Chapter 883
Because he was unable to find Shayla, Richard could only announce to the world that Shayla had died in childbirth.
Tracing further back, when Shayla married Richard, the wedding had been grand, yet no media or reporters were invited. Every detail was kept strictly confidential, and no one dared to leak anything.
Shayla herself preferred a quiet life. Beyond her family and close friends, almost no one knew she was Madam Kalen. Even in the press, whenever Richard’s wife was mentioned, she was only ever referred to as “Madam Kalen.”
Over time, Shayla’s very name vanished from public memory.
Later, Shayla built a reputation for herself in Zachemaine, but the Kalen family, living far away in Marcentine, remained oblivious.
After years of fruitless searching, Richard eventually dismissed the people he had sent after her. He didn’t want to push Shayla too hard.
In his mind, since they had three children together, Shayla would one day come home on her
own.
He never expected that the next time he heard her name, it would be when Shayla asked him to acknowledge their daughter. 2
The revelation stunned the gossip-hungry masses.
[So all these years, Richard paraded around with the image of a grieving widower, using his so -called ‘deceased wife’ to build a reputation for being devoted and deep in love, refusing to remarry. I thought he was faithful-turns out, he’s just another scumbag who abandoned his wife and child!]
[After Richard lost his memory, he lived in luxury with another woman, while Shayla worked herself to the bone keeping his company afloat and raising his children. And how does he repay her? By acknowledging a mistress’s daughter as his own! Where’s his conscience? How can he face Shayla in the afterlife?]
[And Victoria? She’s no saint either! A while ago, when rumors spread that Sharon was the illegitimate one, the internet drowned Sharon in abuse. Yet Victoria didn’t utter a word. She didn’t even defend her own sister!]
[Doesn’t the Kalen family still have three sons? Funny, I don’t recall them ever speaking up Sharon either. Don’t tell me… they’re mistress-born too?]
[The Kalen family really is a circus, huh?]
for
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[Victoria, your mother stole someone else’s husband, and now you’ve stolen someone else’s father. You should be on your knees begging Sharon for forgiveness!]
The higher Victoria had stood, the harder she now fell.
The internet drowned in denunciations, curses, and condemnation aimed squarely at her.
A few die-hard fans still tried to shield her.
[The sins of the older generation have nothing to do with Victoria! She’s innocent! She’s a victim too!]
But the rebuttal came swift and sharp.
[Victim? Or beneficiary? If she were truly innocent, she wouldn’t have flaunted the Kalen family heiress halo all these years to gild herself.]
Meanwhile, Lex received the news and immediately ordered his people to suppress it.
But his assistant soon returned, face grim.
“Sir, we can keep things under control in Marcentine, but in Zachemaine, it’s impossible. Many international contestants are competing here right now. News of Victoria being an illegitimate child will spread worldwide within hours.”
The assistant didn’t dare admit that Victoria had already become public enemy No. 1.
Lex’s expression darkened. “Where is Victoria now?”
“Today is the first day of the competition,” the assistant reported. “Judging by the timing, the news broke while Victoria was still on stage.”
With today’s internet, information traveled at lightning speed. In just a few hours, the story had exploded everywhere. The competition venue itself must already be in chaos.
At that very moment, Victoria had just finished the preliminaries and stepped out of her room.
Suddenly, a mouthful of spit splattered viciously across her face.
“Tsk! Turns out you’re a mistress’s daughter! Instead of keeping your head down, you strut around like you’re something! Just as shameless as your whore of a mother!”
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