Semua Bab His Secret Heir, His Deepest Regret: Bab 41 - Bab 50

EVANDER "Rui, grab me a coffee," I said, not looking up from my laptop. It was already the end of the week, and I was tired out of my mind. Tomorrow, I still need to come to work before going to Heather's birthday. "You should place the coffee maker in your office at this point," another voice said, making me frown. I sighed and lifted my head, already dreading the conversation. "What are you doing here, Dad?" I asked, massaging the bridge of my nose. "Why?" he asked, sitting on the large leather couch. "Can't I visit my one and only son?" "Dad, please," I said. "I'm already tired as it is. Cut to the chase." He chuckled, making me shake my head. "You really know me so well. You know that Heather's party is coming up, right?" "Yes," I said. "You arranged it to be in our mansion and invited all of your friends and colleagues." "Well, yes," he said. "Our house is big enough to host the entire city! Your mom wants to make it extravagant, too, since she's turning 25." "Hmm," I hu

JULIA Heather really must have invited the entire city.I tightened my grip on the clutch in my hand, glancing over the group of people spilling across the mansion’s sprawling garden. It was amazing that someone knew so many people. I didn’t even have these many friends on my social media! However, what was more amazing was the space. The place should have been cramped, but the Astor’s estate was designed to fit crowds that could fill a stadium. Instead of chaos, the scene looked like a magazine spread. Fairy lights were strung between towering oaks, champagne flutes glinting in the golden light, and impeccably dressed guests mingling like they owned the world.Their laughter was also a familiar tune. It was the sound of rich people laughing—the borderline fake one that you hear in casinos, golf courses, or yachts. “Woah, is this Heather’s house?” Gianna whispered beside me, her jaw practically on the floor.I shook my head, still amazed at the scene before me. “No, it’s the Asto

JULIAThe party was in full swing, but my thoughts were a million miles away.Evan looked like he really meant it when he told me to leave. However, how could I when he didn’t even give me a chance to say what was on my mind? Still, I had a bad feeling about it. I had a hunch; it was about what his father had told him, but I had no clue what that was.I shook my head, forcing myself to focus on the present. Just then, the lights became brighter, focusing on the door of the house. The music changed into an RnB song that I heard endlessly on the radio. Gianna and Harper scrambled to film the entire thing, amazed at the scale of her entrance. Then, the door opened, revealing Heather. Gasps rippled through the crowd as she stepped forward, sweeping into the garden in a gown of deep, fiery red, just as Sarah had predicted. The color suited her—bold, attention-grabbing, and a little dangerous. I stifled a laugh, remembering how Sarah had teased me earlier.“She’ll show up in red,” Sarah

JULIA “Get back here! Face me so I can show you where you should be!” Cindy Astor continued to scream at my back. “Mom, that’s enough,” Evan finally said, but it was over. I tuned them all out. I walked out of the estate, shivering as my clothes clung to me like a second skin. Wet. Humiliated. The whispers followed me like ghosts, echoing in my mind long after I left the garden. They didn't even bother to be subtle. I didn’t look back as I walked out of the estate, not at Gianna, not at Harper, not at the wide-eyed onlookers who had made no attempt to hide their stares.And definitely not at Heather or Evan. I didn’t need to see their faces to know what they thought. I sighed in relief when I saw the gate ahead. It sucked that I had to fall in the swimming pool, but it sucked more because the pathway to their gate was too freaking long! The guard gave me a pitiful stare as he opened the gate, making me feel even worse than before. It seemed like he wanted to offer me his ja

JULIA The sound of children's laughter filled the air. I glanced around the private resort, taking in the warm sunlight filtering through the trees. It was what my parents paid for. I told them Andy would still appreciate a smaller party, but they insisted they make up for the times they lost with him. Although I was hesitant, I still agreed in the end. The decorations were simple but thoughtful—balloons shaped like race cars, tiny traffic cones scattered on the tables, and a racetrack cake resting on the dessert stand. Since my parents paid for the venue, I prepared the food and decorations with Sarah. It was what I saved up for in the past few months. It might not seem like a lot, but for a struggling college student, I really tried my best to put the party all together. However, I was afraid that all my effort would go to waste if they found out I didn't prepare Andy's grand present. "It looks great, Julia," some of my relatives complimented. "Thank you," I said, giving the