Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Don’t regret not trusting me
I watched as his gaze snapped to the piece of paper lying on the table, his eyes widening in realization before he slowly lifted his head to meet my eyes.
"Where did you get this?"
"I have my ways."
"How would I know that you didn’t forge this?" He questioned, the words that left his lips coated in a thick layer of venom.
"Forge?" I repeated mockingly. "If I really wanted to forge these documents, I would have done a much better job than presenting you with a single piece of paper."
The scowl on his face deepened. Creases formed across his forehead as his hand tightened around the document. The atmosphere between us grew heavier by the second, thick with tension and suspicion.
Then I leaned back in my chair and delivered the final blow. "I’m guessing you didn’t know about this, huh?"
His jaw clenched, and I watched his expression hardened.
My lips curled into a faint smile. "Don’t you find it strange that your precious wife and daughter took out such a massive insurance policy under your name?"
For a moment, he didn’t answer. The silence was deafening. I watched his eyes scan the document again and again, as if hoping the words would somehow rearrange themselves into something less horrifying.
"They wouldn’t—"
"Wouldn’t what?" I cut in sharply. "Lie to you? Manipulate you? Use you?"
His face darkened. "Watch your mouth, Evelyn Hart."
"Why? Because I’m saying something you don’t want to hear? The policy was updated just two months ago. The beneficiaries are Jessica and Eleanor. If something happened to you tomorrow, they would walk away with millions."
His fingers visibly trembled, his body visibly stiffened. "No. There’s no way."
"No?" I echoed. "Then explain why they increased the payout amount. Explain why the coverage was expanded. Explain why your signature appears on paperwork that you claim you’ve never seen before."
His breathing grew uneven, and a flustered expression crossed his face. "They wouldn’t do that to me," he muttered, though it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself. "They wouldn’t."
I laughed softly. "That’s not what this piece of paper says." His mouth opened then fell closed again. "They are not as innocent as you think."
"I don’t believe you. I give them everything they need, everything they want, why would they do this to me? They have no reason to!"
"Oh, but they have every reason to. Why wait for the scraps you give them when they could get anything they want with the millions of dollars if you die?" I asked, watching his expression crumble under the weight of my words. "Still think they wouldn’t do it?"
"I—"
"First, they take over the Hart Group, then they inherit all your wealth after staging a little accident. Sounds like the perfect fool proof plan, doesn’t it?"
Doubt flashed past his features for a split second before it was replaced with a scowl. "You are just trying to get in between us because the you hate to see that the Hart Group is flourishing."
I scoffed inwardly.
Flourishing? Since when had he become so delusional? I bet spending all that time with Jessica and Lucas probably rubbed off onto him. I opened my mouth to speak but before I could get a word out, a familiar high pitched voice sliced through the thick tension that hung in the air.
"What do you think you are doing?"
I lifted my head, my eyes immediately landed on my stepmother who was already stomping over towards me. She stopped just a few steps away, her gaze burning right through mine. Before I could react, her palm came down on my cheek, striking me hard.
Gasps erupted from the surrounding people as they watched with curious stares, and whispers began to fill the space.
"Are you trying to spout nonsense in front of him?" She accused, each word that left her lips dripping with venom. "Who said you can talk to him?"
An incredulous laughter left my lips. Was I hearing this right?
Without hesitation, I too, raised my arm and landed a tight slap across her face, catching her by surprise.
"Evelyn Hart!" My father bellowed. "You apologize to your mother right this second," he demanded through gritted teeth.
"I don’t have a mother like her," I retorted, my expression remained cold and indifferent. "The only mother I had died more than 20 years ago."
Beside him, her hand flew to her reddened cheek as she stared back at me, a mixture of shock and anger swirling in the depths of her eyes. "Did you just slap me?" She sneered.
A satisfied smile slowly spread across my face. "What did it look like? Do you need me to demonstrate it again for you once more?"
"You!"
"I didn’t know that I needed permission to talk to my father? Do I need to report to you and set up an appointment to see him now?"
"I...I..." she stuttered, as if caught off guard by the sharpness in my tone. Clearing her throat audibly, she straightened her posture, puffing out her chest and jutting her chin towards me. "Did you forget about what happened at the gala? Your father disowned you. He doesn’t want you anymore."
First, it was Lucas. Now it was Eleanor. Of course, they were more than happy to remind me of my demise and misery. But I remained unfazed. A slight smile tugged at the corners of my lips as I kept my voice steady, my eyes never once leaving hers.
I took a step towards her, forcing her to step back. "Why can’t I meet my own father? Is there something you are afraid of? Like perhaps you are afraid that he would find out what you have been up to lately?"
Her eyes grew wide, surprise flashed past her sharp features for a brief second. "What are you...what are you talking about?" She stuttered, stumbling over her own words, panic laced her words.
She turned to my father this time, curling her perfectly manicured fingers around his forearm. "Whatever she told you, don’t listen to her. She’s just trying to break us apart." Her gaze snapped to me, disdain carved into her features. "I bet she’s trying to ruin our relationship and destroy the Hart Group," she snarled, spitting the words out like they were poison in her mouth.
I watched as my father turned to face her, his expression softened instantly when his gaze met hers. He patted her hand gently, letting a small smile graced his lips. "I know, I know. I wouldn’t let her get her way."
Eleanor’s expression finally relaxed upon hearing his reassurance as she let out a breath. Then her attention was now fixated on me, her eyes narrowing into thin slits as she pinned me with a glare. "You hear that, Evelyn? He wouldn’t believe a word from you even if you were to speak till you run out of saliva. So whatever that is that you are thinking, just forget it."
I could see the triumphant glint in her eyes, thinking that she had won as she clung onto my father’s shirt tighter than before.
I tilted my head to the side. "Are you sure about that?" My gaze dipped to the document that was still lying on the table. "What if he finds out something he isn’t supposed to know?"
Her gaze followed mine, until it landed on the table. "What is that?" she asked carefully.
Her eyes darted between us before finally settling on the document again. A flicker of panic crossed her features, and I watched as the colour drained from her face as she visibly stiffened.
My lips curled. "Oh? You recognize it?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about," she snapped, but I didn’t miss the tremble in her voice.
"Oh, really? I think you know exactly what I am talking about? Why don’t you go ahead and tell us what you think it is?" I challenged.
She swiftly grabbed the paper off the table, staring at it as the thin piece of paper crumple at the edges from how tight she was gripping it. Silence descended upon us, and watched the doubt creep into my father’s features.
"If you don’t know, maybe I can help you with it," I offered with a grin. "It’s a insurance policy on my father. And it seems like you and your daughter are the beneficiaries. Isn’t that interesting?"
"They are fake!" She immediately yelled out and pointed an accusing finger directly at me. "You...you must have fabricated it just to get back at us after what happened!"
A cold chuckle left my lips.
She immediately turned to my father, desperation laced her voice as she tugged at his arm. "Don’t believe her, you know I would never do something like this. Jessica and I wouldn’t have done this to you!" Her eyes began to glisten with unshed tears.
He slowly reached up, his thumb catching a stray tear. "It’s okay, I told you, I trust you. Don’t worry."
She sniffled. "You are the best, Alexander."
I scoffed, my gaze snapped to my father before I turned to leave.
"Don’t regret it when one day you find yourself losing everything."
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