Falling For My Accidental CEO Husband
Chapter 190: Tapped

Chapter 190: Tapped

Serena glanced down at the open folder in front of her, the paper edges slightly frayed and marked with age. She hesitated for a moment, wondering what exactly she was looking at. Although the file appeared to be packed with information, it seemed to contain only photographs. With a sigh, her gaze shifted to the pen drive that had been attached to the folder, lying untouched beside it. Perhaps the true contents were hidden within that tiny device.

Turning her attention back to the photographs, Serena carefully flipped through the first few. They appeared to be family portraits, and as she examined them more closely, she realized she was likely looking at younger versions of her grandmother, her uncles, and her father. In the earliest photo, a stern-looking older man stood off to the side, his expression unreadable. He must have been her grandfather. What caught Serena’s attention, however, was the subtle distance between her uncles—Matthew and Daniel—and their stepmother, Edwina Dawn.

As she continued through the stack, Serena noticed a shift in the tone of the photographs. In the next set, the family appeared more unified. Edwina was seated with a soft, proud smile, a baby cradled gently in her arms—Serena’s father, no doubt. Matthew and Daniel stood closer this time, their faces showing traces of acceptance. Their father, who stood behind Edwina’s chair with a protective hand resting on her shoulder. The next photograph had a different atmosphere altogether. A new face had joined the family: Lydia Dawn. Yet, the photo was also marked by an absence. Her father, once the baby in Edwina’s lap, was no longer there. He must have been young about this time. Early twenties... And that is where she found the first post it note. Did you know Lydia was your grandmother’s choice for her son, Edward? Hmm? Aren’t you glad that she is not your mother? Serena shuddered. Well of course she was relieved. After all, she knew of Lydia’s penchant for young boys... The next picture was of her father with a woman. It was a wedding picture. Serena stilled. She’d never known that her parents had taken a picture. As a child she’d asked her father, if she could have a picture of her mother and he’d answered that he didn’t have any because they’d been too poor to afford a picture. Serena’s fingers trembled as they hovered over the photograph, a mix of reverence and longing flooding through her. She gently lifted it from the folder, her touch delicate as though handling something sacred. For the first time, Serena was looking into the eyes of her mother—eyes so familiar, so much like her own. A bitter smile tugged at the corners of her lips, it had been an enemy, not her father or anyone close to her, who had given her this glimpse of the woman who had given her life. Serena traced the contours of her mother’s face, noting the subtle similarities between them. She’d always thought that she took after Edwina Dawn but she was wrong. The line of her jaw, the upward tilt of her eyes, and the cascade of light, wavy hair that framed her features was the same as her mother. So she may look dominantly like her father and grandmother, she had her mother’s looks as well. After a long while, she turned to look at another picture and felt her world tilt for a moment. Because this time, there was a date stamp on the picture. And her parents were holding a baby that was way before she was born. Did she have an older brother or sister as well? Hurriedly, she turned the page over and as expected, this time there was a picture of her and her parents but not of an older child. And then, the next page held only a picture of her father and her... And lastly there wa a page that read," Check the USB drive."

Serena hesitated for a moment, staring at the small pen drive as if it were a puzzle piece she wasn’t sure she wanted to fit. But even knowing curiosity killed the cat, she let her curiosity get the better of her.

She inserted the device into the laptop and folder popped up on the screen, titled "Edward & Edwina." With a deep breath, she clicked it open, realizing that Nvidia Corrick had probably tapped her father and Edwian’s phone calls.

What appeared were audio files, each one labeled by date. She clicked on the first one, her heart thudding in her chest as she waited for it to load. The moment it did, a voice crackled to life—a voice that sounded like her father’s, young but unmistakable.

"I’m not coming back, Mother."

The words were firm, as though Edward Dawn had said them a thousand times before and Serena could still imagine her father shaking his head as he said it.

Then came another voice. The woman on the other end was unmistakable. Edwina Dawn.

"Edward, stop slumming around with those... people. You’re wasting your potential. You belong here, with me. You’re my son. You should be with your family."

"I told you before, mother, I’m not coming back. Not to the life you want for me. I’m not interested in your world anymore. I want to be with my family!"

"But Edward, you don’t understand. I’m your family. I did everything for you. I gave you everything. You owe me this. You owe me your loyalty. Just leave that woman and come back to me. You can bring your son."

"I don’t owe you anything,Mother! You might’ve given birth to me, but you didn’t raise me. I’m not your property. I’m not your puppet. I’m done with you and the games you expect me to play. Me or my son will never be a part of it!"

There was a long silence, and then Edwina’s voice came again, cold and threatening.

"You’ll regret this, Edward. Don’t think you can just walk away from me."

Edward’s voice was steady, almost defiant now. "I won’t regret it, mother. And you’ll have to learn to accept it. I’ve already made my choice."