Reborn Heiress: Taking Back What Is Rightfully Hers!
Chapter 352: Perhaps Ella’s Biological Father

Chapter 352: Perhaps Ella’s Biological Father

Lucas’s expression grew darker. Ever since that woman married another man, he had sworn to never see her again, even in memory.

Lucas was fiercely proud, unable to tolerate even the slightest betrayal. He had only asked her to wait for three months, but due to family matters, he hadn’t been able to return until the fourth. By then, it was too late.

"Why bring up these old stories?" Lucas said quietly, his face shifting with emotions before settling into a mask of calm. She had left his life more than twenty years ago; he had no reason to cling to hopes or memories.

"If I’m not mistaken, Anderson, you sent your secretary to visit my mother-in-law’s grave a little over two months ago, didn’t you?" Eric’s voice was steady.

Lucas’s gaze hardened, a shadow of sorrow flitting across his eyes. Despite the anger, despite the bitterness, he couldn’t erase the traces she had left in his life.

"Just say what you came to say," he replied, his voice carefully controlled.

"My mother-in-law didn’t die a natural death. Did you know that, Mr. Anderson? You knew she passed, but... you never investigated the circumstances. Maybe you didn’t want to know."

Eric’s eyes were trained on Lucas, observing the shock ripple across his features.

Lucas’s face contorted with a flash of fury. "What do you mean, not a natural death? I was told she... died of liver cancer."

"Seems you only got part of the story," Eric replied coolly, sipping his wine. The server discreetly refilled his glass, the soft sound of pouring wine easing the tension in the room.

"Please, leave us," Lucas ordered the staff, his tone firm.

As the waitstaff left the room, Eric continued, his tone unhurried, "My mother-in-law was deliberately poisoned over time by a woman named Brianna. She laced Isabella’s wine with methanol, ensuring she became ill over time. In truth... it was a carefully planned murder."

Lucas remained upright, his posture disciplined, but his grip on his silverware was tight, veins bulging on the backs of his hands.

Twenty years had passed since he had last seen her. When he had rushed back to Country S, it was only to learn that she had already married another man and was expecting a child. The news had shattered him, but he hadn’t had the heart to confront her. Isabella was gentle, like still water, and he feared his rage might only hurt her.

Even though she had broken his heart, Lucas had decided to leave her in peace. He stayed in Country S long enough to see her from a distance, walking hand-in-hand with another man. Only then did he finally resign himself to the truth.

Back in Country W, he made a conscious decision to sever all ties, burying his feelings along with any news of her. But one night, under the influence of too much alcohol, he had succumbed and looked her up online, reaching out to old friends, only to find out that she had passed away.

Those years were etched in pain, a suffering that lingered even now, more than two decades later. Seeing the photograph Eric had presented him sent him spiraling back into that agony, though he managed to keep his composure.

Learning that Isabella had been poisoned made his body tremble uncontrollably. "And that bastard... was it him?" he asked, barely able to contain his anger.

"He knew and permitted his mistress to carry it out," Eric replied softly.

Lucas’s composure finally shattered. He began to shake, his voice faltering. "Mr. Nelson... I need a moment."

"Take all the time you need, Mr. Anderson," Eric said, standing up and leaving the room quietly, allowing Lucas to grieve alone.

Tears streamed uncontrollably down Lucas’s face. He hadn’t shed tears since the deaths of his parents and the day he decided he would never see Isabella again.

After that, nothing else had ever moved him to tears. But upon hearing this tragic news about someone he once loved deeply, his carefully contained emotions escaped his grasp. He reached for a napkin, wiping away his tears, but the grief was so intense it felt as if his head might explode. Every time he heard anything about Isabella, his self-control unraveled.

Regret flooded him. If only he had kept an eye on her, stayed in touch—even in her illness, he might have noticed something was wrong.

Time passed before Eric was invited back in. Lucas had regained some composure, though he was now notably silent. He ate a little, then bid Eric a restrained farewell.

"Your proposal is well-prepared. I’ll have my secretary send over the contract this afternoon," he said after a pause before turning to leave.

Eric’s lips curved in a slight smile, though his eyes held a cold glint. At that moment, Hans, his assistant in Country W, entered the room.

"Gather the trash here. Check for any hair; if none, then any item with DNA will do," Eric instructed, gesturing toward the nearby trash bin.

Hans nodded respectfully, carefully lifting the bin without a hint of reluctance.

Eric exhaled with some relief. He’d been investigating this matter for a while and suspected Lucas was a key figure. Lucas had never married and had only an adopted son.

Eric’s objective was clear: with Lucas’s DNA, he could finally determine if Lucas was, in fact, Ella’s biological father.

Based on Lucas’s reactions, Eric’s suspicions had solidified to almost 90%. After all, the "mysterious man" Isabella had been involved with before her marriage was likely her first love.

Satisfied with the progress, Eric had a light meal and tried calling Ella again, only to find her phone still switched off.

He was beginning to feel genuinely frustrated.

Recalling her tear-filled eyes, he felt like a fool. He should have calmed down and comforted her rather than letting things escalate.

Feeling increasingly restless, Eric tried dialing Ella’s number over and over. It had been an entire day with no response. Had she really begun to despise him?

Finally, he made a call to John.

"John, check on your sister-in-law immediately. See if anything’s wrong with her," Eric’s voice was sharp with concern.

John sounded puzzled. "Boss, she called me last night asking where you were, and I told her you were away on business. Doesn’t she have your number?"

Eric’s heart sank. Why would Ella reach out to John? Was she... suspicious of him?

A darker expression clouded his face. "Go to the hospital and see if she’s there."

"Yes, boss," John replied, understanding the urgency in his voice.

Eric, still tense, arranged for a flight home that evening. After Lucas’s secretary signed the contract in the afternoon, he could hand off the remaining tasks to his Country W office.

A powerhouse like Lucas wouldn’t have given him the time of day without a personal meeting.

Half an hour later, John called back.

"Boss... Ella is in Henry’s hospital room. But she’s there with her classmate."

Eric gripped his phone tightly, feeling as if something lodged in his throat, making it impossible to speak.

Not only had she turned off her phone to avoid him, but she had also gone to see Henry? Evidently, Henry still held a special place in her heart.