Contract Marriage With The Illegitimate Heir

SARAPHINA'S POV I was in a meeting with the board members, reviewing the company's business plan, when the door to the conference room burst open with a loud bang. The sudden interruption made everyone turn in unison, startled by the audacity. To my shock, it was my father. "Dad?" I muttered, rising from my seat, confusion tightening in my chest. If he was here—storming into a board meeting—then something was seriously wrong. His eyes locked onto mine, blazing with a fury I'd never seen before. But beneath the anger, there was something else. Pain. In seconds, my father stood before me. "Dad, what—" My words were cut short by a slap from my father. A few loud gasps from the board members echoed through the room. My eyes widened with shock as I stared at my father in disbelief. Never, never has he raised his hand on me. "D...dad." I called, my voice trembling. "How dare you, Saraphina?! How dare you?!" He shouted, his voice echoing through the room. "I...I don't understand what's going on, Dad. Why don't we go talk somewhere else. If it's something I did, I promise I'll fix it." I said, hoping my dad will listen, at least to save us the embarrassment. "What's the use of going to talk somewhere else, Saraphina? The news of your infidelity is already flying around, and also, how could you even steal from me? You've brought shame and disgrace to this family, Saraphina!" My father spat in disgust. I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Infidelity? Stealing? I've always been transparent about everything to you, Dad. Why would I want to steal from you? You're my father. A...and infidelity? I have no idea what you're talking about. I promise I've done nothing wrong." "Liar!" My father barked. "How can you still bear to lie to my face, Saraphina? I put so much trust in you. I even handed my company over to you, because you're my daughter and I trust you, but I should have known better than to trust you, my own flesh and blood." His words sliced through me like jagged glass. I had never defied him—never given him a reason to doubt me. Even when he remarried after Mom died, I swallowed my pain and stood by him. And now... this? "Please, tell me what's going on, Dad. Why are you saying all this?" I questioned, my voice trembling and tears welling in my eyes. My father opened his hand and his bodyguard handed him a big brown envelope. He glared dangerously at me as he threw me the envelope. I immediately caught it before it could drop to the floor. I stared at the envelope for a moment, then at my father. "Go on, Saraphina. Open it." My father commanded, his tone harsh. My hands trembled as I slowly opened the envelope. When I took out what was inside, my blood ran cold and I froze. I frantically began going through the photos and documents. "N...no, t...this isn't true." I stuttered. I was staring at some intimate photos of me in bed with another man, a man I've never seen in my life. The documents were all strange accounts that I knew nothing of, accounts that showed I've been embezzling company's funds. "T...this is a lie. This isn't me, I haven't done any of this." I cried out. "Dad, I promise I haven't done any of these things. I haven't done any of these, I think someone is trying to frame me, please believe me." I tried going close to my father, but his next words stopped me in my tracks. "Don't you dare come close to me, Saraphina." My father warned, his eyes cold and his tone harsh. "How can you still deny everything when the evidence is right in front of you?! How can you still dare to lie to my face?!" He barked. I kept shaking my head, hot tears rolling down my cheeks. "No, dad. I'm innocent, I promise I'm innocent." I sobbed. My father scoffed. "I was wrong to have entrusted everything to you, Saraphina. Ciara was right, I never should have trusted you this much. If I had known you would turn out like this, I would have handed everything to your sister, but I've always been way too considerate of you rather than Ciara." My father stared deep into my eyes. "Where did I go wrong, Saraphina? How could you do this to me? To your fiance? You've not only betrayed me, but you've also betrayed the man you're supposed to get married to. I'm highly disappointed in you, Saraphina. I've lost all faith and trust in you." My father's voice sounded so hurt it broke my heart. "I know, wherever your mother is right now, she'll be so disappointed in you—in me for failing to raise you better. I've always been lenient with you, Saraphina. But I won't let this slide." My father's expression was now stone cold. His words shattered something inside me. I sobbed harder, the kind that clawed their way out of my chest. "Please, Dad." I choked out. "You've given me everything, I would never betray you. You know me. You know me." My voice dropped to a whisper. "Don't you?" My father stared at me for a moment, then he shook his head. "I thought I did, Saraphina. But the evidence is right there, and now your words mean nothing to me. I don't know if I can ever trust you again, Saraphina." I immediately fell to my knees. "Please, dad. Give me a chance to prove my innocence.'' I begged, hoping my father would listen to me. "I really haven't done any of these things, I'm sure someone is trying to frame me for things I haven't done, just give me a chance to prove myself." "You can do whatever you want, Saraphina. But from this day, you've been stripped of your position as CEO, and it's effective immediately. You also won't be getting any inheritance from me, I'm sure the money you've stolen from me will be more than enough for you." My father declared, his voice echoing through the conference room. Gasps ripped through the room again, followed by the unmistakable clicks of camera shutters. My humiliation was no longer private—it was being documented. I looked up at my father, his face only held anger, and from the look in his eyes, I knew it was over, nothing I say will matter. The look in my father's eyes says it all—his mind's been made up. How? How could this happen? In a blink of an eye, I've lost everything. I bowed my head in embarrassment, painful sobs ripping from my throat.