A False Heiress's Guide to Love and Power

Alessia’s words left the three of them in heavy silence.

The issue they’d been so unwilling to face–one they’d pushed to the back of their minds–had been dragged into the open by Alessia’s bluntness, and now an uneasy mix of emotions washed over them.

“If I’ve offended you, I apologize,” Alessia said, her gaze flickering as she sized up their reactions. She shrugged, palms up in a gesture of indifference. “Just forget I asked.”

“Lessie.” Brendan’s voice stopped her as she started to rise from he at.

Alessia didn’t reply, waiting quietly for him to continue.

“We’re not accusing you of anything,” he said, forcing a rueful smile. “We just kept avoiding this because we didn’t want to admit we’d failed as parents. But now that things are as they are, we need answers.”

Karen nodded, her eyes rimmed with red. “Was it all a misunderstanding, or…” She trailed off, taking a shaky breath.

“We don’t know exactly when Ileana learned the truth about her birth, but I started noticing a change in her after she started middle school,” Karen said. A mother always notices first when something’s off with her child.

suddenly interested in fashion and appearances. We didn’t think much of it. But as

with grief. Karen could still picture Ileana’s first steps, the first time she called her ‘Mom‘, her first day at school–it all

it all gone

she had no choice but to accept the truth staring back

was middle school?” Alessia’s detached tone stood in

Ivan was born, she became fixated

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Chapter 153

her more leeway, spoiled her a bit. Back when we were all in middle school, Ivan was

the company start?” Alessia asked, suddenly sounding like a detective piecing

years ago,” Brendan

added. “Right after we graduated from

family adapted, innovated, and soon they left us in the dust. We tried everything to save the company, but after three years, we had to