Chapter 50
The Heiress
Veronica’s POV
Meghan was at a loss of worlds, clearly this wasn’t how she planned for things to go. She thought she could humiliate me and everything would just be alright. People will praise her and I will leave in shame. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen.
Unfortunately, that
“The fact that you can’t even pretend to have shame makes this whole situation a lot more pathetic,” she huffed.
“Pathetic, you said?” I chuckled. “You speak as though you are not pregnant as well. Maybe you should look at yourself first before you try to talk to me!”
“Stop this madness, Veronica! Can’t you see that you are embarrassing yourself. Just apologize and I promise you I will put all this behind us and take you back,” Carter said, triggering gasps from the crowd.
Even Meghan was shocked at his words. I guess she was not expecting
that.
“She is not going anywhere with you!” Orthon said coldly. “She has moved on as you can see!”
Carter glared at Orthon in annoyance. “Why are you always so quick to speak for her? Even the man she cheated on me with doesn’t defend her this much.” He turned his attention back to me. “Like I said, Veronica, apologize and I will let this slide.”
“And who the hell do you think you are that she will do that?”
All eyes traced that voice to the man on the wheelchair, being rolled in by lus bodyguards. A blanket of tension spread over the room as everyone held their breath.
I have never seen my
father in a formal meeting before but now, I could tell why he was feared and respected. His mere aura was enough to order a pin drop silence in the room.
Carter and Meghan who had been running their mouth effortlessly couldn’t utter a word. A smirk played on my lips..
The guards stopped him at the center of the room and he faced Carter squarely
“I believe I asked a question. Who are you that she should apologise to you?” His tone was deadly calm.
“I… I didn’t mean to disrupt your event or anything but this woman here has wronged me greatly.” Carter said and I looked at him in disbelief.
“How so?” My father asked, even though there was no curiosity in his expression.
Meghan didn’t even let Carter speak, she just jumped in with her useless opinion, “Because she is not the angel you think she is. She is a chronic cheat who has not only taken Carter’s calm nature for granted but has
also…”
“I wasn’t talking to you,” my father coldly interrupted and gasps punctuated with low chuckles followed. “I’m still waiting for your response, Mr Grayson or you will be thrown out of my building. You and that lousy date of yours.”
Their faces turned red in embarrassment.
“If you must know, the woman you are sleeping with is my wife! We haven’t even gotten a divorce yet!” Carter growled, glaring at him with all
his might
At that, the tension in the room became almost unbearable. I wanted to
laugh.
“Your wife?” My father’s voice sliced through the air. “How convenient that you forgot to mention that little detail, Mr. Grayson.”
“I’ve tried everything to get her to come back to me!” Carter continued, hist frustration rising. “She doesn’t deserve to walk around like nothing ever happened, pretending everything is fine while I’m stuck…”
“No one cares, Carter,” my father interrupted, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “She does not owe you anything and you definitely have no right to bother her about it.”
The crowd shifted uncomfortably, but they knew better than to challenge him. My father had spoken, and his word was final.
“Now,” Meshach said, his voice dark and calm, the room hanging on his every syllable, “since you seem to be under some delusion about who Veronica is, let me clarify. Veronica is my daughter. She is the rightful heir to the Peyton legacy.”
There was a long, stunned silence. My breath caught in my throat, but my father wasn’t finished.
“She is my daughter,” he repeated, his eyes narrowing on Carter and
Meghan, who were both too stunned to speak. “And I intend to ensure she is treated as such. You will never speak to her in this manner again. You understand me?”
The gasps that followed as everyone started recovering one after the other. I chuckled to myself, especially at Meghan’s flustered expression. I wonder what she would have to say now.
“But… but… that can’t be right…. Veronica is a pauper from a very poor
family!” Meghan blurted.
“I am sure there is some sort of mistake here… Veronica cannot be your daughter. You are definitely mistaking her for someone else, I personally know her family…” Carter said and my blood boiled.
The same family he couldn’t even attend a funeral for.
“I believe if you were intelligent enough, you would understand that the phrase “long–lost daughter” has covered all questions you might have regarding her background,” my father said coldly, then gestured at me. “Come over here, dear.”
A big smile formed on my face as I made my way to his side.
The room fell deathly silent as I walked toward my father. I could feel the eyes of every person in the room on me, their gazes heavy with shock, disbelief, and curiosity. But none of it mattered. I stood beside my father, finally taking my rightful place.
“Is there any further confusion?” my father asked, his tone dripping with authority, his gaze still cold as he turned back to Carter and Meghan.
“No, sir,” Carter stammered, looking completely defeated. His earlier bravado had completely evaporated, leaving only confusion and embarrassment in its wake.
Meghan stood frozen, her mouth opening and closing, but no words. escaped. Her eyes darted between my father and me, her expression one of pure shock. It was clear she had never imagined such a revelation.
“Well then, I hope we have made everything clear,” my father continued, his voice unwavering. “Veronica is my daughter, and as of today, she is the rightful heir to the Peyton fortune and legacy. You will show her the respect she deserves, or I will ensure that you regret your words.”
The room remained silent, the weight of his words hanging heavily in the
air No one dared to challenge him now.
Carter’s face was flushed with a mix of anger and humiliation. He opened his mouth to protest, but no sound came out. Instead, he glanced over at Meghan, who seemed to shrink under the scrutiny, her arrogance completely crushed.
“Now,” my father said, his voice firm. “I think it’s time for both of you to leave. You’ve overstayed your welcome.”