Chapter 356
Chapter 356:
“I’m telling you the truth,” Harold said, his voice trembling, raw with the weight of years lost. “My daughter was taken from me the day she was born. You…” He gestured helplessly, his hand shaking. “You’re her. You look just like your mother. If you don’t believe me, we can do a test. Just—please, don’t walk away.” His eyes brimmed with desperation, a man clutching at the fraying edges of hope.
This was his miracle, standing right in front of him, and he wasn’t going to let her slip away without a fight.
Bella’s heart skipped, then thudded hard in her chest. Could this man’s words hold even a grain of truth? No. Impossible. There was no universe where this pitiful man could be her biological father.
In her childhood fantasies, her real parents were titans of industry or aristocracy—richer, more powerful than the Harris family.
Bella had actually dreamed of being the secret heir to an empire. If that were true, she might have considered embracing them.
But this? A penniless vagrant who looked like he hadn’t seen a decent meal or a comb in years?
No. She wouldn’t even entertain the idea. Her life now was too perfect to risk.
The Harris family’s affection for Yelena might sting, but they still gave Bella everything—status, luxury, and security.
Why would she jeopardize all that?
“Move,” Bella said, her voice sharp as ice. Her words cut with practiced cruelty. “If you keep pestering me, I’ll call the police p>
Harold’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t step aside. “My dear, listen to me—please. I am your father p>
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She paused just long enough to deliver a scathing glance, the corner of her mouth curling in disdain. “My father?” she said with a mocking laugh. “My father isn’t some broke loser.” She turned on her heel and started walking. The nerve of this man to make such false claims! Did he even look at himself in the mirror lately?
Bella quickened her pace, her irritation boiling over. Her words hit like fists, and for a moment, he was stunned by her cold rejection. But desperation propelled him after her.
This man was becoming a spectacle, and the last thing she needed was an audience.
Panic pricked her composure. What if someone recognized her? What if the Harris family heard about this?
Her hand dipped into her designer bag, and without breaking her stride, she yanked out a stack of cash. “Here,” Bella said, her voice as venomous as the hiss of a snake. “Take this and crawl back to whatever hole you came from. If you come near me again, I’ll make sure you spend the rest of your days in prison.” She didn’t wait for his reaction.
Turning, she stormed off, her head held high. Harold’s eyes widened as the stack of bills tumbled to the ground. Then, with trembling hands, he snatched the cash, his heart pounding with exhilaration.
This—this was the kind of luck he’d been waiting for.
A grin spread across his face, smug and greedy. The fact that she didn’t acknowledge him made very little difference to him.
As long as the money kept coming, that was all he hoped for.
The crowd around the mall entrance ebbed and flowed, a sea of strangers too busy to notice Bella briskly weaving through them, her head held high despite the panic simmering beneath her polished exterior.
She couldn’t get away fast enough. Every glance felt like a spotlight, every stranger’s face a potential witness. Her chest tightened. If word of this encounter reached the Harris family, she would be ruined.
Behind her, Harold stood amidst the busy crowd, clutching the money with a triumphant smirk.
His gaze followed Bella as she hurried off, her back stiff with tension.
It didn’t matter where Bella went or how hard she tried to avoid him. She was his daughter, and he wasn’t letting her off that easily.