Chapter 289

The morning sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Evelyn Sinclair’s penthouse, casting golden streaks across the marble floors. She lounged on her plush velvet sofa, a steaming cup of Earl Grey in hand, scrolling through her phone with a smirk.

Oh, this is too good.

Her assistant, Lillian Graves, had just forwarded her the latest tabloid scoop—Seraphina Delacroix, the notorious second-tier actress, had been caught in a scandalous love triangle between her current beau, Adrian Cross, and her ex, Sebastian Hart. The photos were deliciously incriminating.

Evelyn chuckled, taking a slow sip of her tea. Karma’s a bitch, isn’t it, Seraphina?

The woman had been nothing but trouble since Evelyn had entered the industry—always snagging roles through questionable means, spreading rumors, and even trying to sabotage Evelyn’s reputation once. But now? The tables had turned spectacularly.

Her phone buzzed again. A message from Preston Whitmore, the director of her upcoming film:

"Heard the news? Might need to reshoot some scenes if Seraphina’s reputation tanks further. You up for a lead role adjustment?"

Evelyn’s lips curled into a feline grin. Oh, absolutely.

She typed back a coy response, careful not to sound too eager. But inside, her mind was already racing with possibilities. If Seraphina’s career imploded, that meant more screen time, better endorsements, and—most importantly—less drama on set.

A knock at her door interrupted her scheming.

"Come in," she called, setting her phone aside.

Nathan Blackwood stepped in, his tailored suit hugging his broad frame perfectly, his dark eyes scanning her amused expression. "You look like you just won the lottery."

Evelyn smirked. "Better. Seraphina’s finally getting what she deserves."

Nathan arched a brow, crossing his arms. "Do I even want to know?"

She waved her phone at him. "Oh, you definitely do."

As he leaned in to read the headline, his expression shifted from mild curiosity to outright amusement. "Well, well. Looks like karma caught up with her faster than expected."

Evelyn laughed, stretching like a satisfied cat. "And the best part? I might just benefit from it."

Nathan shook his head, though his lips twitched. "Never change, Evelyn."

She winked. "Why would I? The universe clearly loves rewarding my patience."

As he chuckled and walked away, Evelyn leaned back, savoring the moment. The entertainment industry was a battlefield, and today? She was winning.

And she had every intention of enjoying every second of it.

Luna shook her head violently, her voice trembling. "No, no! You and Caleb aren't siblings at all!"

Yet, despite her words, fear coiled in her chest. The possibility was too plausible to ignore.

"Then let's settle this with a DNA test," Eleanor declared suddenly, her tone resolute.

Her eyes, rimmed with unshed tears, flickered toward Lucas. Seeing him with his head bowed, her heart twisted painfully.

She continued, "This situation has troubled me for too long. Since Mrs. Collins refuses to speak rationally, we'll verify the most logical assumption ourselves."

As the head of the Winters family, Eleanor knew this was reckless. If they were wrong, it would shatter her relationship with Caleb beyond repair.

But after everything he had done—his cruelty, his entitlement—she no longer cared. For once, she wanted to trust her instincts.

How many times had she secretly wished Lucas was her son? There were moments when she saw herself in him—his strength, his resilience. She had always dismissed it as mere coincidence, the result of her guidance.

But now, faced with the truth, she wondered.

Caleb, on the other hand, was the spitting image of her spiteful sister-in-law—selfish, manipulative, and utterly devoid of empathy.

"Mother, you doubt me?" Caleb's voice was raw with betrayal. The demand for a DNA test was a knife to his pride. He was being discarded, replaced.

His lips curled into a sneer. "Fine. If that's how it is, then remember this—if the test proves I'm your son, don't expect me to ever call you 'Mother' again. You'll be dead to me."

Eleanor almost laughed. Stripped of her blind maternal love, his words were transparent.

He was terrified.

Deep down, he suspected the truth—that he was the fraud, the thief who had stolen Lucas’s life. And he couldn’t bear it.

"If you truly have the spine to follow through," she said coolly, "then perhaps you do have a shred of my blood in you."

With a sharp gesture, her security team moved forward. They would take the sample by force if necessary.

"You—you can't do this!" Penelope shrieked, her face contorted in panic. She whirled toward Lucas. "Are you just going to stand there? If you let them humiliate us like this, I'll kill myself right here!"

Lucas lifted his head, his gaze hollow. "I want the truth. If you choose to die over it, that’s your decision. But don’t expect guilt from me—not after everything you’ve done."

Penelope staggered back, stunned. The son she had controlled for years was no longer hers to manipulate.

Desperate, she lunged for a nearby letter opener—but the guards were faster. They seized her before she could even lift it.

The room fell silent.

The truth was moments away.

When Penelope lifted her gaze, she saw Lydia approaching. Reduced to a pitiful state, she had no choice but to turn to her husband for help in the end.

Meanwhile, Victor was still reeling from shock. He was a shrewd man, realizing the tide had turned—a DNA test was inevitable. At the same time, his wife’s reaction had already confirmed the truth.

We’re . The Reed family is done for. And so is Luna.

Luna was still frozen in panic, watching everything unfold while Caleb thrashed against the security guards, his face twisted in fury.

Lydia strode toward Penelope, her voice icy. "Resisting is pointless. You know me—I never stop halfway. If you confess now, you might spare yourself unnecessary suffering."

She would uncover the truth, but the more she thought about it, the more desperate she became for answers.

The veins in Penelope’s neck bulged. Just when everyone expected her to cling to her lies until the bitter end, she suddenly burst into wild, mocking laughter.

"Lydia Sanders, you deserved this! Every bit of it!"

Lydia’s face paled, and gasps rippled through the crowd. Only Caleb and Luna turned to stare at Penelope in stunned silence.

Was this finally the moment of truth?

Lucas had already stepped back, standing protectively beside his wife. Having achieved his goal, he now watched the scene unfold with quiet satisfaction.

Evelyn clutched Lucas’s hand, her pulse racing with anticipation.

Penelope had lost all restraint, her words dripping with venom. "You’re nothing but a fool! Raising my son for over twenty years while your own suffered—no father to protect him, no mother to love him. He had to grovel just to survive under your roof, desperate for even a scrap of affection. Pathetic, really. He never dared stand up to Caleb, even when bullied. This is your punishment—your own child paying the price!"

Each word was a knife to the heart.

Lydia, the formidable businesswoman, shattered in an instant. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she turned to Damian—only to find his face eerily blank, yet his own tears falling silently.

Her chest tightened in agony. She seized Penelope by the collar, her fingers trembling with rage. "Why? What did I ever do to you? How could you be so cruel? Tell me why!"

"Was it because of Jared?" Richard suddenly cut in, his voice rough with fury. "It was because of Jared, wasn’t it? You never let it go."

It was the first time he had ever raised his voice in anger. Though often overlooked, the instinct to protect his son flared now—his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white.

"What?" Lydia stared at her husband, bewildered.

A shadow of sorrow crossed Howard's face as he turned to Lydia. "I never imagined she could be so unhinged—capable of such madness," he confessed, his voice thick with regret. "I kept you in the dark to spare you the discomfort at home. But the truth is..."

As Howard unraveled the past, the twisted resentment Ava harbored became painfully clear to everyone.

Lydia and Damien stood frozen, their expressions unreadable. How had they been dragged into this feud between Jared and Ava? It was ludicrous.

Lydia caught Ava's venomous glare and shuddered, fury igniting within her. "Jared and I—we have nothing between us! I didn't even know about any of this! And you knew that! You knew everything! How could you be so cruel? You despise me—you despise Damien! What gives you the right—what gives?"

Ava's lips curled into a sneer. "Why shouldn't I hate you?" she spat, her voice dripping with self-righteous venom. "You married, yet you let my husband cling to his feelings for you. This is your fault. And him—" She jerked her chin toward Damien. "If it weren't for him, I wouldn’t have suffered so much!"

The room fell into stunned silence. Even Lydia gaped at her, disbelief etched across her face.

"Do you know why I had obstructed labor?" Ava hissed, her eyes wild. "Because we went into labor at the same time—and he stood outside your delivery room, worried sick over you! The stress nearly killed me! Ollie was born premature, and I almost died! Tell me—whose fault is that?"