His Fake Death, My Financial Ruin for Him

Chapter 2

As I listened to the murmurs around me, I gave a silent scoff.

After he faked his death, I had held a grand memorial service for him—one that made headlines across the city and was streamed live online. I made sure everyone knew Anthony was dead.

Back then, he had emptied the Clark family accounts, faked his death, and run off with my stepsister and the money.

Later, the family's assets skyrocketed, and on the day my son came of age, he received an offer from a top investment bank. If he thought he could waltz back in and reclaim his place as the family heir, he was dreaming—he'd have a better chance of finding a needle in a haystack.

I stood on the steps, looking down at Anthony, and said in a low, commanding voice, "Security! Throw this impostor out—he's posing as Mr. Clark!"

The moment I spoke, Anthony barked, "Let's see who dares! Can't you even tell who the true head of the Clark family is anymore?"

But by then, everyone in the Clark household, from top to bottom, answered only to me, Charlotte. The security guards had already rushed over.

Evelyn Miller lunged forward in panic, grabbing my sleeve, her eyes brimming with tears. "Charlotte, I'm your sister!" she cried. "Even if you want to keep the Clark family for yourself and won't let me return, Steven is my biological son after all. How can you be so heartless as to tear a mother and child apart?"

Listening to her tearful, plaintive words, I found it laughable. "Tear a mother and child apart? Who are you a mother to? Who is your son?

Back then, Steven's biological mother died of depression after Mr. Clark passed away in that car accident. Moved by her deep bond with Mr. Clark, I gave her a grand burial. And you—some woman who appeared out of nowhere—dare to shamelessly claim you're Steven's mother?"

Evelyn's face instantly flushed crimson. She stammered, wanting to say more, but several security guards had already stepped forward to pull them away.

Anthony's face turned cold. He shielded Evelyn behind him and snapped, "Are you all blind? Can't you even recognize your own master?"

The security guards paid him no heed. Several men grabbed Anthony's arms and were about to drag him away. He grimaced in pain and glared at me viciously. "Charlotte, don't push your luck! Evelyn carried the child for ten months and gave birth. All these years she'd been hiding with me. She only wanted to reclaim her son. Why did you have to be so relentless?"

Hiding?

Back then, he had been determined to be with Evelyn. I'd never been the jealous type, but Evelyn's mother was the other woman who broke up my parents.

From childhood, Evelyn had stolen my father and everything I had. If he'd liked anyone else, it might have been fine, but he just had to have Evelyn.

On the day of our wedding, he was already exchanging glances with her. And after she became pregnant, he kept forcing me to let her move in.

Back then, they dumped their newborn baby on me, faked their deaths, and took the money and ran. Now, after the kid had made it big, they suddenly wanted to play parents?

Seeing I wouldn't budge, Evelyn spoke as if every word were wrung from her heart. "Charlotte, if you hadn't refused to accept me back then, why would Anthony have had to fake his death? He had no choice! I was still pregnant—how could we let the baby be born without a father?"

She spoke with such theatrical anguish that it could make the heavens weep, putting on a thoroughly pitiful act.

The people around us began to murmur.

"I heard Steven isn't Charlotte's biological son, but didn't they say the birth mother died long ago?"

"Dead or not, it's all just what they say behind closed doors."

"Charlotte's treated that child like her own all these years. If the real birth mother showed up, surely she wouldn't stop a mother and child from reuniting?"

Hearing this, Evelyn dropped to her knees at my feet, weeping and pleading. "Charlotte, even if you won't let the child know who his birth mother is, you have to let me see the child just once! If you're afraid I'll take the child away, I'll leave right after seeing him, alright?"

She pulled a small knife from her bag and pressed it against her wrist. Soon, a red mark appeared on her pale skin.