Chapter 17 — The Poisoned Promise
The rain outside the abandoned church grew heavier.
But inside, Alex heard only one thing.
Poisoned.
His mother's death was not an accident.
Not a tragic consequence of a car crash.
Not fate.
Someone had made a choice.
Someone had decided Elizabeth Ashford would never tell the world the truth.
Alex stared at Emma.
"Who was beside her?"
Emma remained silent.
That silence was worse than any answer.
"Tell me."
Her eyes softened.
"Are you sure you want to know?"
Alex laughed bitterly.
"I've spent my entire life believing lies. I think I can handle the truth."
Emma looked at the documents.
"Your father was there."
Alex froze.
"No."
"He was."
"He loved her."
Emma nodded.
"Yes."
"Then why?"
"Because love doesn't always defeat fear."
Alex turned away.
His hands tightened.
Again.
His father.
The man who raised him.
The man who protected him.
The man who destroyed everything.
But something didn't make sense.
"Why would he poison her?"
Emma shook her head.
"I didn't say he did."
Alex turned back.
"What?"
Emma looked at him.
"I said he was there."
A pause.
"Someone wanted you to believe Richard was guilty."
The room became silent.
"Then who?"
Emma looked at him.
"The same person who erased my existence."
At the Ashford Estate, Claire discovered Alex had disappeared.
The moment she saw the note missing from his desk, she knew.
Emma had contacted him.
She immediately called him.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Richard entered the office.
"You know where he went."
Claire looked at him.
"Yes."
"Where?"
She hesitated.
Richard understood.
"Emma."
Claire nodded.
Richard closed his eyes.
"I was afraid this day would come."
Claire looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because Emma doesn't want justice."
A pause.
"She wants punishment."
At the church, Alex confronted Emma.
"You brought me here because you wanted me to hate my father."
Emma smiled sadly.
"No."
"Then what do you want?"
She looked toward the old altar.
"I want you to know the truth before someone else changes it."
Alex studied her.
"You've been watching us."
"Yes."
"You were at the mansion."
"Yes."
"You were the one who sent Victoria."
Emma looked away.
A small pause.
"Yes."
Alex's expression hardened.
"You destroyed my wife's life."
"No."
Her voice became sharp.
"I exposed what was already there."
Alex stepped closer.
"Claire was humiliated."
Emma looked at him.
"Claire survived worse."
That stopped him.
Because it was true.
Claire had carried fifteen years of pain silently.
Emma continued:
"Do you know why your wife became a maid?"
Alex said nothing.
"Because she was looking for the person who killed your mother."
A pause.
"She entered your house to find a murderer."
Alex froze.
"Claire knew?"
Emma nodded.
"She suspected."
"Then why didn't she tell me?"
Emma looked at him.
"Because she found out something worse."
"What?"
Emma's voice dropped.
"Your mother wasn't killed because of the financial crimes."
A long silence.
"She was killed because she discovered who Alex Ashford really was."
Alex frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Emma stepped closer.
"Your birth records were changed."
The words hit him.
"What?"
Emma handed him a file.
May you like
"Your real father isn't Richard Ashford."
The world seemed to stop.
