Chapter 65 Arguing

"It's more complicated than a standard adoption," Bernard said quietly. "When I ran a deep background check, I found inconsistencies. Your birth certificate had been altered. Your original birth records were sealed by court order."

"That's... unusual, but not unheard of in adoptions," I said, trying to understand where this was going.

"Diana," Bernard leaned forward slightly, his voice lower now, "you weren't just adopted. According to the records I uncovered, you were reported missing as an infant – from a prominent family."

The words hit me like a physical blow. "Missing? You mean... kidnapped?"

Bernard nodded slowly. "Yes. When you were just six months old."

"That's impossible," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "My mom would have known. She wouldn't have..."

"Your adoptive mother likely had no knowledge," Bernard assured me quickly. "The adoption appears to have been arranged through a third party. The paperwork was legitimate on the surface."

My mind was reeling. If what Bernard was saying was true, my entire understanding of my origins was wrong. "So my birth parents didn't give me up voluntarily? They... lost me?"

"Yes," Bernard confirmed, his eyes never leaving mine. "They searched for you for years."

A terrible thought occurred to me. "Do they know where I am now? Have you told them?"

Bernard hesitated, and in that hesitation, I sensed there was still more he wasn't saying.

"Bernard," I said, my voice firmer now despite the emotional tsunami building inside me. "Who are my birth parents? What family was I taken from?"

He took a deep breath, then spoke the words that would change everything.

"The Morris family, Diana. You were born Elizabeth Diana Morris, daughter of Elizabeth Morris and heir to the Morris Industries fortune. You're Gregory Morris's granddaughter."

The room seemed to tilt around me as the implications crashed down. Gregory Morris – the intimidating man I'd just met – was my grandpa? The company I was working for was actually my family's business?

"That's why he was looking at me like that," I whispered, remembering Gregory's scrutiny. "He was looking for... family resemblance?"

Bernard nodded. "Yes. You have your mother's features. Gregory noticed it immediately when I showed him your photo, even before the DNA confirmation."

"DNA confirmation?" I repeated, struggling to keep up. "You took my DNA?"

At least Bernard had the grace to look slightly uncomfortable. "From a coffee cup. We needed to be certain before approaching you."

Under normal circumstances, I might have been outraged at this invasion of privacy. But I was too stunned by the larger revelation to focus on that detail.

"So when you observed me, when you engineered our meeting, when you offered me this job... it was all about who I really am? About returning me to the Morris family?"

"Not entirely," Bernard said carefully. "Your marketing skills are genuinely exceptional and exactly what the project needs. But yes, finding you and bringing you safely into the fold was a primary consideration."

"Safely?" I caught on that word. "Am I in danger?"

Bernard's expression became more serious. "The person believed to be behind your kidnapping as an infant – Thomas Johnson – is the same man whose energy companies are trying to undermine our project. We believe he's unaware of your identity and connection to the Morris family, but if he were to discover it..."

He didn't need to finish the thought. The security measures, the observation, the panic button on my phone – all of it made a terrible kind of sense now.

"Why didn't you just tell me this from the beginning?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly. "Why the elaborate charade with the job offer and the... everything else?"

"We needed to approach carefully," Bernard explained. "Dropping this kind of revelation on someone without preparation could be traumatic. We wanted you to become familiar with the company, with the family business, before learning the truth."

"We?" I repeated. "You and Gregory planned this together?"

Bernard nodded. "Gregory has been searching for you for twenty-eight years, Diana. When I joined the family business ten years ago, finding you became one of my primary assignments."

Another piece clicked into place. "That's why you were watching me. Not just to assess my character for the job, but to make sure I wasn't... what? In contact with Johnson? Aware of my true identity?”

“You lie me and use me to acheive the affection degree from Gregroy for you."

"Yes," Bernard admitted. 

"Our emotion is also a part of your plan?" I was a little more aggressive this time.

"No, this is outside the plan. I promise I was truly in this relation." Bernard leaned forward, his eyes never leaving mine.

"Do I believe you after I know these informations?" My voice cracked, betraying the emotional hurricane inside me.

"Diana, please don't." Bernard reached for my hand, but I yanked it away.