Reborn Heiress: Taking Back What Is Rightfully Hers!
Chapter 391: A Secret Conversation

Chapter 391: A Secret Conversation

In the secluded, top-secret meeting room, Lucas sipped his tea lightly, lost in thought. It took him a long while to gather his focus. The most pressing matter now was finding a way for Ella to willingly acknowledge him as her father.

"Father, don’t overthink it. Miss Davis is still your daughter. No matter how much she resents you, that fact won’t change," Luke said softly, trying to comfort him.

Lucas nodded, his eyes glistening faintly with unshed tears. "Isabella’s been gone for so many years, yet I’ve never stopped regretting. If only I’d been more decisive back then—if I’d forced her to come back with me, how different things might have been. But I didn’t. I thought she’d fallen for someone else. I didn’t even have the courage to confront her. I was so afraid... afraid that my love for her was too intense and that I might lose control and hurt her."

Back then, Lucas had chosen restraint over seeking clarity, fearing that his deep love and overwhelming emotions would lead to harm. But that hesitation had only turned into a permanent regret.

"Father, what’s done is done. There’s no point in dwelling on the past. Instead, think about how you can bring Ella back to your side," Luke said with quiet pragmatism.

Though Luke was a mixed-race man, his long years by Lucas’s side had imbued him with a similar aura. His sharply defined features, particularly his deep-set eyes, exuded a distinct coldness.

Luke’s gaze was piercing, almost predatory, often carrying an air of dominance and unyielding resolve. Lucas had poured immense effort into grooming Luke, shaping him into a decisive and formidable leader capable of carrying the Anderson family into the future.

At just 27 years old, Luke had already earned a reputation as a feared adversary in both domestic and international circles.

...

"But... I can’t stand the thought of knowing Isabella and I have a child together and not being able to acknowledge her. She’s my only daughter, and all I want is to spend the rest of my life making it up to her," Lucas said, his voice heavy with emotion and his eyes shadowed by sorrow.

"I understand, Father, but Ella doesn’t like you right now. You’ll need time and patience to win her over," Luke replied, narrowing his eyes as though deep in thought.

Lucas took another sip of tea, his expression contemplative. "Eric... he’s a good man. But his family has declined, and his father has no real influence. I don’t think he’s suitable for Ella."

In Lucas’s mind, Ella deserved a life fit for a princess—lavish, protected, and filled with love. Eric, no matter how capable, was unlikely to provide her with that kind of life.

Eric’s determination in the business world might build a powerful empire, but if anyone sought to harm Ella, Lucas doubted Eric could truly shield her.

"Then, Father, are you considering arranging a marriage for her?" Luke asked quietly, a strange feeling stirring within him.

"Yes, Luke. If she divorces Eric, I want you to marry Ella," Lucas said softly, turning his gaze toward Luke.

Luke froze in place, stunned. He was to marry Ella? And she was already married?

Yet, to him, whether she was unmarried or divorced didn’t matter. What mattered was whether he deemed her worthy.

"I want you to genuinely accept her, not simply as a means to secure the Anderson family’s future," Lucas said, his tone suddenly stern. "If you don’t like her, I won’t force you."

Luke nodded. "I understand, Father. But right now, I can’t say for certain. I’m not the type of man who can fall for someone at first sight."

Luke was logical—some might even say ruthless. His view of love was possessive and uncompromising. The thought of the woman he might one day call his own being in love with another man left a bitter taste in his mouth.

And after only one meeting, he certainly didn’t feel strongly enough about Ella to consider marrying her.

"Good. I hope you’ll find more opportunities to interact with her in the future. Help me think of a way to make her acknowledge me as her father. I’m getting old... my mind isn’t as sharp as it used to be," Lucas said with a weary sigh.

"Don’t worry about it, Father. Leave this to me," Luke replied with a faint smile, exuding confidence. He firmly believed that no one could truly forget their origins, and Ella would be no exception.

Her refusal to acknowledge Lucas was rooted in the tragedy surrounding Isabella, but time would reveal the truth.

...

Back in their suite, Ella and Eric enjoyed a relaxing evening. After a thorough shower to wash off the day’s sweat, Ella changed into a deep purple nightgown and settled on the balcony with a glass of milk, gazing at the cityscape.

Eric draped a jacket over her shoulders.

"The wind’s strong out here. You’re not a kid anymore—why didn’t you grab an extra layer?" he said, his tone tinged with exasperation.

Ella turned to him with a playful smile. "Because I have you. Who told your wife to be so lazy?"

Eric sat beside her, his fingers tapping lightly on the stone table. "Are you really not going to reconcile with Lucas?"

Ella shook her head, unwilling to discuss the topic further.

"He must’ve had the staff collect one of your hairs while cleaning the room. That’s probably how he got the DNA sample," Eric mused, piecing things together.

He was right—Lucas had instructed his assistant to use the least intrusive method to obtain Ella’s DNA, and collecting a fallen hair during room cleaning was the easiest and fastest way.

Ella felt a wave of unease upon hearing this.

"I don’t want to reconcile with him!" she said firmly. "Every time I’m near him, I think about Mom’s last year of life—how she struggled in the shadow of death. Where was he during that time?"

She couldn’t forget the despair and grief chronicled in Isabella’s diary.

If Lucas hadn’t ignored his former lover, the tragedy might never have occurred.

"It’s all in the past. Why dwell on it?" Eric said gently, holding Ella’s hand. "Lucas must have had his reasons for not being there for your mother."

Ella lowered her gaze, her long lashes trembling. "Eric, let’s go home."

Her voice carried a hint of desperation. She couldn’t shake a gnawing sense of foreboding. Luke’s hawk-like eyes, deep and piercing, felt as though they could pull her into an abyss.

"But weren’t you planning to visit Mount A in Country W today?" Eric asked, puzzled.

Ella shook her head quickly. "No... I don’t want to stay here anymore. I feel like something bad is about to happen."

Eric raised an eyebrow, tightening his grip on her hand. "Are you worried about the Miller family? I sent their drug trafficking and manufacturing evidence to the Country W authorities today. While they might wriggle out of this crisis with excuses, it’s still a significant blow to their reputation as aristocrats.

"They’ll regret crossing me. And as for you—don’t forget that Lucas is your biological father. Even though they don’t know about your connection, the fact that Lucas has been actively seeking you out will keep them from daring to lay a hand on you."