Chapter 7:The Truth Hidden For Twenty-three Years
550 Words
Isabella stared at the old photograph in disbelief.
Her hands trembled.
The smiling young man standing beside her mother...
Was Charles Hart.
The man who had raised her.
"Dad..." she whispered.
Edward Lancaster sighed heavily.
"Yes."
"He knew your mother."
Isabella looked up, confused.
"But he always told me he met my mother after she lost her family."
Edward slowly shook his head.
"That wasn't true."
"He knew exactly who Amelia was."
The room fell silent.
Edward sat in his leather chair and closed his eyes.
"Twenty-four years ago, your mother was the brightest star in the Lancaster family."
"She was kind, intelligent, and destined to inherit my company."
"But she fell in love with a man named Daniel Hart."
"Your father."
Isabella's heart tightened.
"They married against my wishes."
"I was stubborn."
"I thought Daniel only wanted our family's wealth."
"So I forced Amelia to choose between her family and the man she loved."
Edward's voice broke.
"She chose love."
Tears rolled down his cheeks.
"I lost my daughter that day."
Isabella remained silent.
She had never seen such deep regret.
"What happened after that?" she asked softly.
Edward opened another file.
"Daniel started a small business."
"They struggled, but they were happy."
"Then..."
"One night..."
"Their car crashed."
Isabella's breathing became uneven.
"My father died?"
Edward nodded.
"Yes."
"And your mother survived for only a few hours."
"Before she died, she begged someone to protect you."
"That person was Charles Hart."
"My uncle?" Isabella asked.
"Yes."
"He promised Amelia he would raise you as his own daughter."
For a moment, Isabella felt grateful.
Maybe Charles had truly loved her once.
But Edward's expression darkened.
"At first, he kept his promise."
"But after he discovered something..."
"He changed."
"What did he discover?"
Edward looked directly into her eyes.
"He learned that you were the legal heir to the Lancaster fortune."
Isabella frowned.
"So... he knew?"
Edward nodded slowly.
"He knew."
"And instead of telling me where you were..."
"He hid you."
"He forged documents."
"He changed your identity."
"He told everyone you had died."
Isabella covered her mouth in shock.
"My whole life..."
"...was a lie?"
Edward reached for her hand.
"I'm afraid so."
Just then...
Knock! Knock!
Edward's chief of security hurried into the study.
"Chairman!"
"What is it?"
"We've just received information."
"Charles Hart has requested an urgent meeting with you."
Edward narrowed his eyes.
"After twenty-three years?"
The guard nodded.
"He's already waiting at the front gate."
Isabella's heart pounded.
The man who had rejected her...
The man she had called "Dad" all her life...
Was outside.
Edward looked at Isabella.
"The decision is yours."
"Do you want to see him?"
Isabella closed her eyes.
Memories flooded her mind.
The bedtime stories.
The birthday cakes.
The hugs.
Then...
The cold look in his eyes at the wedding.
"You have brought shame to this family."
She slowly opened her eyes.
This time...
There were no tears.
Only determination.
"Bring him in."
Outside the mansion gates...
Charles Hart adjusted his tie nervously.
He looked at the enormous Lancaster estate.
For the first time in years...
He wasn't coming as a powerful businessman.
He was coming as a man desperate to protect his secrets.
As the gates slowly opened...
He whispered to himself,
"Isabella... please don't know the truth."
- Writer
