Reborn Heiress: Taking Back What Is Rightfully Hers!
Chapter 388: A Better Choice

Chapter 388: A Better Choice

Eric nodded, gently brushing his fingers through Ella’s hair before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. His voice was soothing and filled with tenderness. "I know you don’t want to see him, so I’ll call and turn him down."

Ella secretly breathed a sigh of relief, though a heavy feeling remained lodged in her heart, leaving her uneasy.

Her mother’s greatest love was downstairs. Her mother would have wanted her to reconnect with her biological father, but for now, Ella couldn’t bring herself to face him.

Eric wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her to the dining table. Once they were seated, he ordered breakfast and called Lucas.

"Ella isn’t feeling well, so she won’t be coming down," Eric informed him.

Lucas’s voice immediately turned concerned. "What’s wrong? Does she need to see a doctor? I know some highly experienced doctors who’ve been practicing for decades..."

"There’s no need," Eric replied in a calm tone. "She’s just been having trouble sleeping lately. It’s nothing serious—probably just stress from everything that’s been happening recently. But thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Anderson."

There was a pause before Lucas responded. "Alright then. I won’t disturb you further. Once she’s feeling better, we can arrange to have a meal together."

Eric exchanged a few polite words before ending the call. When he turned back, he saw Ella staring at her phone, lost in thought.

It was a photograph of Isabella in her youth.

In her younger years, Isabella had been breathtakingly beautiful, her features vibrant and full of life. But after giving birth to Ella, only a handful of photos of her remained, and in them, she already looked worn and weary.

Ella’s heart ached, and her eyes blurred with tears.

Eric walked over, gently taking the phone from her hands. "Don’t look at it anymore. Don’t dwell on it. Finish your breakfast, and I’ll take you out for a change of scenery."

Ella nodded silently. It was the only way to calm the storm inside her.

She had little appetite, but Eric insisted she eat. After a few small bites, he firmly made her finish her bowl of porridge before letting her off the hook.

...

After breakfast and a brief rest, Ella and Eric left the hotel. As they stepped into the parking lot, they saw Lucas standing there, straight-backed and waiting, though it was unclear for whom.

The moment Lucas saw Ella, his face lit up, and his tone was gentle and kind. "Ella, are you feeling better now?"

*What?* He just called her *Ella*?

Ella’s mood soured. Even though he was her father, she hadn’t acknowledged that connection yet. How could he act so familiar?

Ella gave a small nod. "I’m feeling much better. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Anderson."

Eric slipped an arm around her waist protectively and asked, "Waiting for someone, Mr. Anderson?"

Lucas looked slightly uncomfortable. "Yes, I am. Waiting for a guest."

Eric smirked playfully. "Must be someone very important to have Mr. Anderson waiting personally."

Lucas hesitated but replied, "Indeed... a very important guest." His eyes flickered toward Ella, but he quickly looked away, careful not to upset her.

In truth, Lucas had been waiting for Ella. However, he could sense her reluctance to see him and didn’t want to push her further away.

"Well, we won’t keep you then, Mr. Anderson. Eric, let’s go," Ella said, her icy gaze devoid of emotion.

Lucas watched as Ella climbed into Eric’s car. He clenched his fists, fighting the urge to stop them and demand answers. He desperately wanted to ask Eric if Ella was truly his daughter.

But he knew he couldn’t—such a confrontation would only scare Ella away.

...

After Eric and Ella’s car disappeared from sight, Lucas returned to his own car. A moment later, his phone buzzed with a call from his assistant.

"Mr. Anderson, the documents you requested have been sent to your email."

"Excellent," Lucas replied. "Have Foster print them out and place them in my office. I’ll need them as soon as I return."

"Understood. I’ll notify Foster immediately."

Lucas ended the call, his expression resolute. He needed to know the truth.

Lucas drove back to his company and hurriedly made his way to his office.

Upon arrival, his secretary, Foster, had already printed the documents he had requested. Lucas didn’t even sit down before snatching them up, eager to review every detail.

The report covered Ella’s life from her first year to the present. Much of the information had been gathered from her classmates, teachers, and neighbors. Recent years’ events were easier to piece together thanks to online records.

As Lucas delved deeper, his astonishment grew. Before the age of 18, Ella was described as willful, lazy, and riddled with bad habits. The feedback from her peers and teachers painted an unflattering picture.

But then, at 18, something changed.

Ella underwent a transformation—she became intelligent, graceful, and diligent, soaring from the bottom of her class to ranking among the top. At home, she was Robert’s cherished treasure, deeply loved and protected by him.

It was also around this time that she met Eric.

Was it Eric who influenced this dramatic change? Lucas mused. From the look of things, Eric had been steadfastly by Ella’s side through the years, an unwavering constant. That kind of devotion was rare.

Suddenly, Lucas found Eric much more agreeable.

But as he continued reading, his expression darkened upon reaching the section detailing Ella and Eric’s vacation at the treehouse.

The report also recounted Ella’s harrowing experience at the Imperial Crown Club and the smear campaign by Carter Group.

From beginning to end, Eric seemed to play a passive role, not stepping in to shield Ella from harm. Although the treehouse incident left Eric severely injured and Ella slightly hurt, it still left Lucas dissatisfied.

Of course, Lucas had no idea that Ella had specifically asked Eric not to intervene in those matters.

"Eric is genuinely devoted to Ella... but his qualifications leave much to be desired," Lucas muttered, frowning deeply. If Ella truly were his daughter, could he accept Eric as his son-in-law?

For Lucas, status and lineage weren’t the most critical factors, but they still held weight. Eric’s achievements, earned through his own grit and hard work, were admirable.

Yet, the Nelson family lacked the aristocratic standing to provide Ella with the protection and resources she deserved.

Finishing the report, Lucas leaned back, his face unreadable as he processed his thoughts.

He stood and slowly walked to the window, gazing out over Wall City’s sprawling skyline.

Lucas possessed vast wealth, but no amount of money could fill the void of past regrets.

Isabella had been the greatest regret of his life and the reason he had never married.

If Ella truly is my daughter... then...

The thought lingered as Lucas picked up his phone and called his adopted son.

"Luke, when are you coming home?"

"Father, I’m in Country D wrapping up a business deal, but I should be able to return in three or four days," Luke replied.

"Good. There are some matters at home. If you can manage, come back sooner," Lucas said gently.

Luke Anderson was an infant when Lucas adopted him—three months old, a mixed-race baby who had lost his parents in a car accident.

At the time, Lucas’s parents were pressuring him to marry a wealthy heiress they had chosen, but Lucas refused and instead secretly adopted Luke.

Though his parents initially fell ill from the shock, they eventually relented. They saw that having Luke brought a semblance of joy back into Lucas’s otherwise somber life. Over the years, despite their efforts to cajole or coerce Lucas into marriage, he remained unyielding.

Luke grew up happily in the aristocratic Anderson family, treated by Lucas as his own flesh and blood.

And now, as Lucas thought of both Luke and Ella, a strange idea crossed his mind:

Luke and Ella... they complement each other so well.

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