Rebirth Of The Heiress And The Tycoon's Lover (Alina) novel Chapter 243

Chapter 243

Chapter 243

AUTHOR’S POV.

Silas froze mid–step, the color draining from his face as the deep, commanding voice rolled through the cathedral.

He turned slowly, his nervous chuckle faltering when his gaze met Darius Evergreen’s. The man stood tall with squared shoulders and eyes that were as cold as ice beneath the golden light filtering through the cathedral’s stained glass.

Every ounce of him radiated power, the kind that didn’t need to shout to make men tremble.

“Mr… Mr. Evergreen,” Silas stammered, his tongue heavy in his mouth. “I…I know my daughter has wronged your family, and I take full responsibility for her foolishness, I do, but surely-” he forced a small, unsteady laugh, “surely we can discuss this in private, away from all… this.”

Darius’s expression didn’t flicker. He regarded Silas like one might an insect squirming under glass. Then, slowly, he let out a low, humorless scoff, the sound dry, sharp, and cutting.

“This,” Darius said, his voice even but deadly, “is not about your poorly raised daughter.”

The words hit the air like a gunshot. A mix of gasps and laughter rippled through the crowd, the echo bouncing off marble and

pew.

Seraphina shrank further into her seat, her mother gripping her arm so tightly her knuckles whitened.

Darius’s gaze never wavered. “This,” he continued, his tone deepening, “is about something far greater, something that happened twenty years ago… when you stole my daughter from the park.”

The entire cathedral seemed to still, the words sinking like stones in deep water before a wave of murmurs spread through the hall. Heads turned. Guests exchanged wide–eyed glances and low whispers, disbelief and outrage buzzing like static in the air.

“He what-?”

“Stole…did he say stole?”

“Oh dear heavens…”

Even Damien’s eyes widened. He turned sharply toward his father, disbelief etched across his face. “Father?” he breathed. “You… You never said-”

Darius didn’t respond to his son. His gaze stayed locked on Silas, sharp and unyielding.

The priest looked utterly lost, his fingers trembling slightly over his Bible. In all his years, he had never presided over a wedding that had turned into a courtroom of revelations. Yet, like everyone else, he couldn’t look away.

Lucian’s brows drew together, his jaw tightening subtly. Even for him, this was unexpected. His grip on Alina’s hand tightened slightly, grounding her.

15:48 Wed, Oct 8 …

Chapter 243

But Alina… she didn’t flinch.

Her expression remained unreadable and calm, almost resigned. She had known this. Found out long before now, though hearing it aloud, before the world still sent a shiver through her chest.

The only other person who knew was Talia and her wide, tear–glazed eyes now met hers from across the aisle, silently asking if she was okay.

Darius took a deliberate step forward. The heavy air in the cathedral seemed to bend around him.

“What I want to know,” he said, voice dropping into something colder, “is what gave you the audacity, Silas, to

cross me.”

Silas’s lips moved, but no sound came. He looked like a man on the verge of collapse, his sweat glistening under the chandeliers. “I…I… Mr. Evergreen, I can explain-”

“Explain?” Darius repeated, his tone mocking. “Go ahead then. Explain to me how and why you stole my daughter.”

Silas swallowed hard. His voice shook as he tried to speak. “I…I found her wandering, alone. I didn’t know who she was. I just-”

“Do you take me for a fool?” Darius’s voice boomed, silencing the cathedral once more. His calm façade cracked just enough to reveal the fury simmering beneath. “You think I don’t have proof?”

Silas froze mid–breath, the blood draining from his face.

The murmur in the room thickened again, voices hushed but urgent, the weight of Darius‘ authority silencing them as quickly as it had started.

Darius’s words were sharper than a blade. “What I don’t understand,” he continued, each word deliberate, “is your motive. You didn’t ask for ransom. You didn’t demand property, or influence, or projects. You wanted nothing. Which makes me believe…” He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping low, dangerous. “You were and probably are still working for someone.”

Silas’s throat bobbed violently. His lips parted, but no sound came out. His eyes darted briefly toward his wife, then down to his trembling hands.

“Who are you working for?” Darius asked, his voice sharper now.

Silas didn’t respond. He couldn’t. His entire body had gone rigid, cold sweat sliding down his temples. The image of the man he served flashed in his mind, a man whose vengeance was far crueler than death. He’d rather rot in prison than face his wrath.

When his silence stretched too long, Darius‘ tone deepened, every word deliberate. “You had better speak, Silas, because I assure you, my patience wears thin.”

“I… wewe…” Silas’s voice cracked. “We lost our daughter back then.” His words came out broken, desperate. “And when we found Alina, we took her. We thought…we thought we could give her a life.”

His voice cracked at the end, the excuse flimsy even to his own ears.

15:48 Wed, Oct 8 M

Chapter 243

Indeed, Seraphina had not been with them during her early years, but it was all part of a larger, darker plan that was now beginning to unravel before everyone’s eyes.

Darius tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing. “You lost your daughter,” he said quietly, “or you kept her with a distant relative so whatever twisted plan you had could run smoothly?”

Silas‘ breath hitched. His fingers twitched at his sides. For a moment, he seemed to choke on air, color draining from his face.

The murmur from the crowd rose again, but this time it was a sharp, electric hum of realization. People were no longer whispering, they were speculating, piecing together what had been hidden for decades.

Lucian’s gaze flicked briefly toward Alina. Her expression was unreadable, but her hand had tightened around his again, seeking the one thing that still felt steady in a room full of collapsing truths.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify