Chapter 335

Horizon Enterprises didn't become successful just because of Richard. Margaret had poured her heart and soul into the company too.

Trying to reason with an enraged woman was pointless.

The only way to snap her out of it was to remind her of what truly mattered—forcing her to face the consequences of her actions.

The moment Richard mentioned the company, Margaret's expression flickered with hesitation.

But that brief moment of clarity vanished when she spotted Evelyn pushing through the crowd toward her. The fury she had just barely suppressed roared back to life.

Margaret clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. How could I have been so blind? Evelyn suffered all these years because of me!

Her love for Vanessa ran deep. From the moment Vanessa was born, Margaret had raised her as her own, watching her grow from a helpless infant to a bright, lively girl who called her "Mom."

That bond was unbreakable—as real as if they shared the same blood.

When Evelyn had first returned home, Margaret had been cautious, wary.

The truth crashed over Margaret like a tidal wave.

Her mind reeled with the horrifying realization—"All these years, I've been raising the child of the woman who stole my husband!"

Guilt, rage, and disgust twisted inside her until she could barely breathe.

Her heart ached for Evelyn.

In the storm of her emotions, nothing else mattered—not Horizon Enterprises, not her social standing, not even the decades of carefully maintained appearances.

Only one thought consumed her: "How could I have been so blind?"

She had been manipulated.

And because of it, her own daughter had suffered.

Now, Vanessa and Richard's strange behavior made perfect sense.

Of course they knew.

Vanessa must have always known Sandra was her real mother.

They had played her like a fool.

While she showered affection on the mistress's daughter, she had scorned her own flesh and blood.

Margaret could almost hear Sandra's mocking laughter when she'd sent Evelyn to prison.

What have I done?

The weight of her mistakes pressed down until she wanted to scream.

She deserved worse than a slap.

She deserved to burn.

The commotion had drawn Evelyn Carter to the scene, her heart pounding with concern over the violent clash between Richard Hayes and Margaret Hayes.

Their marriage had always been strong, weathering minor storms with ease. But seeing them physically fight in public—this was something entirely different. Something catastrophic.

When Evelyn arrived, her breath caught in her throat.

Margaret wasn’t just arguing—she was attacking both Richard and Evelyn Sinclair with a fury Evelyn had never witnessed before.

Something had shattered.

Then, as Evelyn Sinclair lifted her head, Evelyn Carter’s stomach dropped.

The resemblance was undeniable.

Margaret’s voice cut through the air like a blade. "Vanessa is your bastard child, isn’t she? She’s this woman’s daughter!"

Her accusation struck like lightning, electrifying the stunned onlookers.

"You two played me for a fool! You swapped my own child for yours!"

The crowd stood frozen, the revelation hitting them like a tidal wave.

Richard had introduced Evelyn Sinclair to countless business associates over the years, always presenting her as a trusted advisor.

No one had ever guessed the truth—that their bond ran so deep, it had produced a child.

"Vanessa bears an uncanny resemblance to Evelyn Sinclair."

The whispered words hung heavy in the air between them.

"So you're saying Vanessa isn't just some imposter?" Eleanor's manicured fingers tightened around her champagne flute. "She's actually Richard's illegitimate daughter?"

Across the gilded ballroom, Vanessa Hart laughed too brightly at something Alexander Whitmore said, her emerald-green gown shimmering under the crystal chandeliers. The same way Evelyn Sinclair's eyes had sparkled twenty years ago.

Margaret Hayes nearly dropped her hors d'oeuvres plate. "That would explain why William left her shares in Horizon Enterprises."

At the periphery of the crowd, Evelyn Carter froze mid-conversation with Nathan Reeves. The fragmented whispers reached her like shards of broken glass.

Vanessa. Richard's daughter.

The revelation struck with the force of a physical blow. All those years of stolen childhood moments, of whispered arguments behind closed doors at Hawthorne Estate - they took on horrifying new meaning.

Alexander's protective arm encircled Evelyn's waist as he felt her tremble. His storm-gray eyes darkened with realization.

The pieces clicked into place with terrible clarity. Vanessa's relentless vendetta. The sabotaged business deals. The leaked photos last Christmas. It had never just been about money or status.

This was about blood.

Evelyn's nails dug into her palms as the orchestra swelled. One thought eclipsed all others:

Her entire life had been built on a foundation of lies.