Chapter 8 - The Secret Revealed
Evelyn stood rigid, her jaw clenched tight enough to crack teeth. She glared at the documents, then at Amelia, her eyes burning with a dark, desperate pride.
"You told everyone I was dead," Amelia continued, pressing the advantage, refusing to let the matriarch spin another lie. "You told the press that Victoria lost one of the twins during childbirth."
"Because it was necessary!" Evelyn suddenly snapped, her voice echoing loudly.
The admission hung in the air, a devastating confirmation. Isabella let out a choked sob, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Why?" Isabella pleaded, staring at the woman who had controlled every aspect of her life. "Why would you do that?"
Evelyn turned to Isabella, her expression hardening. "Your parents were foolish. Your father, Jonathan, had nearly bankrupted the family with his ridiculous philanthropic ventures. And then, the car accident."
The accident. The tragedy that had defined Isabella's life. Her father had died on impact; her pregnant mother had been rushed to the hospital, giving birth prematurely before succumbing to her injuries a week later.
"The company was on the verge of total collapse," Evelyn justified, her voice cold, calculating. "We were drowning in debt. The board of directors was circling like vultures. Raising one heiress was an immense financial and public relations burden. Raising two? Splitting the inheritance? Dividing the public sympathy and the control of the company? It would have destroyed the Hartley legacy entirely."
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Amelia stared at her, horrified by the cold mathematics of the explanation. "So you just... threw me away? Like a bad investment?"
"I chose the stronger child!" Evelyn barked, pointing a manicured finger at Isabella. "Isabella weighed more. She was healthier. I gave you to Thomas because he was a quiet, loyal man who couldn't have children. I gave you a life. You should be grateful!"
