The Billionaire's True Heiress From Fake Jewel to Real Crown novel Chapter 375

“Ever since I found out she wasn’t really part of the James family, I started arguing with her all the time...” Over time, Lance found himself paying more and more attention to Claire, until it got out of hand. His feelings grew into something he couldn’t admit out loud.

He knew that if he confessed his feelings for Claire before finding his real sister, his family would erupt. There was no way his parents would allow them to be together. Even if he did manage to find his biological sister, things wouldn’t work unless Claire was completely separated from the James family. His parents had practically raised her as their own daughter. To them, she’d always be family, and they’d probably marry her off just to gain an advantage somewhere else.

Lance thought he knew his parents well. He believed his plan was foolproof. All he had to do was get Claire out of the family, show her how tough life could be, make her see the comfort she left behind... and then show up just in time to save her. He wanted her to see him, finally, not as a brother, but as a man. He convinced himself she’d come running to him.

Except, instead of pulling her closer, he just kept pushing her further away.

“So, you tried to make her desperate, never asking yourself if she even liked you to begin with, or bothering to wonder whether her real family actually needed the money,” Latham said, shooting Lance a disappointed look. “Claire walked away and made twenty million on her first day back. She was never trapped, and she definitely doesn’t need you to lean on.”

Looking at his son, Latham just shook his head with a sigh. Lance wasn’t clueless—he just made too many assumptions. If it had been up to Latham, he’d have revealed Claire’s true identity but kept her in the family, treating her well and patiently winning her over with kindness. And if that didn’t work, he could’ve always counted on loyalty or gratitude to keep her close.

Now, though, Lance had outsmarted himself.

“Lance, is it really Claire you want? Is she the only one for you?” Latham asked, suddenly serious.

Lance saw how grave his dad looked and didn’t dare lie. “Yeah. I like her a lot.”

“But...” Lance hesitated. Claire was the James family’s adopted daughter. If he pursued her openly and actually married her, how would people talk? Would the elders in the family even accept it? Sure, his grandma liked Claire, but would she really give them her blessing?

“Don’t let other people’s opinions decide your life. If I’d worried that much, I never would have married your mother,” Latham said, looking oddly content with himself. He’d always followed his own heart. If he’d listened to his own mother, he never would have brought Octavia into their family. Pandora hadn’t given him much trouble. As long as her sons didn’t make a scene in front of her, she really didn’t care who they married.

“Dad, I’ll give it everything I’ve got,” Lance replied, finally understanding what his father was really saying.

He started to leave, but something made him pause and turn back around. “Dad, do you really like Claire? Do you honestly want her to stay in the family... or is it just because she’s the owner of Hearth & Kettle?”