Chapter 215: Chapter 215: She Is an Illegitimate Daughter
In the end, Alice York didn’t tell Wyatt Sterling about her origins.
She had made up her mind. She would act as if she never knew. She was still Mindy Vaughn’s daughter who had recovered from a serious illness all those years ago, still the "Little Girl" her grandparents doted on and cared for.
As for Ian Bishop being bailed out, Wyatt Sterling hadn’t elaborated, so Alice assumed the matter would be put to rest for the time being.
She never expected it.
The next morning, she had just gotten out of bed when she received a call from an unknown number.
"Miss Alice."
That familiar tone... who could it be but Ian Bishop?!
"Recognize my voice?" Ian Bishop spoke slowly. "Surprised, are you? That I got out so quickly. Wyatt Sterling’s little tricks couldn’t hold me."
"Is that so? Well, since you’re out, try to be a decent person."
If she hadn’t already known since last night that Ian had been bailed out, Alice wouldn’t have been so calm receiving this call.
Ian wasn’t angry. Instead, he asked, "Is this Miss York’s way of showing concern for me?"
The corner of Alice’s mouth twitched. "I wouldn’t call it concern. We’re not close. But my Third Uncle will certainly ’take care’ of you."
Ian chuckled. "Ah, Third Master Sterling. Didn’t he leave early this morning?"
"..."
This man was watching her apartment. He knew their every move. How else would he know Wyatt Sterling left early in the morning, and that he’d called her just a few minutes after Wyatt had gone?
’I thought it was a coincidence, but now it seems it’s not that simple.’
"Out with it. What do you really want?" Alice gripped her phone, her knuckles turning white, as she patiently played along.
Ian’s tone was unhurried. "It seems Miss York has a poor memory."
Alice suddenly fell silent.
’So, Ian was calling to remind me that yesterday wasn’t over. Arranging for me to go abroad wasn’t just talk.’
"Has Miss York remembered now?" Ian was full of patience. "If you really can’t recall, I can repeat what I said yesterday for you. How about it?"
Alice stopped playing games with him and stated clearly, "I’m not leaving the country."
’And why should I? If I bring my grandparents here to take care of them, I refuse to believe these people will hound me to the bitter end.’
"Fine. Then let’s not talk about leaving the country. Let’s talk about your origins." As he said this, Ian’s tone was brimming with confidence. "Aren’t you the least bit curious about where you come from?"
Alice’s breath caught. She shuffled to the window in her slippers. "What do you know?"
Ian said, "Don’t be nervous, Miss York. My sincerity is on full display. It’s mainly up to you whether you want to talk with me or not."
"Talk? Isn’t this all just about getting me to leave the country? Let me tell you, I’m not going." Alice was rational and calm. "As for the secret of my birth, you can savor it yourself. I don’t care about it as much as you think. That’s all. Don’t call again."
Having made her stance clear and said all that needed to be said, Alice prepared to hang up.
But just then, a sentence came from the receiver— "Your biological father is a high-ranking, powerful official."
Alice froze, her fingertip hovering over the screen, hesitating to press the ’end call’ button.
Ian continued, "And you are his illegitimate daughter. Back then, your father nearly fell from power. Your existence was exposed, which is why you were trafficked to the remote Rhovan City and abandoned."
Alice’s grip on the phone tightened.
"To put it bluntly, your mother was just a mistress, a homewrecker who latched onto a man of power. They want to drive you out of the country so you don’t come back one day and tarnish your father’s reputation. Do you understand now why I was bailed out so easily? It’s because the power behind me is beyond your wildest imagination."
Ian spoke slowly and deliberately, ensuring Alice could hear and remember every single word.
Her silence was the best response she could give him.
"We originally had no intention of finding you again. Unfortunately, that old couple couldn’t keep their mouths shut and insisted on telling you the secret of your birth. This whole affair was supposed to end with you leaving the country."
With things laid out this plainly, what was there for Alice not to understand?
Still, she wanted to ask with her own voice, "It’s my biological father who can’t tolerate my existence, right?"
This time, Ian didn’t answer.
Because silence is often the best answer.
Alice suddenly let out a choked laugh. It caught in her throat, almost going down the wrong pipe. Perhaps her throat hadn’t fully healed, as she followed it with a few more coughs.
This truth wasn’t much different from hearing she’d been abandoned. In short, the people who shared her blood didn’t love her. They never had. They went to great lengths to discard her, and went to great lengths to stop her from returning, terrified that her existence would become a stain on their name.
"I understand," she said softly. "But I’m still not leaving the country."
"In that case..."
She thought Ian would follow up with more threats, but she wasn’t afraid. ’They don’t acknowledge me, and I don’t acknowledge them. What right do they have to threaten me?’
But Alice didn’t expect that not only would Ian refrain from threats, he would actually relent. "I just asked for the lady’s opinion. She said that since you insist on not leaving the country, she won’t force you against your will. However, she wants to meet you."
"Which lady?" Alice asked calmly.
"The official’s wife."
’Oh, so his father’s original, legal wife.’
’Logically, I’m the product of a mistress, living proof that the high-ranking official cheated on his wife. Wouldn’t seeing me just disgust her?’
"No need to be so puzzled. The lady wants to see you because she needs you to give her a guarantee."
Alice asked, "You want me to promise I’ll never disturb her family, right?"
"Correct."
Alice let out a small laugh. "Just tell her not to worry. I will never, ever have any such intentions."
But Ian said, "If you don’t meet the lady, then you leave the country."
"..."
’So in the end, it’s still a threat.’
’I’ve really had enough of this.’
"When is the meeting?" she asked.
"No rush. After you’ve finished your business in Arden, we’ll come to pick you up personally. Also, you are not to speak of your origins to anyone. After all, it concerns ’his’ identity."
The call ended there. Alice gripped her phone and stared out the window, silent for a long time. She had finally learned the truth of her birth, but she didn’t feel the slightest bit of relief. Instead, she was overwhelmed with frustration.
A high-ranking official for a father.
An official’s wife.
A mistress for a mother.
And her, the abandoned daughter.
More than twenty years had passed. Things were completely different now. Yet they were still worried she would tarnish the high-ranking official’s reputation, even wanting to banish her from the country...
「At the same time.」
Felix Hawthorne was on his way to meet Wyatt Sterling when he suddenly received a call from the Capital.
He frowned, swiped to answer, and said, "Aunt."
"Felix, I couldn’t get through to Gemma’s phone just now. Do you know what’s going on?"
The voice on the other end was Wendy Jacobs, Gemma Garland’s full-blooded sister.
Compared to Gemma Garland’s commanding and spirited presence, her sister Wendy Jacobs had the gentle beauty of a southern belle, and even her voice was soft and tender.
Felix Hawthorne took off his glasses and set them on his lap. "I’m not in Arden right now, so I’m not sure what’s happening. I’ll ask around for you."
Wendy Jacobs agreed, then asked, "Are you on another business trip, Felix?"
