Chapter 1: The Gift That Changed Everything
Chapter 1: The Gift That Changed Everything
A stunned silence swept across the garden.
Even the string quartet had stopped playing.
Chloe stared at Arthur, unable to breathe.
"What did you say?"
Arthur adjusted his cufflinks as though he had merely commented on the weather.
"I said Valerie is carrying the child who will inherit the Vance legacy."
"No," Julian whispered.
"Father, stop."
Arthur ignored him.
"You should have accepted the settlement months ago, Chloe. Instead, you insisted on becoming part of this family."
Sarah stood protectively beside Chloe.
"You just assaulted a pregnant woman."
Arthur barely acknowledged her.
"My attorneys can handle that."
Marcus suddenly spoke.
"No, they can't."
Everyone turned.
The event planner slowly pulled another item from the torn gift bag.
A sealed envelope.
Arthur's confident expression faltered.
"You forgot there were two copies."
Inside was a notarized agreement.
Across the top, in bold letters, were the words:
Confidential Paternity Trust.
Julian's signature appeared on the final page.
"So..." Chloe whispered.
"You knew."
Julian closed his eyes.
May you like
"I signed it."
"But not because Valerie's child is mine."
