“Everyone, quiet down!” His deep, commanding voice instantly captured attention.
The room gradually fell silent, every pair of eyes now fixed on him.
He turned to Gregory. “Gregory, why did you call everyone here? What’s going on?”
Gregory took a deep breath, clearly gathering his thoughts.
With a dramatic flair, he placed his arm around Brianna’s shoulders, gazing at her as if she were the love of his life.
“I’ve got something important to share today,” he said, his voice steady but charged with drama. He scanned the room before settling his gaze on Chloe and me.
I watched him closely, wondering how far he’d go with this ridiculous show.
“Chloe…” Gregory’s voice dropped to a whisper, but his words hit with the force of an explosion. “She’s not Kaia’s biological daughter.”
Chloe whipped her head around to look at me, shock written all over her face.
I held up a hand, signaling for her to stay calm.
Around us, the relatives began to murmur, their voices eager and hushed, like vultures sensing a fresh kill.
“Back when we did the IVF…” Gregory hesitated, almost like he regretted the lie. “The doctor said Kaia’s eggs weren’t viable… So, to spare her feelings, I switched them with Brianna’s…”
I could feel my blood boil. This fool was trying to pin his deceit on me!
Gregory shot me a nasty look, clearly hoping I’d lose it.
But I didn’t flinch. I kept my cool, making him continue with his act.
“I called everyone here today to witness…” He glanced at Brianna, a look of affection in his eyes. “Chloe finally recognizing her real mother.”
The relatives instantly broke into chatter.
“If Chloe’s not Kaia’s daughter, of course she should acknowledge her birth mother!”
“Exactly, Kaia’s had the Johnson family’s name for so long, it’s time to move on.”
“She’s been running Johnson Group all these years. Now that the truth is out, it’s time for her to step aside.”
I couldn’t help but laugh coldly at their words.
These so-called family members, who’d been shut out of the company’s management by me for years, were now eagerly circling like sharks, hoping to see us implode so they could swoop back in and grab a piece of the pie.
Chloe, sensing their greed, gripped my hand tighter.
I didn’t hesitate. “Chloe is my daughter. She always will be my daughter.”
My voice wasn’t loud, but it was firm and unyielding.
Brianna, with her fake helplessness, choked out, “Sister, how long are you going to keep lying to yourself?”
