Was it you?” Harlan stared at me, his eyes nearly popping out.
“Don’t listen to her! She’s just putting on an act! She’s trying to deceive us…” Lana’s words were cut off by an urgent phone call. “What do you mean there’s something wrong with the goods? Didn’t we double–check everything?”
Then, Harlan’s phone rang too.
“What?! Illegal substances were found and seized? Didn’t I specifically tell
you not to
Yasmine wasn’t spared either as she was responsible for the group’s finances. “Fifty million? How can we owe that much? We only borrowed five million! What have you people been doing?!”
At that moment, a group of men in suits, all wearing ties, rushed into the hall. The man leading them, dressed in a black suit, introduced himself as a representative attorney for a certain bank.
“Sorry, Mr. Thorne, your group has now been declared bankrupt. We need to seize all
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Chapter 11
the assets under your name. We appreciate your cooperation.”
Harlan panicked and rushed toward me, shouting angrily, “Did you do this? Are you trying to take me down? Is this your revenge on me?”
Before he could get any closer, Stephen punched him, knocking him to the ground. Who gave you the right to yell at
the right to yell at my mom?”
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Lana tried to strike me, but intimidated by Stephen’s authority, she dared not approach. “We’ve never had anything against you. At least, for the sake of raising Yasmine for over ten years, don’t take this too far. Let us go peacefully!”
Yasmine regained her composure, but with her pride, she couldn’t bring herself to beg for mercy. “Hmph, why are you pleading with someone like her? If she can have an illegitimate child, what despicable thing is she incapable of? I—”
Before she could finish, Stephen slapped her across the face!
“I may not hit women, but I make an exception for animals! Even though Mom adopted me, she always treated you well, letting you live in a villa and never mistreating you. How dare you say such hurtful things to her?”
At this point, Lana finally realized and couldn’t control her trembling. “So, you were adopted…”
I nodded, affirming Stephen’s words. “Actually, when Yasmine was five months old, I already knew she was your daughter.”
“Then, why didn’t you say anything back then?” Lana screamed, breaking down.
I bent down, looking at her in disbelief, and smiled slowly. “Where’s the fun in that? I wanted to see you climb to the top, only to fall from the highest point and shatter into pieces. That’s much more satisfying!”
With that, I clapped my hands.
The police finally arrived, fashionably late.
I pointed at the fallen Harlan and Lana. “These two are suspected of trafficking my child. I’ve sent all the evidence over to you. Now, please take them away!”
As Lana screamed, Harlan viciously lashed out, “Dana, I love you! This is all Lana’s fault. She incited me. I didn’t know anything. Your son was not breathing when he was born. It’s not my fault!”
I closed my eyes and stopped listening to their screams.
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Chapter 11
Later, I heard that Lana and Harlan were sentenced to twenty years imprisonment while Yasmine, with her minimal involvement, was only stripped of all her assets. Accustomed to a life of luxury, she chose a path of no return.
Eventually, the news reported her frozen body, scarred and battered, lying lifeless in the snow.
Stephen quietly accepted the paraiba tourmaline pendant I had sent him. Although my real son was no longer in this world, it didn’t matter. For the rest of my life, I would wander the world for him and savor the beauty of this vast land.
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