2025-08-16 23:11:26
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Chapter Thirty Four
Nathan exhaled, a mixture of relief and apprehension. Aunt Marjorie stood on the courthouse steps, watching quietly. Nathan met her eyes and gave a small nod. She didn’t step in to help, but she also didn’t stand in his way. For now, that small sign of acknowledgment was enough.It was test day at the telecom site. Nathan stepped into the gleaming hall as engineers checked cables and screens, murmuring into headsets.”His polsihed prototype lay on the demo table, ready to prove itself. This was supposed to be his moment, the chance to show the company he was more than a mistake, more than Liam’s shadow.Liam appeared as if on cue, leaning casually against a console, a smirk tugging at his lips. He looked harmless, but Nathan knew better. Liam’s calm always carried a hidden threat, one Nathan had learned to fear. Nathan took a deep breath, adjusting the final settings on his device. Clients were seated in a row of black chairs, looking expectant. Nathan tried to focus on the mechanic
Chapter Thirty Three
Dawn hadn’t broken when Nathan slipped out of the Hayes mansion and made his way to the courthouse. The faint smell of paper inside reminded him of childhood libraries. He clutched the folder of legal documents in his hands.The lawyer who had agreed to meet him, a tall woman with brown eyes and a crisp suit, greeted him without warmth. “Mr. Hayes,” she said, scanning his folder. “We need to file your claim first. Everything must be in order.”Nathan nodded, his throat tight. “I’ve prepared everything. Birth certificates, affidavits… everything you asked for.”She glanced over the paperwork, tapping her pen on the desk. “Good. I’ll submit this to the clerk. The sooner it’s on record, the better your chances.”As she left to handle the filing, Nathan’s stomach knotted. He had rehearsed this moment countless times, imagining the judge’s nod, the acknowledgment of his rights. But the courthouse was a different arena. Here, influence and money often mattered more than truth.He waited nea
Chapter Thirty Two
Liam, noticing the interaction from across the store, glared at Nathan. The smirk never left his face, but his eyes narrowed in a warning, the game was far from over. Mr. Hayes, positioned near the front to greet VIP clients, caught sight of Nathan’s momentary distraction and he muttered something inaudible to Liam, a threat masked in paternal concern. Marjorie was in the store too, moving through the crowd calmly. She watched the chaos but didn’t step in. Her earlier doubts about Liam seemed gone, leaving Nathan without the quiet support he had hoped for. He looked at her for a moment, seeking reassurance, but saw only polite distance.Cassandra was also there, quiet and still, standing slightly apart from the fray. She avoided Nathan’s eyes. Nathan had to accept her silence as part of the complex family dynamics, a reminder that his struggle was largely solitary.The following day was the telecom merger pitch, set to take place on the Sterling yacht. Laughter from the executives dr
Chapter Thirty One
The meeting had begun, and Nathan scrolled through his phone one last time, hoping for something, any proof, that could back up his claims against Liam. There was nothing. Every message, every call log, every note he thought might help amounted to nothing tangible.By the time the family meeting had ended without the vindication Nathan had hoped for. Evidence against Liam was nonexistent, or at least, it appeared so to Mr. Hayes, whose approval of his adopted son was unwavering. Nathan had presented his claims carefully, recounting the incidents he had witnessed, explaining how Liam’s manipulations had interfered with his engagement to Cassandra but every point seemed to fall flat.Mr. Hayes dismissed them with a wave of his hand, praising Liam’s loyalty to the family, his charm, and his apparent dedication to the family’s reputation. Nathan felt the sting of betrayal, hearing Mr. Hayes’ disapproval, the humiliation deepened.Marjorie had remained composed, neither endorsing nor refut
Chapter Thirty
Her tone was pointed enough that Cassandra glanced at Nathan, silently asking if she was right and Nathan gave the smallest nod.“You might be on to something,” he said to Marjorie. “But proving it will not be simple.”“It never is,” Marjorie replied. “But if Childress has betrayed you, the family should know. Half of them will deny it, of course. The other half might see what Liam is doing.”Nathan understood the significance. In a family so divided, even a small shift in opinion could be powerful. But he also knew Liam would not stand idly by while suspicions about his allies spread. This was a dangerous ground.The city art gallery glittered that evening, a pianist in the corner played a soft country melody.Nathan stood near a modernist steel installation, he tried to focus on the art, but his attention kept drifting to Liam across the room. His half-brother was in his element, smiling and shaking hands, leaning in just enough to make every guest feel as though they were his confi
Chapter Twenty Nine
Marjorie did not press further, but her words had left a mark. Nathan could see it in the way Liam’s charm felt forced for the next few minutes, the way his smiles did not quite reach his eyes.The party went on, yet for Nathan, the air was heavier now. Mia’s firing was more than a personal loss, it was a deliberate move to strip him of allies. Cassandra’s silence was its own prison, and Mr. Hayes’ public rebuke was another reminder that his father’s loyalty was to Liam, not him.The sun was high, a soft breeze carrying the scent of blossoms from the botanical garden, Nathan stood just outside the iron gates, staring at the manicured rows of tulips and hydrangeas. He had agreed to this outing less for leisure and more as a chance to breathe after the warehouse party’s chaos. The memory of Mia’s sudden dismissal, Liam’s smug grin, and the humiliating stares from the guests made him restless.The botanical garden was unusually quiet for a Saturday. Now and then, children’s laughter floa
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