Chapter 504

Zoe’s voice trembled with a concoction of self-reproach and fear as tears began to spill from her eyes. She paused, shivering, took a deep breath, and continued with a choked sob:

“We were just… terrified! You had laid down the law so fiercely, vowing that anyone caught would face severe consequences, no questions asked! We feared for our lives, had no choice but to keep the little miss safe at home!

Sir, I am at fault! I was blinded by greed! It’s all my mistake, please punish me as you see fit! Take my life or do as you will, I will not utter a single word of complaint!

But Yuna, she truly is your own flesh and blood!”

Everyone in the room was stunned, especially Marguerite, who had never heard Robert mention that Penelope had given birth to twins!

So, if Yuna is a Fitzgerald heiress, then what does that make her? What is she?

She looks exactly like Yuna, how could that be explained?

And Yuna played her part brilliantly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she crawled to Hackett’s feet, sobbing uncontrollably, “Dad? So you’re my real father… How did I ever deserve to be your daughter?”

Up until that point, Hackett’s entire understanding of Yuna was based on Robert’s narrative.

He knew Yuna wasn’t the easiest of daughters to manage.

But the thought that she was the daughter he had been searching for over twenty-five years made all her misdeeds seem insignificant in Hackett’s eyes!

Especially when Yuna wept like that, it tore at Hackett’s heartstrings.

If only their supervision had been tighter back then, how could his daughter have been snatched away so easily?

His arms trembling, Hackett lifted Yuna from the ground, eyes welling up, “My child, my dear child! Your mother and I, we’ve searched for you for twenty-five years!”

Yuna, seizing the moment, clung to Hackett, weeping.

The scene of familial recognition was so heartfelt that even the attending doctors were moved to tears. But Frederick remained expressionless.

Back in the day, he had scoured the Lockwood estate from top to bottom to investigate the girl who had saved his life as a child.

However, he never imagined that a missing Fitzgerald could be connected to the Lockwoods!

Piecing together the past with the present, he arrived at a truth far more comprehensive than anyone else had.

After a moment’s contemplation, Frederick glared at Zoe.

He took Marguerite by the hand and pulled her in front of Hackett, not mincing words as he declared, “Hackett, you’ve been deceived. Yuna isn’t your daughter, Marguerite is!”

Hackett’s back stiffened as he pushed Yuna away and locked eyes with Frederick.

Seeing the certainty in his gaze, he couldn’t help but give Marguerite another look.

He knew Marguerite worked at Poppy Petal Fragrances and, through his wife and son’s descriptions, had covertly observed her.

He couldn’t deny that Marguerite exuded an aura eerily similar to his wife’s!

Intuition had nearly convinced them that Marguerite was indeed their daughter, but the paternity test he held in his hands told a different story! Could there be a mistake in the report? Impossible! He had personally collected the report from the clinic window. There was no chance of a mix-up! Before Hackett could voice his doubts, Frederick’s piercing gaze turned to Zoe, and he asked pointedly, “Tell me, do you recall a midwife named Thelma?” Zoe, caught off guard, nodded subconsciously, “Yes, Mr. Winston. She was the one who delivered my baby years ago.”

Frederick’s face darkened into a scowl, and he scoffed, “Three years ago, I found her. She confessed to me in person that Marguerite was the child you had adopted!”

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