Is She My Daughter?

“What is this young man talking about?” The crowd murmured in shock.

Gary's burning gaze lingered on Wayne for a while. “What gave you the audacity to barge in here and claim we stole from you? Who the fuck are you?”

“I'm Wayne Costa, the heir to the Costa Legacy you took over through dubious means!”

“What?” Gasps of amazement filled the air. “Simon Costa's son is alive? But the news said they all died in the fire?”

“I also heard that Anna Moore carried out a DNA test and found out that Wayne wasn’t Simon’s real son, he was an adopted bastard.”

“Then, what's the bastard doing here?”

“He must be dreaming if he thinks he can regain control over the Costa's assets. It wouldn’t take anything for the Moore Family to snuff his life out.”

“Oh, poor thing, he looks so thin and miserable. He must have suffered so much that he had to stoop to become a mechanic."

The crowd made their own speculations about the issue.

All of a sudden, a loud scream echoed from the side of the hall. “I said come with me!” An older woman was pulling a younger woman out the door.

Wayne’s neck stiffened when his gaze landed on Loretta Moore.

He dashed away from the commotion toward the women and yanked the woman’s hands off Loretta.

His actions was so fast that Loretta lost her footing and fell straight into his arms, shrieking in fear.

Wayne stared down at her face with so much emotion, recalling their wedding 4 years ago. Even though it was an arranged marriage, that night they talked and decided to make it work.

She was still as beautiful as ever, with her pretty blue eyes, fair pale skin and golden brown hair.

"W. . .Wayne?" 

"Yes, Loretta. It's me." 

She regarded him in shock. "What're you doing here?" 

"Mummy! Aunt Aleena wants to lock me up!" A little girl screamed, running in through the door towards Loretta.

She stopped to stare at the man holding her mother. "Mummy, is he my daddy?" 

An astonishing gasp left Wayne's lips as he stared down at a carbon copy of himself, grey eyes, dark luscious hair, and pointed nose. 

"Is she-?" Wayne glanced at Loretta, his eyes filled with tears.

She pulled away from him, anger clouding her eyes.

"Is she my d. . .daughter?" Wayne gasped in disbelief.

"I had no idea we had a child. I-" his words got stuck on his tongue, he couldn't explain why his heart suddenly began racing and he felt tingles on his skin.

"She's your daughter, but are you fit to be called her father?" Wayne felt the anger in Loretta's voice.

"Daddy!" The little girl screamed, rushing to hug him.

Wayne crouched at once to embrace her. "What's your name, little girl?"

Before the girl could reply, a woman shrieked behind him. “Elsa! Get away from that man. It's wrong to embrace strangers.”

It was Aleena, Gary's wife. She was the one pulling Loretta away earlier.

“Loretta! How can you be this dumb to allow your daughter call any random stranger her daddy? It's not anyone's fault your good for nothing husband abandoned you 4 years ago!” Aleena lashed out at Loretta in a loud voice, making everyone around them began murmuring again.

Loretta Moore was one of the most beautiful women in Las Vegas, so it wasn't news that she secretly got married four years ago.

But all of a sudden, rumors spread that her husband abandoned her for another woman.

No one imagined that Wayne Costa would be her husband.

“She's just a little girl, Aunt.” Loretta replied, hurt in her voice as she pulled her daughter away.

Aleena was intentionally making a scene to humiliate and remind her of her misfortune.

“You should learn to discipline your daughter appropriately, so she won’t end up as a spoilt little brat!”

Aleena faced the little girl to scold her. “Elsa, come on. Be a good girl and apologize to him, else I would lock you up!” 

Elsa flinched in fear and faced Wayne, tears in her eyes. “I. . .I'm sorry sir.” She whispered.

“I can't hear you!” Aleena yelled so loud that the girl flinched, bursting into tears.

Aleena was furious. "How dare you cry, you fickle child!"

"That's enough, woman!" Wayne gritted.

Aleena was stunned, she turned to look closely at the man for the first time.

"W. . .Wayne Costa?" Her features paled in shock and panic.

She took two unsteady steps backwards. “W. . .What're you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be dead?”

Wayne smirked. “Your wish of death didn't come to pass, but now I'm back to make you all pay for your misdeeds!”

“The next time I see you bully my daughter or my wife, you’re gonna regret it!” He threatened with such a fierce gaze that pinpricks attacked Aleena's skin.

She stumbled backwards and fell to the floor, her mouth wide open.

“Daddy!” Elsa shrieked happily and Wayne crouched just in time to embrace her.

He ran caressing hands through her hair. “Daddy is sorry for staying away from you for too long.”

“It's okay, daddy.” Elsa giggled, patting his hands. “I knew you would come one day, so I took care of mummy for you.”

Rumors spiked up in the hall again.

Gary stormed towards Wayne in anger. “I told you to leave already, you bastard! If you're doing this to get some money, you might as well stop before landing yourself in trouble!” He grabbed Wayne's collar angrily. 

“Wicked uncle, don't touch my daddy!” Elsa screamed in such a high pitched voice and with a determination that shocked everyone present.

"Elsa, why are you screaming? Who's that poor man you’re calling your father again?" A shrill feminine voice asked from the stage.

Anna Moore herself made way through the crowd to face them.

"Wayne Costa?" Her shock was well masked when her gaze fell on him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She squinted, clenching her fists.

"Grandma, you're here." Wayne gave her a fake smile.

Anna stiffened and faced Gary. “Who let this man in that he had the guts to call me grandma? How can I be a relative to a lowly mechanic?”

A muscle ticked in Wayne’s jaw.

Anna Moore pretended like he was a stranger so people would be think he's crazy.

He never expected less from her anyway.

“I'm here to see my wife and my daughter.” Wayne replied coldly.

Anna faced him, a deep frown on her face. “Young man, you’re not related to the Moore family. It seems you have a death wish for coming all the way here to interrupt my party!” She stated, lips quivering.

“And who's your daughter? It's certainly not Elsa.” She glared down at the girl so much that she ran to hide behind Wayne. “Elsa's father is dead to us! So, get the hell out of here.”

Wayne stared at the wrinkles on Anna's face, refusing to believe what he just heard. It was all so hilarious that he burst out into a low laughter.

“After the dramatic reactions from your son and his wife after seeing me, are you still insisting I'm a stranger?”

“You’re only a bastard that bore the name Costa up until Simon’s death, he died childless after handing over all his properties to my husband!” Anna spat with so much venom.

Wayne clenched his fists. "So it's true. You actually manipulated my father into handing you all his properties before his death. You're so shameless, Anna." He replied coldly, his eyes glinting maliciously at her.

"How dare you?" A vein stood out on Anna's neck, she'd never been so insulted all her life.

What gave this idiot the right to talk down on her?

Instead of reacting to Wayne, she pulled Gary closer to whisper to him.

A few seconds later, several well-built bodyguards rushed into the hall.