Joe stared blankly at the evidence in front of him, completely frozen.
Victoria Adams... Victoria Adams...
Selina’s mother... was named Victoria Adams?
Why was the name so close to Victoria Hill? Why did Victoria Adams also happen to be a designer? Could they be the same person?
But if they were the same person... then what did that make Angelica?
No. That couldn’t be.
Could it?
"Kyle, Kyle! You’re just in time!"
Joe looked at his son like he’d found a lifeline. "Come take a look at this. Do you think... we might’ve made a mistake?" freeweɓnovel.cøm
"Dad." Kyle’s throat tightened the second he saw what was on Joe’s screen.
He was terrified of being found out. If Joe discovered that he’d known all along and had kept it from him, the consequences would be severe.
But Angelica had been through so much already. If they abandoned her now, Morris Family would look heartless. Besides, Selina was doing well. Even without Morris Family, she was thriving. That meant they had to stand by Angelica.
Kyle forced down his guilt and said stiffly, "Dad, I was actually coming to talk to you about this... I saw the name Victoria Adams too, and I was shocked at first, so I looked into it. Turns out it’s just someone with the same name..."
If Selina was really his sister, that meant Victoria Adams was their biological mother.
He wasn’t unwilling to acknowledge them. But the timing... wasn’t right. Surely Selina and her mother would understand.
Kyle repeated that logic to himself until it sounded acceptable. Then he added:
"Dad, Angelica is your daughter. You shouldn’t doubt that. Didn’t we already run the tests back then? And... even if Selina really were your daughter, why wouldn’t she say anything? Why walk away from the Morris Family?"
Joe sat down slowly, Selina’s face flashing through his mind.
A sharp pang of regret tightened in his chest.
Things between Selina and the Morris Family had turned so sour recently... if she really was his daughter, he might’ve already lost her forever.
So as much as part of him feared the truth, another part clung to the hope that maybe... they hadn’t made a mistake after all.
Kyle, having settled his father, let out a quiet breath and went to find Angelica.
"Brother..."
Angelica’s tears streamed down her cheeks. "Did Dad say anything? I know I shouldn’t have said bad things behind Selina’s back, but that’s just how she is—she’ll do whatever it takes to get what she wants. I was just trying to protect—"
"Don’t worry, Angelica. Dad and I both believe in you."
Kyle’s voice was conflicted. "Just stay home and keep a low profile for now. Morris Family will take care of everything."
But behind Angelica’s tear-streaked face, a flicker of darkness stirred.
They’d managed to fool Joe this time. But what about next time?
As long as Selina was around, she was a threat.
Angelica needed a plan...
At the Perry Estate.
With eldest daughter Anna deceased, adoptive daughter Amelia married into the Reid Family, and the matriarch stepping away from family business, control of Perry Family had landed in the hands of two illegitimate sons: Mr. Perry the Second and Mr. Perry the Fourth.
[Reader Note: In the Perry family, the titles "the Second" and "the Fourth" don’t refer to generations. They’re not grandfather and grandson—they’re brothers. These ordinal titles are just family ranks, based on the order of birth among siblings.]
With Mr. Perry the Second away on business, only Grandpa Perry and Mr. Perry the Fourth’s family were still at home.
"This is the designer Mrs. Perry the Fourth just hired," Logan suddenly cut in, tossing a document onto Grandpa Perry’s desk, his voice flat. "Here’s where the problem started."
"That designer was Owen’s recommendation! You’re just targeting Owen because you can’t stand him. Our Owen is this family’s darling—"
"A notorious plagiarist," Logan interrupted coolly. "Fired at least once a year. Blacklisted in the industry. Nobody will touch him—except Perry Group, who just had to bring him in as their head designer."
He leaned back slightly. "Didn’t realize it was Owen’s guy before. Now that I do, it all makes sense."
Selina: "..."
He barely said a word until now, and when he did, he practically detonated the room. Mrs. Perry the Fourth was almost hyperventilating.
Selina added sarcastically, "Look at that, Mrs. Perry. You just admitted the designer was Owen’s pick. You really think his people are going to take orders from Logan?"
The servants around them kept their heads down, silent.
Everyone knew this was on the shady designer. Given how Mrs. Perry the Fourth had just blamed Logan, Grandpa Perry’s face turned stormy. But apologizing? Out of the question.
"That’s enough. This discussion’s over."
Mrs. Perry the Fourth panicked, "Dad, how can we just leave it like this? Wh-what about the company?! Logan’s friends with Rowan, isn’t he? Can’t he—"
"A few months without me, and the Perry Family’s turned into a bunch of useless fools?"
A crisp voice rang out.
Riley stepped in, supporting Grandma Perry, who entered with her head held high and a sharp, sweeping gaze.
"Logan. Selina. Come here."
Selina wasn’t surprised Grandma Perry had shown up.
But... what was Riley doing here?
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