From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 300: Reckoning

The revelation of Jeremy's true parentage was the final blow that had sent the old man collapsing.

Sophia thought, a calculating glint in her eyes.

Now that the cat's out of the bag, why not fan the flames and turn this into an opportunity?

Among all the contenders for the Ashford legacy, Lucas already possessed the strongest claim.

Imagine the reaction from the conservative board members and the family elders if they learned he hadn't just demonstrated capable leadership, but had also fathered the family's sole fourth-generation heir?

With Caleb incapacitated and unable to intervene, the timing was perfect for Lucas to seize control.

High risk, high reward.

Sophia was all in on this gamble.

Several hours later, in the hushed atmosphere of the VIP suite, Caleb stirred, his eyes fluttering open.

The sharp, penetrating gaze that usually commanded a room was clouded, scanning the concerned faces gathered around his bed.

Anthea wept quietly into a handkerchief, while several relatives watched with worry etched on their features.

His lips moved, the sound a dry rasp. "Everyone... out." He paused, drawing a labored breath. "Only Lucas... stays."

Anthea's head snapped up, a protest dying on her lips as she met her father-in-law's unwavering stare.

Swallowing her words, she cast an anxious glance at her son before ushering the others from the room, her own steps reluctant.

Riley watched the scene unfold with cold detachment.

A faint, knowing smile touched her lips as she noted the subtle stiffening of Lucas' posture.

Exactly as Sophia had anticipated, alarm bells were blaring in Lucas' mind.

Her earlier accusation now rang with unsettling truth, and Lucas felt a surge of cold dread.

Caleb's demand for a private audience screamed of a reckoning.

Steeling himself, he straightened his collar and approached the bed.

Despite the oxygen tube beneath his nose and the pallor of his skin, Caleb's eyes retained their piercing intensity, seeming to strip away every layer of pretense.

Lucas began, his voice tight. "Grandpa, how are you feeling? The doctors said—"

"Is Jeremy your son?" Caleb cut him off, the question landing like a physical blow, leaving no room for evasion.

Lucas' mind went blank.

Denial was a reflex.

"What? Of course not. Where did you hear such a ridiculous rumor? Jeremy is Sophia's child with her first—"

"Lucas!" Caleb's voice cracked with a surge of anger, his chest heaving. "Do you take me for a fool? Will you keep lying to my face?"

He gasped for air, the monitors beeping faster. "Or shall I order a DNA test myself to get the truth?"

The fight drained out of Lucas. The game was up.

His head bowed, shoulders slumping in defeat.

After a long, heavy silence, he forced out the single, damning word. "Yes."

Desperate to mitigate the fallout, he launched into a hurried explanation, weaving truth with carefully crafted fiction.

"Grandpa, please, let me explain. I never forgot our agreement. I value my marriage to Riley. Jeremy... he was a mistake. One terrible night years ago."

His tone was pleading, eyes attempting to project sincere remorse. "There was a terrible storm. Sophia called, sobbing, saying she was sick and alone, that she was scared. O-Out of some misplaced sense of duty for our past, I went to check on her. We had too much to drink. O-One thing led to another."

He painted the picture of a single, regrettable lapse.

"I was horrified afterward. I told her it was a one-time thing. I offered her money, a lot of it, to make it right. She agreed. She promised it was over. Then, over a year later, she shows up with a baby, claiming he was mine."

"One night?" Caleb stated, his voice icy with skepticism, "And you just accepted the child was yours?"

This question was clearly within the range of Lucas' anticipated scenarios.

"I didn't! I demanded a paternity test. She produced a report almost immediately. The results were conclusive. I was furious she'd kept the pregnancy from me. But Sophia begged. She said she just wanted something to remember... that she'd disappear with the child forever if I wanted her to. She swore she'd never ask for anything."