The Billionaire's Secret Heir

Chapter 9: The Inheritance Dispute

The tension in the room thickened as Franklin glared at Amanda, his voice rising with unexpected force. “Sienna and her son just got here, so there’s no need for you to be this hostile. Can’t you try to get along with her, just for once?!”

Amanda’s jaw tightened, but before she could retaliate, Vanessa appeared on the staircase, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. “Who’s this kid, Dad?” Her tone was laced with a sharp edge as she stared at Franklin holding a small boy.

“Watch your tone, Vanessa!” Amanda snapped her voice like ice. “This is your nephew, Elliot—the son your sister had while living abroad.”

Vanessa’s breath hitched, her eyes wide with disbelief. She rushed down the stairs, her voice shaking with disbelief. “What? Why didn’t you tell us about him? Why is he suddenly here?” She advanced toward Sienna, her accusation clear. “Are we supposed to just accept him like this? Out of nowhere?”

Sienna’s eyes flickered with cold anger, but she stood her ground. She’d known this moment was coming, but the bitterness of it still stung. “What I do is none of your concern,” she said, her voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of contempt.

Franklin’s face hardened as he stepped between them. “How dare you speak to her like that, Vanessa?” His voice thundered through the house. “Elliot is family, and you’ll show respect. Do you understand?”

Vanessa was taken aback, but her eyes narrowed in defiance. “Family?” She scoffed, her gaze never leaving Sienna. “What is he even doing here, huh? Should we just pretend everything’s fine? Because that’s not how things work in this house!”

The sharp exchange hung in the air, and for a brief moment, everything felt like it was teetering on the edge. Franklin’s grip on Elliot tightened as he turned toward the boy with a smile. “Come on, buddy. Let’s get out of here and go to the garden. A bit of fresh air will do you good.”

As soon as they left, Vanessa, still seething, turned to Sienna, her lips curling into a cruel smile. “So, you had an affair with a married man and ended up with this illegitimate child? How pathetic.”

Sienna’s gaze burned with fury, but she fought to keep her composure. The anger that had once consumed her in moments like these was now something she could channel, something she could control. “What happened between me and anyone is none of your business,” she shot back, her words venomous but measured.

But Vanessa didn’t stop. She had seen how much Sienna had changed. The woman who once cowered in fear had transformed into someone unrecognizable. Sienna was different now—stronger, more assertive, and perhaps more dangerous than ever before. Vanessa couldn’t stand it. It gnawed at her.

“Do you think you’re someone important now, just because you’re back with Daddy? You’ll never get what you want. This family is mine,” Vanessa spat, her voice dripping with malice.

“Your family?” Sienna echoed, a mocking smile playing on her lips. “You mean the one that took everything from me? The one that used me like I was nothing?”

The words hung in the air like an accusation. Amanda’s face twisted in anger, but she remained silent, knowing she had no defense.

“I’ll tell you this now,” Sienna continued, her voice growing colder. “I didn’t come back for any of you. I came back for my father, and for the legacy that is rightfully mine.”

Amanda stepped forward, her eyes narrowing dangerously. “Don’t think your son will give you a bigger share of the inheritance. He doesn’t change anything.”

Sienna’s eyes glittered with contempt. “I never wanted any of it to begin with. But if you think for a second that your greedy little plans will work, think again.”

Amanda faltered, caught off guard by the venom in Sienna’s words. She opened her mouth to argue, but Sienna wasn’t finished.

“My father is alive and well, yet you two are already plotting over his inheritance. Are you hoping for his death, Amanda? If you are, then I’ll make sure he lives forever, just to spite you.”

Amanda’s face flushed, the accusation stinging. “What are you talking about? Of course, I want him to live! He’s my husband!”

Vanessa was quick to jump in, defending her mother, but Sienna was no longer paying attention. She didn’t need to engage with them any longer. They were beneath her now.

She turned away from them, her fingers tapping restlessly against her phone as she sat down on the couch, her mind racing. There’s something here… something they’re hiding, she thought. I’ll find out what it is.

The sound of the housekeeper entering with food did little to break the growing tension. Franklin, ever the doting grandfather, insisted that special non-spicy dishes be prepared for Elliot, a gesture that only deepened Amanda’s and Vanessa’s resentment.

As they all sat down to eat, Franklin’s curiosity about Sienna’s life abroad emerged. “What do you do now, Sienna?” he asked, his voice warm and inviting.

“I’m a jewelry designer,” Sienna replied, her tone cool but polite. “I work at Bourbon.”

Franklin raised an impressed brow. “Bourbon? That’s quite a prestigious company. Well done.”

Vanessa, eager to find a way to one-up Sienna, quickly spoke up. “I’m looking for work too, Dad. I’ve been going to interviews for auto salon modeling.”

Franklin’s eyes hardened with disapproval. “Modeling? Really? Vanessa, you should quit before you embarrass yourself,” he snapped, the words hitting her like a slap.

Amanda shot him a quick, defensive glance. “Honey, she’s just having fun. Don’t worry, she’ll join your company one day.”

Franklin’s sneer was cold. “What could she possibly do in my company? Answer the phone?” he mocked, his disdain obvious.

Vanessa’s face burned with humiliation. She clenched her fists, silently vowing to make Sienna regret every moment she had returned.

Meanwhile, Elliot, as if on cue, looked up from his meal. “Grandpa, my mom’s amazing! She’s been in the International Jewelry Design Competition.”

Franklin’s eyes lit up, his pride in his grandson palpable. “Really? That’s incredible, Elliot! You know what? I’ll buy you anything you want today—anything!”

Elliot’s face broke into a wide grin. “Thank you, Grandpa!” he beamed, and it was clear Franklin was smitten by the boy’s charm.

The family dinner continued in strained silence. Amanda and Vanessa’s resentment simmered beneath the surface, but their words were lost in the growing bond between Franklin and his grandson. After dinner, Franklin insisted on taking Sienna and Elliot to the mall, where he showered the boy with extravagant gifts.

Sienna, while grateful for the gesture, couldn’t help but feel a sinking sense of dread. What’s really going on here? Why is my father suddenly so generous? The feeling gnawed at her as she smiled politely, watching her son with a mix of unease and suspicion.

By the time they returned to the flat, the sense of something dark and unresolved hung over them. Franklin, despite his wealth, couldn’t hide the shame in his eyes as he glanced at the modest flat he’d been content to ignore for years.

Once inside, Sienna hugged Elliot tightly, feeling a sense of protectiveness overwhelm her.

“Elliot, Grandpa really likes you,” she said softly.

Elliot smiled up at her, then, with a slight frown, asked, “Where’s Daddy, Mom? Why isn’t he here?”

The question struck Sienna like a punch to the gut. She froze, knowing this moment had come sooner or later. She looked at her son’s innocent eyes, her heart heavy with the weight of her secrets.

“I don’t know where he is, sweetheart,” Sienna whispered, her voice cracking. “But I promise you, I’ll always be here for you. I love you so much.”

Elliot nodded, then busied himself with the Lego set Franklin had bought him, but Sienna couldn’t shake the thought gnawing at her.

Vanessa and Juliette know something about Elliot’s father. Her suspicions only grew stronger as she watched her son play. The truth about his father might tear everything apart, but she swore she would never let him find out the ugly reality.

“I don’t need anything more,” Sienna murmured to herself, watching Elliot. “I love him, and that’s enough. I’ll protect him from all of this. No matter what.”