your whole life believing you were the only heir."
He looked around.
"Everyone did."
Richard's face showed something Emily had never seen before.
Regret.
Deep regret.
"Leave."
Alexander laughed.
"Still giving orders?"
The guests watched silently.
Nobody knew what to believe anymore.
Daniel looked at his father.
"Is this true?"
Richard didn't answer.
That was the answer.
Daniel's face changed.
Pain replaced anger.
"How could you hide this from me?"
Richard looked away.
"Because I made a mistake."
Alexander stepped forward.
"No."
His voice became bitter.
"You made a choice."
The room went quiet.
"My mother worked for this family for twenty years."
Emily listened carefully.
Alexander continued.
"She loved your father."
Richard closed his eyes.
"Alexander..."
But the man continued.
"When she became pregnant, he abandoned her."
Daniel looked shocked.
"I didn't know."
"Of course you didn't."
Alexander laughed.
"You were the perfect son."
He looked at Daniel.
"The one who got everything."
Then he looked at Emily.
"And I was the mistake they buried."
Emily felt something unexpected.
For the first time...
she saw pain behind the revenge.
Alexander wasn't just a villain.
He was someone who had spent his entire life angry.
But pain didn't excuse what he had done.
Daniel stepped forward.
"Did Victoria find you?"
Alexander smiled.
"She found me."
"And convinced you to steal my company?"
Alexander looked at Victoria.
The bride smiled.
"We helped each other."
Emily suddenly understood.
Victoria needed someone who looked like Daniel.
Someone who could sign.
Someone who could appear in videos.
Someone who could destroy him.
And Alexander needed access to the family that rejected him.
A perfect partnership.
Except there was one problem.
They underestimated one person.
Emily.
Victoria noticed her expression.
"What?"
Emily slowly raised her phone.
Everyone looked.
The recording app was still open.
Alexander's eyes narrowed.
"You recorded everything."
Emily nodded.
"Yes."
Victoria's face changed.
"No."
Emily smiled for the first time that night.
"Yes."
Because the entire confession...
every word...
every admission...
had been captured.
Victoria moved forward.
But Daniel stepped between them.
"Don't touch her."
The room froze.
Because for the first time...
Daniel wasn't protecting Victoria.
He was protecting Emily.
Victoria stared at him.
And whispered:
"You really have no idea what you're about to lose."
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her confident expression disappeared.
Because the caller was someone unexpected.
Someone who could destroy her completely.
May you like
The name on the screen was:
Emily Carter's mother.
