Part 2My Secret Son Is His Only Chance For A Legacy

I swallowed a heavy sigh, annoyed I hadn’t slipped away fast enough. I braced myself and walked toward her.

“Tiffany.”

Tiffany closed the distance, her eyes raking over my cheap server uniform. She managed a smirk that was half triumphant, half sickly-sweet.

“It really is you. Why are you wearing this? Are you low-tier staff? It must be exhausting.”

With an overly dramatic gesture, Tiffany grabbed my arm and tried to pull me toward the main ballroom, her voice dripping with fake concern.

“Come on, I’ll get you a job inside, it’s easier work. Who knows, maybe you’ll even see Mom and Dad!”

She led me a few steps, then remembered the terrified huddle of Brenda and the others. Her face instantly hardened.

“All of you. You’re fired. Get out of here! A bunch of filthy trash.”

Brenda’s group scattered, too shocked and scared to beg. They shot daggers at my back, unable to direct their hatred at Tiffany.

Inside, Tiffany stopped and wore a mask of sudden, innocent realization.

“Oh, Joanna, I completely forgot. We don’t need any more staff inside right now. Only the restrooms and the trash bins need attention.” She tilted her head, enjoying the moment. “But you…”

I knew this was a deliberate humiliation. But honestly, compared to the last five years I’d clawed my way through, this was nothing.

“I’ll do it.” I took the cleaning supplies without preamble.

I was wiping down a bin tucked away in a corner when the guest of honor, Eleanor Sterling, made her entrance. Before the crowd could swarm her with fawning compliments, Eleanor’s voice, sharp with fury, cut through the noise.

“How can I have a long life when my son’s future is destroyed!”

I looked up. Five years hadn't touched Alex; he was still impossibly handsome, but his face was etched with a new, dark shadow of perpetual gloom. The inability to have children had clearly broken him.

Alex stood silent. Tiffany offered a nervous, careful smile.

“Mom, don’t get upset. It’s bad for your health…”

“Don’t call me Mom!” Eleanor roared, cutting her off. “I can’t bear it! If you hadn’t insisted on that ridiculous street racing, Alex wouldn’t have been in that accident! What terrible luck has the Sterling family had? Our son, ruined. You destroyed the Sterling line!”

Eleanor turned her wrath on the silent Mr. and Mrs. Reed.

“And you two! You brought back some… some fraud. Now you’ve ruined my son! Are you happy?”

The Reeds’ apologetic murmurs were lost in the lavish room. Eleanor was becoming hysterical, years of pent-up resentment finally erupting.

“That Joanna girl you two raised, she was quiet, decent, and respectable! It was Alex who lost his mind, insisting on bringing this jinx into our house! I regret it! I regret it all!”

Tiffany’s face went even paler, a mix of sheer hatred and mortification crossing her features, especially when Eleanor mentioned me. She quickly diverted the attention.

“Mom, you won’t believe the coincidence. You just mentioned Joanna. I ran into her here today!”

Before I could react, Tiffany grabbed my arm and dragged me into the center of the ballroom.

The spotlight was unforgiving. My coarse uniform, the half-wet cleaning rag still clutched in my hand, were starkly visible. I felt a rare rush of shame, but forced a greeting.

“Hello, Mrs. Sterling. Mr. and Mrs. Reed.”

Eleanor stared at me, her eyes complex. The words of praise she'd just spoken seemed to hang awkwardly in the air. The Reeds were stunned.

After a beat of deafening silence, a light, contemptuous laugh was heard. Soon, low, mocking comments spread through the gathered guests.

“Oh my God, is that her? The one who used to follow Alex around?”

“Look at that uniform. That’s the lowest-tier housekeeping staff. And she’s still holding that filthy rag! Tiffany calls her ‘sister’? I’d have security toss her out. What a bad omen.”

“I heard she got a massive payout when they broke up. How is she this broke? Must have blown it all on some loser boyfriend.”

... The waves of humiliation were about to drown me when—

“Quiet.”

I hadn't expected Alex to intervene. His expression was flat, but his gaze swept the room with such cold authority that the crowd immediately fell silent. He turned back to me, his tone almost gentle, pitying.

“Joanna, why are you working as a cleaner? I thought I gave you a substantial amount when we broke up.”

Money?

I looked up at him, bewildered. In five years, I hadn't received a cent. After giving birth to Leo, I couldn't even afford the rent. I'd been out taking odd jobs before my six weeks were up.

I opened my mouth and instinctively whispered the question:

“…What money?”

Those two quiet words were a thunderclap.

Alex’s pupils instantly constricted. The shock was impossible to hide. His gaze snapped to Tiffany.

“Tiffany, where is the money?”