Chapter 251 Trashing it out

Chapter 251 Trashing it out
Alex nodded thoughtfully. "They have no choice now."
   He walked toward the window overlooking the city.
   "Derby's entire world has been turned upside down. Everything she believed about her mother's death has been proven false."
   Thomas folded his arms. "So now she wants answers."
   "Exactly."
   Alex's gaze remained fixed on the skyline.
   "She deserves the truth."
   He paused before adding quietly, "And I think it's time Larissa finally faced the consequences of the lies she's been feeding her."
   Dan smiled faintly. "So...we just watch?"
   Alex nodded. "Yes. Let Derby tear the whole thing apart. If Larissa has been manipulating her all these while, then she won't be able to hide behind those lies anymore."
   He turned back toward his team.
"Keep the surveillance active. I want updates on anyone entering or leaving that house. 
   He smiled slightly.
   “Other than that, we let the family settle their own war."
   The officers nodded.
   Outside, the surveillance continued in silence. Inside Larissa's house, a confrontation has already begun.
   Derby stood in the middle of the living room, her suitcase still by the door. Her eyes blazed with fury.
   Larissa had seen Derby angry before, but never like this.
There was no sadness. No hesitation, only months of betrayal boiling to the surface.
   Larissa forced herself to remain composed.
   "Derby...What is this about?"
   Derby's lips curled into a cold smile. "How long?"
   Larissa frowned. "What?"
   "How long were you planning to keep the truth about my birth parents from me?"
   The question hit Larissa like a punch. She blinked twice. "I... I don't understand."
   "Oh, yes, you do." Derby's voice was sharp as a blade. "It's a simple question. So..."
   She took another step closer. "Start talking."
   Larissa folded her arms, trying to regain control. "Talking about what?"
   A bitter laugh escaped Derby. “Are you trying to get me more pissed? You still want to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about?"
   She shook her head slowly. “Fine, let me make it clearer since you've grown dumb.”
   “Dumb? Did you just call me dumb?”
   Swiftly she rushed toward Derby raising her hand to slap her.
   Derby quickly crashed her hand with hers.
   “Dont you dare Larissa, I'm not some teen girl you can raise your hand on. I need answers to my questions.”
   Both ladies stared at each other with their eyes blazing with fire. Then Larissa stepped back, headed to the bar and grabbed a bottle. Picked up the cup and settled back into a seat. She knew that whatever this was about would be tough.
   Derby breathed in and chuckled. “I’m waiting. Why did you make me believe Alex was my father?"
   For the first time, Larissa's composure cracked. Her eyes widened. Then, almost instinctively, she replied, "Of course he is. He denied your mother and…"
   "Shut the fuck up, Larissa!" Derby's scream echoed through the house.
   Larissa instinctively stepped back.
"Hey!" She snapped. "Calm down!
What has come over you?"
   Derby laughed. The sound was hollow, and painful.
   "What has come over me?" She pointed accusingly at Larissa.
  "No. That's the wrong question."
Her eyes filled with disgust.
   "The right question is, how long were you planning to keep manipulating me, you obsessive piece of trash?"
   Larissa's face flushed with anger.
"What? How dare you speak to me like that!"
   She shot to her feet. Her glare was fierce, but Derby didn't flinch. Not even a little. Instead, she fired back with even greater force.
   "No, how dare you, Larissa! How dare you make me spend my precious time hating Alex? How dare you convince me he abandoned my mother. How dare you lie that he denied his responsibility, that he broke her heart and caused her death!"
   Larissa's heart pounded wildly.
She forced herself to keep her expression steady.
   "What the hell are you talking about? I have no idea where all this is coming from."
   But within her innermost part, panic had already taken hold. Her thoughts spiraled fearfully.
   Oh my gosh, had she found out?
No… She couldn't have…how? From who?
   Derby took one more step forward.
"So..." She asked quietly.
   "Who is Bruce Keaton?"
   Everything inside Larissa froze. Her breathing caught. Her pupils widened. For a split second...She completely forgot how to speak.
   "E... excuse me?" She stammered.
"What did you say?"
   Derby's eyes narrowed.
   "I said, who is Bruce Keaton?"
   Larissa swallowed hard.
   "I...I don't know any Bruce…"
   "Shut your trap, Larissa!"
   Derby's voice cracked like thunder.
"You've lied enough."
   Larissa's knees suddenly felt weak.
She stared at Derby in disbelief. "You...You found out?" The words slipped out in low tone before she could stop them. Realizing her mistake, she quickly covered it.
  "I mean...I don't know how you come about this. Who told you that?"
   Derby let out another bitter laugh.
"It doesn't matter how I found out."
She pointed a trembling finger at Larissa.
   "You are a fucking asshole."
   Larissa's own temper exploded.
   "Watch your mouth, girl! I'm still your aunt!"
   Derby's eyes filled with tears, but her voice remained cold.
   "Hell no. You don't deserve that title anymore. You don't deserve to be called my aunt. You are selfish, manipulative, and so obsessed with your own hatred. Youre capable of destroying other people's lives without a second thought. So I will never take you as my aunt again.
   Larissa's breathing grew heavier.
"You know nothing."
   "Oh, I know enough." Derby shot back. "I know you stole my life. You stole my mother's memory. You stole my chance to know who my real father was, and worst of all..."
   Her voice broke. "...you turned me into a weapon against an innocent man. How could you be this cruel?"
   Silence crashed over the room.
Neither woman looked away. Months of lies, months of manipulation, months of misplaced hatred, just because she wanted to hurt Alex.
   Everything had finally come crashing down. For the first time...
Larissa realized she might no longer be able to talk her way out of the truth.
   Derby stood motionless for a long moment, staring at the woman she had once trusted more than anyone else. The woman she had called Aunt. The woman who had raised her after her mother's death.
   Now, all she saw was a stranger.
A stranger whose lies had stolen years of her life.
   Tears shimmered in her eyes, but this time they weren't tears of grief.
They were tears of disappointment.
When she finally spoke, her voice was calm, far calmer than the storm raging inside her.
   "From this moment on..."
She swallowed the lump in her throat. "...I disown you."
   Larissa's expression flickered for the briefest moment.
  "You are no longer my family." The words hung heavily in the room.
Derby turned toward the front door, and took a few slow steps before bending to pick up her suitcase.   
   Stopping with her hand on the doorknob, without turning around, she spoke one last time.
   "My final advice to you..." Her voice was quiet. "...is to run."
   Larissa frowned. 
   "Run?"
   "Leave Anchorage." Derby continued. "Go somewhere no one knows you. Disappear before it's too late."
   Derby slowly turned her head just enough for her profile to be visible.
"Because if you keep feeding that obsession, it won't end with Alex."
"It will end with you behind bars."
   She tightened her grip on the suitcase handle. "Think about it."
Then she opened the door.
   Larissa’s lips curved into a chilling smile, as she watched her leave.
   "If I can't have Alex, then no one will."
   Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I would rather take Alex to the grave with me."