Chapter 20 Truth
Maggie pushed through the crowd, approaching Lydia.
With a thud, she knelt before Lydia, then slapped herself hard across the face. Even Lydia was startled by
this sudden turn.
“Lydia, I know you blame me! If I returned after six years only to find my husband married to someone else, I wouldn’t be able to accept it either! But we had our reasons,” Maggie said through gritted teeth,
struggling to contain her tears and the anger burning inside her.
She looked up at Lydia, her gaze defiant, challenging her to see through any further lies she might
fabricate.
Tears streaming down her face, Maggie continued, “I know your heart still holds Ron. We had no idea you were still alive back then, and the company was in chaos internally. So, reluctantly, they made me and
Ron get married temporarily to protect the company. But now, since you’ve returned, I… I’m willing to step aside!”
As she finished speaking, Maggie’s face contorted with pain, her entire being on the verge of collapsing
into tears.
Meanwhile, Ron stood over her, his eyes reddened, torn between glancing at Lydia and Maggie, visibly
tormented and conflicted.
Helping Maggie up gently, Ron’s composed face bore traces of guilt and sorrow. “Lydia, stop! Mom and dad were not at fault, neither was Maggie. If anyone is to blame, it’s me alone! If you seek compensation, Maggie and I will compensate you.”
Lydia found Ron’s words almost comical. It had been years since she’d seen him, and she couldn’t help but feel disgusted by his attempt at portraying deep emotions.
Who did he think he could fool with this façade?
Watching the scene unfold before her, Lydia’s eyes turned colder.
Ron’s expression grew more remorseful as he glanced affectionately at Maggie. “Maggie, trust me, I won’t easily leave you. Even if forced, I won’t!”
Ron’s words instantly painted Lydia as the villain, making her out to be a home–wrecker, a betrayer of her own father, and a thief of her sister’s husband.
But Lydia had changed since those days when Ron could manipulate her at will.
Thus, facing Ron and Maggie’s theatrics, Lydia merely smirked and sarcastically applauded. “What a performance! Shall we give you an Oscar? So, what makes you so confident that I came back for you?”
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“Lydia…” Ron was taken aback by her sharpness, never having seen this side of her before. How had the once submissive girl become so formidable?
“Don’t call my name! You’re not worthy!” Lydia’s mind flashed back to moments of despair, to the anger she felt upon discovering the truth.
“Since six years ago when you cheated on me and Maggie behind my back, you no longer deserve to be my husband! Rest assured, I’ll annul our marriage, and I won’t even press bigamy charges against you! I wish you both a lifetime together!”
Her expression serious, Lydia addressed the crowd, “I hereby announce the formal dissolution of my
marriage to Ron. It’s over, once and for all.”
Since the moment she fell off the cliff, her love for him had turned to hatred. And she intended to reclaim
what was owed to her, bit by bit.
Ron was dumbfounded, his mind blank. Did she truly hate him this much? But then again, could such
intense hatred exist without love? His self–satisfaction was short–lived.
“Lydia, why put yourself through this? I understand your feelings right now, but…” Ron attempted to
deflect attention away, fearing the consequences of the past being unearthed.
But Lydia ignored him, “Does anyone want to know what happened six years ago? Why I disappeared for
so long?”
This piqued everyone’s interest. Though there were many rumors about her over the years, the Gilford family never mentioned a word.
“Of course, we do,” said someone eagerly.
Ron’s face turned pale with dread. “Lydia, don’t spew nonsense.”
Lydia remained composed, her gaze icy. “I haven’t said anything yet. Why are you so nervous? Guilty conscience, perhaps?”
This sparked murmurs among the crowd.
Desperate, Ron’s forehead beaded with sweat. “Your years of pent–up resentment have changed you beyond recognition. You’re no longer kind or gentle, you’ve become sharp and bitter. I no longer recognize you.”
He tried to shift blame, hoping to bury the past. The consequences of exposing the truth would be catastrophic.
“Lydia, don’t you want to acknowledge me as your father?” Harlan interjected, his tone dark.
Lydia’s cold stare held a hint of mockery. This only confirmed her suspicions. These were the people who
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conspired against her, including her own father!
This was her biological father!
Furious, she exclaimed, “It was their affair that I discovered! They pushed me off the cliff, their cruelty beyond imagination…”
The revelation shocked the crowd. “My God, that’s terrible! How could such a thing happen?”
“It’s outrageous! Adultery exposed, followed by attempted murder, truly despicable!”
Even the journalists, accustomed to scandals, found this beyond acceptable. Maggie, her face drained of color, pleaded her innocence amidst the chaos.
Mildred, furious, couldn’t contain herself. “What nonsense! Pushed off a cliff? Then why aren’t you dead?”
Ron’s anger flared. “Shut up! Don’t make baseless accusations. If you have evidence, take legal action; otherwise, refrain from reckless accusations!”
But despite their protests, the journalists remained skeptical. The facts were there. Ron and Maggie were married, likely for a long time.
“So, Ron was having an affair with Maggie six years ago? Isn’t that adultery? And then to cover it up, they attempted murder! How dreadful!”
“The news is sensational! Maggie’s mom became the mistress, and Maggie followed in her footsteps. Tut, tut!”
These comments darkened Ron’s expression further, while Maggie beside him, clearly unprepared for Lydia’s revelation, turned pale. Harlan and Mildred looked even worse, wishing they could silence Lydia.
Standing in the spotlight, Lydia’s elegant face bore traces of sorrow and desolation. Unable to bear the scrutiny any longer, Maggie pleaded, “Lydia, despite any misunderstandings, you’re still my sister, and this family welcomes you. I hope we can resolve our misunderstandings soon.”
Her words sounded hollow as she dragged Ron away hastily.
Harlan realized further argument would be futile, so he changed tack. “Lydia, though your baseless accusations hurt me deeply, remember, you’re always my daughter. I won’t hold it against you. You’re welcome home anytime.”
Leaving this statement, he hurriedly departed with his wife.
Watching them go, Lydia’s lips curled into a bitter smile. From this day forward, she severed all ties with that family!
Kevin noticed Lydia’s distraught state and whispered, “Lydia, go test. I’ll handle things from here.”
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Lydia nodded, feeling exhausted. Her heart weighed heavily.
Why was her father so ruthless? Did power and wealth truly matter so much to him?
And Ron, she had loved him wholeheartedly, even planning to entrust him with her wealth before everything happened. Yet this was the outcome.
She was truly tired, like a small boat adrift in the sea, without a harbor to dock. Her mind was a
whirlwind of confusion, memories of six years ago, the words spoken by those few people, especially
Harlan’s appearance. It felt like a knife, severing her last tether.
Leaving through a side door of the hotel lobby, Lydia walked along the corridor towards the exit.
The hallway was dimly lit, the yellowish light casting an eerie silence, matching her desolate mood.
Tears flowed uncontrollably, bitter and salty, down her cheeks. Each step felt heavier than the last.
She walked and walked until she reached the end of the corridor, pushing open the door leading outside.
The sunlight made her squint, and when she opened her eyes, she found herself enveloped in a tall
shadow.
Lydia froze, looking up to see a familiar face–Lambert!
He stood at the doorway, sunlight behind him, rendering him warm and dependable.
His crystal–black eyes fixed on her face, his breath slightly ragged, sweat beads on his forehead. He had
run all the way here! 1
How was he here?
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.