Ch. 341..350
Chapter 341
“I wasn’t expecting you here.” A familiar but sarcastic voice echoed.
Mila looked over and found Nathan’s aunt, Lindsey. She greeted her politely, “Hi, Lindsey.”
Lindsey, dressed luxuriously, sneered, “You’re not married to Nathan anymore. I must ask you to address me formally.”
Mila wasn’t bothered. “I’m sorry, Ms. Morrison.”
“Today’s guests are all bigwigs. And what are you, then? Who invited you here?”
Mila ignored her question. Phoebe gritted her teeth and was ready to retort, but Mila held her hand and signaled for her
to keep quiet.
Slowly, the Morrisons approached and seemed surprised when they saw Mila. Although she was no longer married to
Nathan, Mila greeted them all.
Gary, Florence, Taylor, and Wendy all greeted her warmly, while Tobias and Cheryl remained. stoic and seemed
displeased to see her.
Like Lindsey, Duke and Layla looked disgusted at the sight of Mila. It seemed that having her around made the party less impressive.
“How can anyone be so shameless? The woman who stole someone else’s first love is now trying to spy on someone else’s husband,” Layla taunted.
Unable to hold back, Phoebe retorted, “Who are you calling shameless? Stop beating around the bush and just say what you mean.”
In her usual arrogance, Layla snapped back, “I’m talking about Suzanne. Did I say anything wrong? How can she be so shameless to attend Sally’s engagement party?”
“You!” Phoebe’s face contorted with rage. She wanted to hit Layla so badly.
Mila stopped Phoebe and smiled thinly at Layla. “Layla, if you find my presence disturbing, you’re free to excuse yourself. You don’t have to grace us by your presence to spew negativity and make yourself look bad, right?”
Layla’s face turned sour. She was about to speak when Gary sternly interrupted, “This is the Hoffises‘ and Scotts‘ party. Don’t make a fool of yourself.”
Lindsey came to Layla’s defense. “Gary, Suzanne’s already divorced from Nathan. You should remember who your daughter–in–law is.”
Mila didn’t feel like arguing with Lindsey and Layla. She led Phoebe away after nodding goodbye to Gary and Florence.
As they were leaving, Phoebe asked, “Mila, why does General Morrison have such quirky relatives? And why can’t I tell them off just now?”
“Remember why we’re here today, ” Mila said while leading Phoebe through the crowd.
“I didn’t forget,” Phoebe muttered.
Suddenly, Mila bumped into someone’s chest. She stepped back and looked up apologetically. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
The man looked ordinary but had captivating eyes. He looked at Mila and smiled. “It’s all right. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Mila answered. She was about to leave with Phoebe but the man grabbed her arm. Mila was startled. She tried
to pull away but couldn’t free herself.
Phoebe acted quickly and shoved the man away. She shielded Mila and demanded, “What do you want?”
The man looked at Phoebe for a second, then turned to Mila and said softly, “I’m Dylan Scott. I’d like to get to know you.
What’s your name? Do you mind if I have your number?”
Mila and Phoebe remembered him from the photo on the entrance wall. Dylan Scott was
Sally’s fiancé and party host.
“Sorry, she doesn’t want to know you. Especially not someone else’s husband,” Phoebe said
firmly.
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Dylan’s hands were tucked into his pockets, looking indifferent. He shrugged and glanced admiringly at Mila.
Mila didn’t engage him any further. She walked away with Phoebe on her heels. They met ‘Sienna at the other end of the room.
It was Sienna’s first time at such a lavish party among the upper crust, and she was nervous because she didn’t know anyone there. Mila walked over to her and greeted, “Sienna.”
Sienna quickly took Mila’s hands and said, “I finally get to see you.” Mila gave her a gentle smile. She could feel the sweat in Sienna’s palms.
“Don’t be nervous. Everything will be okay.” Mila tried to calm Sienna, who nodded in
response.
“I’ve no idea where your mom has gone to. She was just right here,” Sienna looked around. “Sienna, after today, Betty’s no longer my mom, and I’m no longer Suzanne,” Mila said.
“What’s your name, then?”
“Wanda Hoffis,” Mila whispered into Sienna’s ears.
Sienna smiled. “What a beautiful name. Wanda, your parents gave you such a lovely name.
“It was Nathan’s idea,” Mila giggled.
Sienna looked confused. Suddenly, the entire party was shrouded in mystery as the music changed and the room dimmed.
All eyes were drawn to the stage. Stage lights slowly emerged from the backstage door as the music grew melodious.
Sally, dressed in a stunning red evening gown, walked arm in arm with Dylan to the center of the stage. Her smile was radiant.
Dylan made a formal speech thanking his family, friends, and his fiancée, Sally. I Everyone applauded enthusiastically despite the cliché remarks.
Basking in happiness, Sally had the sweetest smile and was glowing like a princess.
Mila surveyed the crowd and saw that all the important guests had arrived–television executives, lawyers, prosecutors, policemen, the mayor, and the very influential Defense General, Nathan.
Phoebe leaned in close to Mila’s ear and asked, “Mila, when do we start?”
“Where’s my grandparents?” Mila asked.
Phoebe pointed at the side of the stage. “They’re sitting over there. They’ll be doing the speeches soon.”
After a moment of thought, Mila said, “Let’s not wait any longer and begin.”
Phoebe’s excitement grew, and a smile slowly spread across her face. It was finally time for the big move. She pulled out a remote control and pointed it at the screen on the stage before pressing a button on it.
All the dreamy images on the screen vanished immediately, leaving only a line of text reading, “She’s not Sally Hoffis. She’s a fraud.”
Murmurs erupted from the crowd as they pointed at the screen. Dylan and Sally were stunned. on stage. They followed where everyone looked and slowly turned around.
Dylan was dumbfounded, while Sally was flustered.
Her face went pale as she angrily demanded, “Who’s behind this? Who did this? Turn it off now!”
“It was me.” Phoebe calmly made her way out of the crowd.
All eyes in the room turned to her, eager to know who she was.
Phoebe leaped onto the stage. With her hands clasped behind her back, she radiated an air of authority as she approached the two of them.
A shadow fell over Dylan’s face. The sight of Phoebe reminded Sally of Suzanne, which deepened her guilt. She couldn’t hold back her rage. “Security! Remove this woman. She’s not my guest. Remove her now!”
The guards stormed onto the stage to arrest Phoebe. But as soon as they touched her, she effortlessly threw them over her shoulders and slammed them hard to the floor.
Five guards sprawled across the stage in a matter of seconds.
Sally panicked further. “What a useless lot! They can’t even deal with a woman! Dylan, your dad’s the mayor. Let somebody take her away! Call the cops!”
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Phoebe turned to Dylan. “Mr. Scott, aren’t you curious to know if your fiancée is a fraud?”
Dylan’s father, Oswin Scott, stepped forward and bellowed, “Unless you have proof that what you’re saying is true,
you’re going to spend the rest of your life in jail!”
Sally grabbed Dylan’s arm nervously and whispered, “Get rid of her fast. She’ll ruin our engagement.”
Dylan reassured Sally, “You don’t have to worry about false accusations if you’re innocent. I’ll deal with her if she’s
lying. Let’s hear her out.”
From Dylan’s words, Phoebe was certain that he had no idea that the woman he was about to marry was both a fraud
and a spy for Nightshade. She pressed another button on the remote.
A picture of the Hoffis family appeared, including Sally, her grandparents, her parents, and Oliver. The picture was taken
ten years ago. Sally was just 14 years old, and it was before she went abroad.
Loretta walked shakily to the stage. She was burning with anger. She wanted to help Sally, but Zach held her back.
Quivering, Loretta exclaimed, “She’s Suzanne’s friend. She lived in our house, and yet she
her!” dared to falsely accuse Sally of being a fraud at the engagement party. I’ll not spare
Zach, who was helpless, comforted her, “Don’t get upset just yet. Let’s see what happens.”
“What’s to see? How could Sally be a fraud?” Loretta snarled.
A shadow crossed Zach’s face as he retorted, “You blind old hag! She’s not your granddaughter!”
“What nonsense is that?” Loretta was shaking in anger.
Zach pointed to a corner of the stage and said, “She’s your granddaughter. Just you wait.”
Mila calmly made her way onto the stage.
Everyone in the room was shocked to see how much Mila looked like the girl in the photo. Sally suppressed her fear and put on a calm facade as she exclaimed, “She’s Suzanne, not Sally!
Mila remained calm and said, “What are you afraid of? I never said I was Sally.”
The music stopped abruptly, and all eyes were on the stage in anticipation of an answer. They wanted to know if it was Phoebe and Mila who were causing trouble or if Sally was the fraud.
Knowing that she couldn’t get away with this, Sally slowly approached Mila and glared at her. Tension filled the air as they stood in the middle of the stage. A silent war had officially begun.
“Suzanne?” Wendy was stunned.
“How can it be her?” Cheryl asked in disbelief.
“What’s she up to? She’s the reason Sally couldn’t marry Nate. Is she trying to sabotage Sally. getting engaged to Dylan now?” Layla chimed in.
All of them were puzzled by Mila’s behavior and were muttering to themselves.
Sally’s voice seethed with indignation as she retorted, “How dare you say I’m not Sally but a fraud? I have DNA test
results and videos of my parents.”
She went over to her bridesmaid, pulled out her phone, and shared the screen.
A video of Sally and her parents appeared on the screen, showing them sitting on a couch in the living room. Each of
them had a different expression on their faces.
“Dad, happy birthday,” Sally’s parents said together.
“Grandpa, happy birthday,” Sally said after them. Then, the three of them sang a birthday song together. Everybody
ended up congratulating Zach with a straight face.
The crowd went wild. All the guests know Sally’s parents. No one doubted Sally’s identity when they saw the three of
them in the video celebrating Zach’s birthday.
Sally proudly announced, “I have DNA test results and videos of my parents to prove it. I am indeed Sally!”
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“You can fake vidéos and DNA test results, but not memories,” Mila said calmly and turned to face everyone. Her eyes finally landed on Nathan. She felt a sense of security and courage in Nathan’s warm gaze.
No matter if she succeeded or failed today, she would be fearless as long as Nathan was with
her.
Mila cleared her throat and continued, “My name is Wanda Hoffis. I’m 25 this year and I’m from Sunterland. My name at birth was Sally Hoffis and I was born in Norvania. Also, I’m Zach’s granddaughter. The people in the video are my parents but they are currently missing.” Taking advantage of Zach’s distraction, Loretta broke free of his grip and rushed to the stage. She bellowed, “You’re lying! How can a plastic surgery freak like you be my granddaughter?” Mila gazed helplessly at Loretta and explained, “Grandma, I’m Wanda. When I was ten, you took me abroad because you were obsessed with a celebrity. You even bought that celebrity a five–million–dollar car.”
Loretta was stunned to the core. This was the secret between her and her granddaughter. Zach stormed over and pointed his finger at her. “You old hag! You actually spent five million on a guy!”
“Grandpa, it was a singer, a female singer!” Mila hurried to reassure him.
Loretta was too distracted to notice Zach’s anger. She staggered back and asked, “Are you really my granddaughter?”
Both Mila and Sally reached out to help her at the same time, but it was Sally who got to her
first.
“Grandma, don’t listen to her nonsense. You can find that stuff online,” Sally said.
“Grandma, ask me anything about when I was a kid and I’ll tell you,” Mila chimed in.
Tears welled up in Loretta’s eyes as she looked at Sally and then at Mila. Mila let out a deep sigh and decided to ignore Loretta for the time being.
“Many of you here today are old friends of my grandparents who have watched me grow up. I’m talented in many areas before the age of ten and fluent in several languages before the age
of 14.
“I believe this fraud knows nothing at all,” Mila said.
Sally’s concern grew. Just then, an elderly man with white hair stepped forward. “Do you remember me? I’m your great uncle,” said Seth Hoffis, Zach’s younger brother.
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Mila had no recollection. She asked, “Can you give me another clue?”
“When you were eight, you did something great in my study that cost your grandfather a lot of money,” Seth replied.
Mila’s memory flashed back. She laughed and said, “Great–Uncle Seth! I’m sorry I broke that old porcelain vase of yours.”
“You must be Sally!” Seth exclaimed.
More people came forward to confirm Mila’s identity.
“If you’re Sally, do you remember me? I’m Vincent, and I used to be your deskmate,” asked Vincent Collins, a well–mannered man in his twenties.
Mila had long forgotten what Vincent looked like, but she remembered the name. “I wasn’t your deskmate. You were Nate’s deskmate.”
Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. I’m a few years younger than you and Nate. I did well in class at the time-”
Mila paused. Her eyes drifted to Nathan, who was watching her with a calm gaze. She had pushed herself to study hard and skipped a few grades just to be in the same class as Nathan.
“I skipped three grades and became your classmate because I wanted to learn more. I was short then and sat in the front row.
“You were the tallest kid in the class and you sat in the back row. And you were the class representative for three years in a row.“
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“She’s the real Sally Hoffis!” Vincent exclaimed.
Everyone was in shock, especially the Morrisons. They were stunned for a long time as they stared at Mila standing on stage. Some of the guests were excited, others disbelieving.
“Nate. You grew up with her and you’re the one closest to her. Do you think she’s Sally?” someone asked.
Nathan felt guilty at the phrase “closest to her.” It had taken him a long time before he recognized her. He declared, “She’s Sally Hoffis.”
This put an end to any doubts about Mila’s identity, and whispers began to circulate among the guests. “No wonder General Morrison married her. This explains everything.”
Loretta slumped to the floor. Sally immediately grabbed the only person who could protect her and pleaded, “Grandma, you’ve got to believe me. I’m your granddaughter! She’s a fraud, and she’s lying!
had video calls all the time before. Have you and Grandpa forgotten about that? How can the results of a DNA test be forged?
“Grandma, the video with my parents proves it. Besides, wo
“The video is real. Would my parents not know their daughter?”
Suddenly, Loretta came to her senses and stood next to Sally before exclaiming, “Yes! We’ve had many video calls. Wouldn’t Sally’s parents know who she was?”
She then pointed to Zach and said, “Zach has been on video calls with her a few times too. Even though Sally hasn’t been back to Norvania in ten years, she has always looked the same.
“Zach, come and explain this to everybody! Sally is being falsely accused of being a fraud. She isn’t afraid to get DNA tested. Don’t you trust medical science? Don’t you trust Sally’s parents?
Loretta was on the verge of tears, and Zach felt so uncomfortable with the anger that was coursing through him. He clenched his chest and roared, “You stubborn old hag, get down from there! Stop bothering Wanda!”
People started believing Sally again. They couldn’t imagine parents who couldn’t recognize their daughter.
The engagement party was no longer on Dylan’s mind. He looked at Mila with a sneer and mumbled, “This is getting more and more interesting.
Out of nowhere, Betty spoke up, “She’s my daughter, Suzanne York!”
She rushed up to the stage and took Mila’s hand before apologizing to the audience. “I’m
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sorry, everyone! This is my daughter, Suzanne. She’s slightly mentally unstable. I’m sorry for the disturbance. I’m truly sorry!”
After that, Betty yanked Mila away.
“Let me go!” Mila fought to push her away.
Phoebe rushed onto the stage, followed by Cole on Nathan’s orders. Both of them grabbed Betty’s arms and pulled her to the side.
Betty cried out, “Suzanne, are you out of your mind? You’re my daughter! Why are you making a scene at Mr Scott’s engagement party?
“This is not the way even if you wish to marry Mr. Scott! Have you gone mad? The results of the DNA test have proven twice that you are my daughter!”
“Shut up!” Phoebe snapped at Betty.
Dylan was surprisingly pleased when he heard that Mila wished to marry him.
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The situation was spiraling out of control. Those under the stage had begun to believe Sally’s words. Coupled with Loretta’s words, everyone became more convinced that Mila was lying.
“Two DNA tests can tell us everything. Is there anything more accurate than science?” someone shouted.
Someone pointed at Mila and said bluntly, “Your mother even came to testify. She proves that you are her daughter with two DNA test results.”
There was a great deal of discussion and a cacophony of voices.
Mila spoke solemnly, “Science is reliable but results can be manipulated. Betty Burns is not my mother. I’ve been living as her daughter for three years because of her biological daughter. She has stolen not only my identity but my family.”
Then, she pointed at Sally and said, emphasizing every word, “After losing my memory, she even sent me to her family to take care of her family.”
“You’re lying! I’ve done DNA tests. I have videos of my parents and family members testifying for me!” Sally bellowed.
That was enough to prove Sally’s identity, whereas Mila had nothing but her memories.
Meanwhile, Oswin was humiliated to see the engagement party turned into a farce because of Mila.
Eager to quell the situation, he told the chief of police, Logan Irwin, “Have your men take her to the station to cool off. Investigate discreetly when the party is over.”
“Understood, Mr. Scott,” Logan responded.
Soon, two policemen walked up to the stage and flashed their badges in Mila’s face. “Come with us to the police station.”
Mila was stunned. Phoebe released Betty, rushed over, and shielded Mila before saying, “You
should be after the fraud, not us,”
“Come with us to the station. This is Mr. Scott’s engagement party, not a place for an interrogation.”
Phoebe looked back at Mila to see what her decision was. Mila shook her head, indicating that they couldn’t go with the police.
Everyone would believe that Sally was real and they were the frauds as soon as they stepped out the door.
A marriage of convenience with the richest family was all that mattered to Oswin. He didn’t
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care if Sally was a Hoffis. He knew Dylan’s marriage would fall apart if Mila turned out to be the real Sally.
“Please,” the policeman reminded softly.
Mila looked at Nathan, who was in the audience. He was waiting for Mila to handle things on her own. He wouldn’t get involved unless it was necessary.
Yet, he knew she had run out of options when he saw the helpless look on her face. Nathan spoke a few words with Cole.
The police were approaching step by step while Phoebe and Mila slowly retreated.
“We have another witness,” Phoebe said. She pointed to Sienna in the audience. “She’s Suzanne’s best friend, and she can testify.”
All eyes were focused on Sienna. She had never experienced such a scene. She took a few nervous steps forward and pointed to Sally. “Sh–She’s not Sally Hoffis. She’s my old friend,
Suzanne York.”
Sally looked flustered and snapped back angrily, “I don’t even know you. You’re in cahoots with all of them. You’re slandering me.”
Sienna opened up her phone gallery and showed it to everyone. “Check out my phone gallery. We have some pictures together. Even though she had plastic surgery, the changes aren’t that significant.”
“Photos can be doctored,” Sally argued.
The police pointed to Sienna and ordered, “You’re also coming with us to the station. The three of you will be interrogated together.”
Two police officers had Mila and Phoebe in their grasp. Things were going downhill.
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At that moment, armed military forces burst into the party hall in an orderly fashion.
Everyone in the room fell into a stunned silence. The armed forces surrounded the area while Cole, accompanied by two armed soldiers, took the stage.
“General Morrison, what are you doing?” Dylan growled at Nathan from the stage.
Nathan remained calm and ignored the question from Dylan.
Oswin approached Nathan with a pleasant smile but spoke sharply, “General Morrison, today
is Dylan’s engagement party. Bringing military forces here in the presence of my esteemed guests is rather disrespectful.”
Nathan remained steely and silent.
Logan strutted over to Nathan with an air of arrogance. “General Morrison, besides disrespecting Mr. Scott, you seem to be overlooking my authority as the chief of police.”
“What do you mean by that?” Nathan asked.
“Whether it’s public defamation or fraud, they fall under civil jurisdiction, which is under my authority. You’re with the Department of Defense but you’re trespassing on my turf?” Logan questioned.
Nathan exchanged a look with Cole, who immediately pulled Sally away from Loretta and slammed her to the ground like a felon. Sally panicked and cried out for help.
“What are you doing? Let Sally go!” screamed Loretta as she desperately hit Cole.
Oswin’s face was flushed with anger as he roared at Nathan,.“Norvania has laws. You can’t arrest people on a whim!”
Logan was even more enraged. “Nathan Morrison! How dare you!”
Yet, Nathan stayed calm and responded, “She’s not a fraud. She’s a spy sent by Dorzania.”
Oswin immediately blanched. His eyes were on Logan, who was just as dumbfounded. The scene descended into chaos.
“Oh god, she’s a spy! That’s a capital crime.”
“She’s a spy sent from Dorzania. No wonder they mobilized the national defense forces.”
“Oswin’s future daughter–in–law is a spy. He’s in big trouble now. He’ll be under investigation
for sure.”
“Yeah, I wonder if he’s in league with the spy.”
Oswin’s face gradually dimmed and he said in a shaky voice, “General Morrison, this is no time for a joke!”
“Do I look like I’m joking?” Nathan asked sternly.
Oswin’s cockiness was gone in an instant. He quickly explained, “I–I didn’t know she was a spy. Dylan only met her twice. Please investigate thoroughly.”
Nathan no longer cared to listen to those outsiders. He went over to Loretta, took her shaking hand, and said, “Madam Hoffis, she’s not your granddaughter.”
Loretta felt overwhelmed and didn’t know who to believe. Tears filled her eyes as she saw Sally
being restrained. She was heartbroken and felt so helpless.
“Grandma, save me! I’m Sally, your granddaughter!” Sally cried out.
Loretta was at a loss. She covered her face and sobbed, Zach couldn’t stand the sight of her being so irrational and obstinate. He simply left in shame.
Cole escorted Sally out of the party in front of everyone, accompanied by a group of soldiers.
The gathering of the elite and the wealthy of Norvania ended abruptly on a sour note. The incident hit the headlines immediately.
Betty crumpled to the ground and stared blankly at Mila. It had long been clear to her that Mila, who was sweet, soft–spoken, diligent, and caring, was in stark contrast to her real daughter.
She’d always believed that the DNA test results couldn’t possibly be wrong. Now, she realized that she’d been fooling herself all along.
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Sienna walked over to Betty and helped her up. “Betty, she’s not Suzanne. The one they have taken with them is Suzanne. How can you not know your daughter?”
“I won’t have a spy for a daughter!” Betty cried out in pain as tears streamed down her face. She shifted her eyes to Mila and insisted, “She’s Suzanne! She’s my daughter!”
Sienna led Betty away. “Stop crying, Betty. She’s not your daughter at all. She’s the renowned artist Inkwell, who can play the piano and is fluent in eight languages.
“She even has a wide range of knowledge, especially in chemistry and warfare. How is it possible that your daughter has such abilities? Let’s face it.”
Betty, reluctant and heartbroken, could only accept the truth. On her way out the door, she had one last look at Mila.
The bond they had shared as mother and daughter over the past three years was something she would never forget.
By the Scotts‘ arrangement, the guests were slowly leaving the venue.
Loretta was sitting on the couch in a corner with her head hanging down. Her hand was on her forehead as if she was trying to hold back the weight of her troubled thoughts.
Mila walked slowly over to Loretta with Phoebe at her side and said softly, “Grandma.”
Loretta slowly lifted her head. There were tears in her eyes but all the sadness was from feeling sorry for the spy.
There was even a hint of anger in Loretta’s eyes as if Mila was the one responsible for the spy’s
suffering.
Mila knelt and touched Loretta’s knees as she looked up at her. “Grandma, I’m your granddaughter. I’ve never had any plastic surgery. This is how I look.
“Look at me. Don’t I look like I did when I was a child and a lot like my mom?”
Loretta brushed Mila’s hands away with indifference and left. Phoebe was in disbelief. She was tempted to curse Loretta for being so stubborn.
Mila’s heart clenched painfully as tears streamed down her cheeks. She stood up abruptly. Her voice caught, and she could only say, “Grandma.”
She couldn’t understand why Loretta still didn’t believe her. Phoebe was so sorry for Mila. She comforted her. “Mila, forget it. It’s not going to be a loss with a grandmother like that.”
Mila’s breathing was getting ragged. Tears ran down her face and she couldn’t stop to sniffle and sob. Her makeup was ruined by the tears, and every time she tried to wipe them away, it
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only made things worse.
Just then, someone offered her a handkerchief. She slowly looked up to see Nathan. His gentle eyes and soothing voice were a comfort to her. “Do you need help wiping that away?”
Mila shook her head. She took his handkerchief and lowered her head, dabbing away her tears.
“Give your grandma some time. She’ll come around.” Nathan comforted her.
Mila answered with a hum.
“Oliver was arrested as well. I’ll get them to confess what happened to your parents. I’ll find
your parents whether they’re alive or not.”
“Thanks, Nate.” Mila’s voice slightly choked as she thanked him.
“Let’s go, I’ll drive you home,” Nathan offered.
Mila nodded. Then she shook her head. “No, I’m going back to Hoffis Manor to see my grandparents. I want to explain things to Grandma once more.”
Nathan’s smile faded, and his eyes lost their sparkle. There was a shadow of disappointment in
his eyes as he asked, “Will you be coming back to stay at Sudvilla?”
Mila paused for a moment before answering, “N–No, I won’t.”
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Nathan’s smile was bitter. He seemed truly dejected.
Mila noticed his mood and felt sad as well but she had to face the reality. Her voice trembled as she spoke, “Nate, I’m returning to Sunterland after I’ve explained everything to my grandparents at Hoffis Manor.”
A dark storm of clouds hovered over Nathan and for a while, he was unable to speak. He only stared at Mila. She couldn’t bear to look at him, so she quietly lowered her head.
“I renounce the inheritance of the Hoffises. My only wish is for my grandparents to live a long life. Regardless of whether their wealth goes to the land or others, I won’t be returning to Norvania,” Mila said.
“Aren’t you going to find your parents?” Nathan asked.
“I will. They’re probably in Sunterland if they’re still alive.”
Nathan could no longer find a reason to keep her. His heart throbbed with pain as if stabbed by daggers and tears welled in his eyes. He looked up at the dreamy, star–studded ceiling and took a deep breath.
Mila kept her head down, feeling helpless. Only the distant sounds filled the air.
Eventually, everyone left the party, leaving only a few waiters cleaning up the venue. Phoebe had left some time ago but she was still watching them from a distance. She felt sorry for them and wished there was something she could do to help.
Nathan let out a heavy sigh and asked, “Wanda, can we at least keep in touch, not to talk about work, but just to let me know how you’re doing?”
Mila covered her face with her hands and shook her head. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to keep in touch but the country’s rules didn’t allow it.
As a researcher with important duties and access to state secrets, it was forbidden for her to have private contact with military officials from other countries.
“I can wait another five years. Can you please get in touch with me then, even if it’s just once? Π Nathan’s voice choked with emotion.
Tears streamed down Mila’s cheeks as she looked at him in disbelief. She couldn’t understand why he was willing to wait another five years as if he knew something about her.
He’d waited ten years for her and gotten nothing.
Mila wanted to ask but her throat tightened. She couldn’t bring herself to speak for fear of breaking down in tears.
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Sensing her confusion, Nathan stifled his pain as he spoke, “I’ve found out who you
you are. I understand you and I respect you. I will not stand in your way or hold. you back. ”
Mila’s tears stopped as she stared at him in disbelief.
Nathan didn’t want her to see his tears. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and buried his head in her shoulder. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her hair as tears trickled
down his cheeks.
He whispered, “You’ll always be my dearest Wanda, even if you’re now the great researcher,
Mila.”
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Mila was frozen, her vision blurred by tears and her heart heavy with pain. It was then that she realized that Nathan had known all along.
Finding Mila had been a mission assigned to him by Donald, but he had pretended not to know her true identity.
Clinging to Nathan, Mila wrapped her arms around his waist and hid her face in his arms as she wept. “I’m so sorry, Nate.”
Nathan closed his eyes and gently caressed her head. “I hope it’s not because you don’t feel anything for me, but because you have no other choice.”
Mila sobbed so hard that she struggled to breathe. She couldn’t say a word. She lost track of time as Nathan held her, finding solace in the warmth and comfort of his embrace. In his arms, she felt a deep sense of belonging and security.
She hated to let go and longed to stay in his arms forever. She had never felt so possessive and so desperate for Nathan before.
“General Morrison, we need to hurry.” Cole’s voice reached their ears.
Before Mila could react, Nathan had already released her. He walked away without a word or a backward glance. Though his demeanor remained solemn and dignified, his eyes hid unseen
tears.
On their way home, Mila was numb and disoriented. Her eyes were puffy from crying and they stung a little. She leaned back and decided to keep her eyes closed for the rest of the ride.
Phoebe noticed Mila’s gloomy state and wisely refrained from disturbing her during the journey.
Upon return to Hoffis Manor, Mila noticed a drastic change in the attitudes of Robert and the housekeepers.
It seemed that everyone was now aware of Mila’s true identity, whether due to Zach’s announcement or the spread of the word.
While most of the people had accepted Mila as a Hoffis, Loretta hadn’t been able to come to terms with it. She locked herself in her room and refused to eat or drink for a whole day.
The next day, Loretta resumed eating, but she continued to lock herself in her room and refused to interact with Mila. Mila couldn’t understand Loretta’s attachment to the spy. It left. her deeply unsettled./
At noon, Mila and Zach had a meal together. Mila rested her chin on her absentmindedly with her food, seemingly lost in thought.
“What’s on your mind?” asked Zach.
Mila sighed and seemed to be somewhat despondent. “Grandpa, Grandma has been shutting herself up in her room for three days. She still can’t believe that I’m her granddaughter?”
Zach responded with a gentle smile.
“How about I arrange a DNA test with her?”
“No, you don’t have to.”
“But Grandma-”
“She knows that you’re her granddaughter. She just won’t admit it.”
Mila put down her fork and looked at Zach with a puzzled expression. “Why?”
Zach dabbed at his mouth with a napkin and leaned back in his chair. “Her love for you has always been deep. That’s why it’s so hard for her to accept that she’d mistaken someone else for her granddaughter. ”
“Grandpa, I don’t get what you’re saying.” Mila sighed.
“You’ve always been remarkably bright and tended to be rational. Your grandma, on the other hand, had less formal education. She tends to be more emotional and can even be irrational at
times.
“You didn’t like to deal with her since you were young,” Zach explained in a gentle tone.
“I was never like that,” Mila protested immediately.
“You were, maybe without realizing it.” Zach laughed quietly.
Mila’s love for both Zach and Loretta was unwavering. She couldn’t remember ever disregarding Loretta’s feelings.
to your room when you were “Your grandma would bring you fruits and various snacks engrossed in your studies. But you would often send her away, claiming that she was interfering with your studies.
“In the end, you even locked the door and put,
me,“” Zach said.
a sign that said, ‘Grandma, do not disturb