Chapter 655
He wanted to. He had never stopped wanting to see her.
But the cruel truth kept him from daring to hope.
“Look at me now… like this…”
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Leif VI’s fingers dug hard into his knees. In his mind, he could still see Kelly as she had been in their youth- bright, beautiful, full of life. For so many years, it was the memory of her that had kept him alive.
But now he was just a crippled man. They had both built separate lives, separate families. How could he face her again?
There was an old saying: better to hold someone in memory than to see them again and destroy the illusion. He wanted her to remember him as he had been–proud, strong, whole–not the broken man he was now.
Magnus saw his father’s pain, saw the self–loathing etched into his face, and spoke gently. “Father, it’s all right. Some things cannot be forced. I understand. But if you and Caitlin’s mother truly had a past together… then could Caitlin be your daughter?”
“I don’t know…”
Leif VI’s voice was raw. It was the question that tormented him most. “Back then, I gave up my claim to the throne. I chose her. We planned to go to America together. But on the very day we were to leave, I was in the accident. I never showed up. From then on, I never saw her again. She must have thought I betrayed her, lied to her. She must have hated me. And the child… she never told me…”
Magnus finally understood the depth of his father’s love. To love so fiercely that he would renounce the throne, only to lose it all in a cruel twist of fate. His accident had left him crippled; Kelly had returned home and married another man. His father had been bound into a political marriage with Heather.
Two people who had loved each other deeply, separated forever by fate’s hand.
It was tragic.
Magnus squeezed his father’s shoulder. “Then let me help. I’ll find out for you. I’ll learn if Caitlin is really your daughter.”
Leif VI’s eyes glistened. He nodded, voice hoarse. “Yes… but don’t let your mother know. She must never
know.”
“I won’t say a word. I can arrange a diplomatic visit to D Country. I’ve heard Caitlin and her people are there
now.”
“Good…”
Their talk left Leif VI with a flicker of hope where there had been only ashes. Kelly was alive. That thought alone pierced him with both pain and longing.
*
18:46 Mon, Sep 22 T
…
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D Country, Regalis Grand Hotel.
The ballroom gleamed under golden chandeliers, filled with the hum of music and laughter. The Jonathan family had invited the city’s most powerful to celebrate Liliana’s birthday.
Nicoletta, Liliana’s mother, glided through the room greeting guests. Years ago she had been Hector’s secretary. Now she was his partner in every sense–his most trusted strategist, the quiet force behind Thompson Global Ventures.
It was she who had helped Hector scrub the family’s name clean, who had guided TGV from a modest firm into the dominant perfume empire of D Country. Calm, capable, never demanding, she had borne his children, shared his battles, and built his empire with him. How could he not love her?
Their children were his pride and joy, none more so than Liliana. She had her mother’s intelligence, her father’s drive, and the whole country called her the first lady of society.
Tonight, Liliana basked in the spotlight. Yet beneath the attention, her thoughts lingered uneasily on the woman she had seen at the hotel entrance.
Stepping out of the circle of admirers, she called her assistant close and whispered, “Remove Odessa from the competition list. If she shows up tomorrow, don’t let her through the door.”
“Yes, Miss.”
*
The next morning, after a night of rest, Sebastian and Caitlin split up. He led his team on reconnaissance, while Caitlin went to the competition venue.
The event was being held at the Regalis Perfume Industry Tower. Delegates from all over the world streamed into the building, faces from every corner of the globe.
With Zinnia and Tyler at her side, Caitlin approached the entrance. But before she could enter, several Jonathan family security guards barred their way.
“Apologies, Miss Odessa. Your name is not on the competitor list. You cannot enter.”
Caitlin stopped short. “What? That’s impossible. I registered in advance. Check again.”
She had confirmed her registration only last night. How could her name suddenly vanish?
The guards produced the full roster. Caitlin scanned page after page–her name was nowhere.
“Strange,” one guard muttered. “Truly, you’re not listed.”
Zinnia frowned. “But we saw her name online. We checked. She was confirmed.”
“Let me try.” Caitlin pulled out her phone, hoping it was just a clerical error.
But when she logged into the official site, her name was gone there too.
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Her chest tightened. “I don’t understand. I was confirmed. I saw it myself. How can it be missing now?”
“Perhaps you made a mistake,” the guard suggested.
“No. I didn’t make a mistake. Something’s wrong here. I want an explanation.”
“We’re sorry, Miss. We can only go by the official list. We don’t know what happened.”
“Then bring your supervisor. I want to hear it directly.”
“Our supervisor is Miss Liliana. But she’s busy…”
Before he could finish, a woman’s voice cut through the air. “Why are you blocking the entrance?”
Caitlin turned. Liliana swept toward them in heels, flanked by bodyguards. She pulled off her sunglasses, revealing a perfectly made–up face.
Her features were the same, yet not the same. Makeup perhaps—but her aura, her eyes, told another story. This wasn’t the warm young woman Caitlin remembered.
The look Liliana gave her now was sharp, hostile.
Liliana stopped, brows furrowing. “You again? Odessa, isn’t it? I don’t recall seeing your name. I don’t think you registered at all.”