Max’s jaw clenched, his breathing heavy. His father’s words cut deep, but he refused to let them break him.All because he had told his father about Alicia and how he had asked for her help—only to be rejected—he suddenly became the bad son.Harold never missed a chance to remind him of his failures. But comparing him to Tedmond? That was new.Max swallowed hard. "You're seriously bringing up Tedmond?" He let out a humorless chuckle. "You hate him. You spent years making sure he knew he wasn’t wanted. And now you're saying you wish he were your son instead of me?"Harold's expression twisted with disgust. "I despise that bastard, but at least he knows how to take advantage of an opportunity. You, on the other hand, keep embarrassing me." He sneered. "If he weren't such a stain on my reputation, I'd say he played his cards better than you ever could."Max's fingers twitched at his sides. He wanted to hit something. Anything. But he knew better. His father would only take satisfaction i

As soon as the words left the man’s lips, Tedmond gave him a blank expression. He had never seen the man before and had no idea who he was.However, one question caught his attention. The man had just asked what he was doing in a house that was supposed to belong to someone else. Holding roses and mentioning Persis' name was enough for Tedmond to understand what the man wanted and what was going on.“Even if you’re a driver picking us up, why are you so damn dressed up like that?” the man demanded, pointing the bouquet of flowers at Tedmond. “Why are you overdressed? Are you trying to seduce your boss?”Hearing the man’s question, Tedmond arched a brow and glared at him. They didn’t know each other, yet the man had the audacity to make assumptions.“If you’re done delivering the flowers, you can leave,” Tedmond replied. “Or hand them over—I’ll give them to her when she gets here. It wouldn’t be right to keep you waiting when you have other jobs to do.”As soon as Tedmond spoke, the ma

Lenny stood frozen on the sidewalk, his fists clenched at his sides as he watched the car drive off. The taillights glowed red in the distance, slowly fading into the night. His heart pounded in his chest, a mix of anger, humiliation, and disbelief washing over him.She didn’t remember him.Not only that—she had brushed him aside like he was nothing.Lenny ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling inside him. How could she forget? They had spent hours together as kids. He had always been there, always admired her. He thought she would at least hold some memory of him, even if it was faint.But the way she had looked at him—like he was just some random guy—made his stomach churn.And that driver.Lenny’s jaw tightened as he recalled the way Persis had clung to Tedmond, how she had locked hands with him so easily as if he meant something to her. He had assumed Tedmond was just a hired worker, someone beneath their world. But Persis had stood beside him, defended him, and left wi

The words brought silence to the room, and everyone began nodding. Tedmond glared at the man who had just spoken. It was clear they wanted him to reveal his face—something he had no intention of doing.“He’s right,” one of the guests said. “We haven’t seen Mr. Washington's face, and this one is wearing a mask. How can we be sure it’s him?”“He must have come here to fool us.”“If Hans is telling the truth, then he must have also fooled Miss Damon and made her think he’s Mr. Washington,” a woman stated, her voice louder than the rest. She held a wine glass in her hand and wore a dark green dress. “He must have come to the party without an invitation, too.”“If he turns out to be an imposter, what should we do?” a man questioned.Hans grinned. Just as he had expected, the others were beginning to doubt the man in front of them. Although Tedmond had acted and spoken like a Washington, Hans knew how to spot a faker.Ms. Kurt raised her head to look at Tedmond, a frown crossing her face. S

No one knew what to say or how to start. They had been sure he wasn’t the real person, but now that the truth was out, they were both shocked and terrified of what would happen to them.Ms. Kurt's breath hitched, and she took an unconscious step back, her once-confident expression crumbling. The realization that she had insulted the head of the Washington family—twice—sent chills down her spine."I-I…" Hans stammered, his fingers trembling as he gripped the card. His mind raced for an excuse, a way to backtrack, but the proof was undeniable.He had been the one who claimed Tedmond wasn’t the real person. If only he had kept his mouth shut when everyone believed Tedmond, he wouldn’t have so much to deal with now.Persis folded her arms, tilting her head slightly as she regarded them with an unimpressed gaze. "Well?" she drawled. "Is that enough proof for you all, or do you need him to bring his birth certificate too?"At the mention of the birth certificate, both of them hurriedly shoo