She clutched at her own chest in a dramatic mixture of astonishment, panic, and disbelief, as though she was suffering a cardiac arrest. “You… You…”
Not a single line was uttered before she got her emotions in check and regarded Anthony calmly. “It’s just someone who looks like her. The real Sienna’s dead. That has been established even by the police. You’ve been fooled, my dear brother.”
The woman sounded so certain; she did not seem at all worried about flaws in her narrative.
Indeed, everything pertaining to the one who was declared deceased had been destroyed. There was nothing left that could be used to expose her.
As she was his kin, even a fool would know who Anthony would trust between the two of us. The fact that he allowed his own son to take the name of the Hall family was a case-in-point.
Gregory was preoccupied with the screen in his hands and only noticed me when the maid brought him some water. He sprung to life and immediately tried to run toward me with tablet in hand. Unfortunately, he was held back by the maid, who was concerned that he might disturb his own father, who was in the midst of some serious talk.
“I want to play with you, Ms. Stanhope!” the boy shouted as he fought to free himself from the maid’s grasp, shattering the silence in the otherwise quiet living room.
The maid grew increasingly anxious, as though the boy’s cry had just gotten her into major trouble. She kept trying to call for restraint from the young master of the house.
I could only speak out comfortingly, “Be a good boy, Greg, and wait there. I’ll come over to you when we’re done here!”
Gregory pursed his lips in reluctance but pliantly lowered his head. “Okay. I’ll stay put. You have to come quickly, Ms. Stanhope!”
An obedient and gentle child was especially endearing.
While the living room fell back into silence as soon as Gregory did, the mood had only grown considerably more awkward.
Joseph then passed along two copies of the paternity test report to Anthony, who received and swiftly slammed them down upon the coffee table in front of him. “Would you be so kind as to explain why you said Audrey was conceived between Sienna and another man, my dear sister!”
Tiffany looked so nerve-wracked as she swallowed hard. Her face turned green, and her teeth chattered. “I tried to fight for her custody, but the Stanhopes would not let her go. You were unwilling to back off, so I had no choice but to do this. I needed you to go all out for the lawsuit and bring our family’s successor back to us. The Stanhope family is likely to treat the girl well, so the arrangement assuages the enmity between the two families. It can also help you to forget someone you should not be missing, so what’s wrong with that?”
Tiffany eased out of her initial reticence and grew bolder over time.
Her tone turned increasingly forceful and haughty.
In contrast to Tiffany’s pretentiousness, Anthony was comparatively placid.
A pair of dark and staid eyes transfixed upon her. There were no emotions discernible upon his face. Toward the end, the corner of his lips lifted slightly, and the most subtle of movement from it was filled with scorn. “If memory serves, I believe that I have given you a chance before. What have you got to say for yourself?”
The woman’s face stiffened in an instant.
She looked upon Anthony in fear. “Were you suspicious from that day on? Have you distrusted me ever since you saw this woman, or have you never once believed me? If I had not done what I did, do you think we could have managed to get by peaceably all these years?”
There was finally some semblance of emotion on Anthony’s face as his eyes surged with boiling rage. “You’re right. I did forget a great many things, so I won’t talk about relationships. You can’t blame me for your lack of appreciation of the many chances I’ve offered you, Tiffany Hall.”
Tiffany reacted as though she just got swiped across the face. She fell back to slump into the couch, rendered speechless.
She probably had not expected that Anthony’s indifference would supersede even their blood ties.
However, it was clear from the resolve in his voice that there was no way back for them.
She remained in a state of shock momentarily before she regarded Anthony indignantly. “You’ve been bewitched by these people!”
She suddenly cast an accusing finger in my direction and howled, “Never mind that this woman has Sienna’s face. Even if she is Sienna herself, Dad will not have let her near you. I admit that I was wrong to lie to you, but do you distrust your own father as well? If not for Sienna’s promiscuity, the Hall family would not have had to leave our home behind. Have you already forgotten everything Dad told you?”
It grew increasingly apparent that the motionless Anthony could no longer stand the sight of her.
Joseph read his sentiments. He shot a glance over to his men, and someone came up to forcibly escort Tiffany out a heartbeat later.
Even if they were family, it was Anthony who ultimately wielded power. His acquiescence earlier was out of a desire to avoid being calculating.
The living room returned to a state of tranquility with the exit of Tiffany.
Anthony unexpectedly turned to Marcus. His eyes darkened, and the laughter he let out was unnerving. “I happened to bump into two of your old friends, Mr. White. Let’s show them in.”
With that, he snapped his fingers. A bodyguard brought a woman and a boy of age six or seven in through the side door.
The woman’s cheeks were sallow and pallid; she wore only thin long sleeves on such a chilly day. She was so frail that she looked like she could be bowled over anytime by a gust of wind.
The boy was in humble children’s clothing and seemed uncomfortable in the presence of strangers. The mother and son pair huddled together as they eyed their surroundings warily.
The expression on the woman’s face froze when her gaze fell upon Marcus. She stood rooted to the spot, and her frazzled eyes started to well up with tears.
The brows of the usually composed Marcus furrowed, and he appeared conflicted.
Anthony’s portentous voice rang out anew with a hint of levity. “According to this lady, she’s your wife and the boy your biological son. So I’m curious, Mr. White, as to how you became engaged to be married to Sienna under these circumstances? Was she aware of this?”
Wife and son?
Even though I knew Marcus had some secrets of his own, I was truly baffled at the information Anthony had revealed.
My feelings towards Marcus were purely platonic. If he had been married before, I could still accept it. However, I couldn’t accept the fact that Marcus was wealthy while his wife was living a difficult life, poor as a church mouse.
Maybe I should stand by Marcus’ side and wait till the truth is revealed, but the dumbfounded look on his face told me enough.
Marcus ignored Anthony’s words and stomped towards the woman and child. He glared at her as he grabbed her wrist to take her and her child away.
Joseph immediately blocked his way, realizing Marcus’ intention.
Anthony sat on the couch impassively as he watched the scene unfold. “Mr. White, we’re not done here yet. You haven’t admitted to the relationship between you and this mother and child, yet you wanted to take them away from my house? Are you disrespecting me in my own house?”
Marcus gritted his teeth and reluctantly looked at me. He finally released a deep sigh and admitted, “As you said, I’m her husband and the father of her child.”
He recovered his usual arrogant composure after a brief pause. “Can I take them away now?”
Anthony finally let out a smile in satisfaction and gestured his subordinates to clear the way.
Marcus took two steps, then halted. As he turned to look at me, his eyes were filled with apology. He was apprehensive but still left with them.
Once the trio had left, Anthony composed his expression. Joseph left with the rest of the subordinates after he had passed a document to the man.
Only Anthony and I remained in the spacious living room after that.
The man swung his gaze towards me. I could feel his solemn aura pressuring me to speak.
Unable to withstand the discomfort further, I said, “Mr. Featherstone?”
Anthony replied, “It looks like Ms. Stanhope doesn’t have a fiancé anymore.”
Huh? Is he being sarcastic?
“I don’t understand what you’re implying.” Anthony should have some basic respect for Marcus despite them not seeing eye to eye.
Let’s first put aside the moral aspect of Marcus’ actions. Can Anthony admit honestly that he didn’t have the least bit of malicious intent when he exposed Marcus in public?
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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