CHAPTER 3: THE WOMAN WHO LIED
The revelation spread through the ballroom like wildfire.
Guests whispered. Phones came out. The gala had turned into something else entirely—a spectacle no one would forget.
But behind the scenes, in a private study lined with dark wood and silence, the truth began to unfold.
“You’re saying… I’m his daughter?” Clara asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Julian didn’t answer right away.
Instead, another voice did.
Cold. Controlled. Familiar.
“No,” said a woman from the doorway.
Clara turned.
A tall, elegant woman stepped into the room—Isabella Rivas.
Julian’s mother.
“That girl is nothing but a mistake that should have stayed buried,” Isabella continued.
Julian’s expression darkened. “Mother—”
“I handled this nineteen years ago,” Isabella snapped. “And I will not have it resurface now.”
Clara’s stomach dropped. “You… you knew?”
Isabella’s eyes flicked to her, devoid of warmth. “Your mother was paid to disappear. Clearly, she didn’t follow instructions as well as I thought.”
The words hit like a slap.
Julian stepped forward. “You’re lying.”
“Am I?” Isabella said calmly. “Then ask yourself—why was she never acknowledged? Why did your father never speak of her?”
May you like
Silence answered.
Because deep down, Julian already knew.
