Reborn From Oblivion by Christia Muray

Greta shot Miranda a knowing glance, and Miranda jumped into action, wheeling herself over with urgency. "Nathalie, mom just got carried away the other day. Please, try to understand. She's heartbroken after losing her husband. Cut her some slack, will you?" She reached for Nathalie's hand, all fake warmth and forced smiles. "Since you're here, why don't you pay your respects to your dad?"

The crowd around them buzzed with whispers, "That's the Brown family's daughter. How can she say she doesn't have a father?" "Turning her back on her parents-doesn't she fear karma?"

Nathalie felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment from the crowd's judgment.

Nathan's gaze pierced through the onlookers, "Is your family's wealth so vast that you can afford to just stand around gossiping?" "What do you mean?" someone asked, genuinely puzzled.

A bystander chimed in, "That's the CEO who took over the Dawson and Rowland businesses in just three months."

The crowd's bravado vanished in an instant, Nathan's reputation making them uneasy.

Nathalie faced Miranda, her usual calm demeanor refusing to be swayed. She replied steadily, "And who is he to me? My father?"

Miranda's eyes widened in disbelief, "I'm your mother, and he's my husband. How is he not your father?"

with no blood ties to me, who never took care of

you everything. Didn't he do his duty as a

out a dry laugh, "That house? It was just to cover

of her head, "You're lying right to our faces. How

in

the truth. That rundown villa your old man left, barely

Do you

want that dump?"

massive medical bills? You take my Nathalie for granted, using her when convenient and then tossing

her eyes darting nervously

holding her back; otherwise, she'd probably go all

story. Your wife isn't as innocent as she looks. Our old man's downfall, it was