Chapter 361
Chapter 361:
Megan felt her legs weaken, and she grabbed the edge of the doorframe to steady herself. “Are you serious?” she whispered, her voice shaking. “Is she… is she really our daughter p>
Her mind reeled. For years, Megan had mourned the baby that was stolen from her. She’d woken up in that tiny, impoverished clinic to find her child gone, her cries for help echoing unanswered. No leads, no hope. She had assumed her baby hadn’t survived, the loss carving a permanent ache into her soul.
Now Harold stood before her, claiming their daughter was not only alive but thriving. It felt impossible, like a cruel joke.
“I swear, it’s her. She looks exactly like you. You’ll see for yourself soon enough p>
Megan’s emotions surged, her hands trembling as she stepped forward and gripped the edge of the table. “Where is she? I need to see her p>
If this truly was her daughter, it was nothing short of a miracle.
Harold shifted uncomfortably, scratching the back of his head. “Honestly, I don’t know where she lives. But the family that adopted her? They’ve got money. Big money. She’s dressed head to toe in designer clothes, Megan. And…” He leaned closer, his voice dropping conspiratorially. “She gave me a whole stack of cash, just like that p>
“No,” Megan said firmly, shaking her head. “I have to find her. She needs to know the truth—I’m her mother p>
“Don’t be impulsive, Megan,” Harold said, stepping in front of her and gripping her shoulders. His voice carried a mix of frustration and urgency.
“Right now, if you go barging into her life, she won’t even acknowledge us. She shut me down cold when I tried to talk to her. Completely rejected me p>
He softened his grip but held her gaze. “We need to take this slowly. Think about it. If she’s happy, if she’s got everything she could ever want, why would she give that up to come back to us? To this? She’s in a good place. Let her stay there.” Harold pressed on, his tone more calculating now. “And, who knows? Maybe she’ll help us out. She’s already given me money once. Maybe she’ll keep doing it. We don’t have to ruin her life to make ours a little better p>
Start your next adventure at gαℓησv𝒆ℓs․com
As he leaned back in his chair, Harold was already imagining Bella as their golden ticket to a better life.
Megan, however, wasn’t thinking about money. Her heart ached for the connection she had thought was lost forever. If their daughter had found happiness, stability, and success, could she really disrupt all of that just to soothe her own longing?
Bella sniffled as a sudden sneeze interrupted her thoughts, an old superstition crossing her mind—someone must be talking about her behind her back. This was the moment she’d been waiting for—her chance to put her plan into motion.
With Yelena now sharing space in the design department, Bella felt a gnawing sense of urgency. The department wasn’t big enough for the two of them—at least, not in Bella’s eyes. One of them had to go, and she was determined it wouldn’t be her.
The next morning brought its usual hum of office activity. Bella and Yelena arrived at their desks, quietly slipping into their routines.
One day, as they were getting more familiar with their internship, Lynn, their supervisor, called them into her office.
“You’ve both had a few days to settle in. It’s time to get to work. Our department is launching a new fashion project, and I want both of you on it. Here’s the briefing packet—one for each of you.” Lynn then handed over the documents, her gaze shifting between the two young women.
Bella accepted her copy with a radiant smile, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. “Thank you, Miss Lancaster. I promise to give it my all p>
Bella clutched the packet like it was a golden ticket. This was her shot to prove her worth.
“Good, I have high hopes for you,” Lynn said, her voice carrying a measured warmth as her approving nod settled on Bella.
There was something about Bella that stood out—a refreshing humility that seemed at odds with the silver-spoon narrative one might expect of the CEO’s daughter. Lynn found herself impressed. Whatever values the CEO had instilled in his family, they had clearly shaped Bella into someone both hardworking and grounded.