Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 726

"She was terrified you wouldn't approve, so she kept it completely buried. Later, she gave birth to Evangeline and me. But because of her classified work and the nature of her research..."

He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.

He couldn't stand there and admit that his mother practically lived in the research labs, coming home so rarely that the Vaughns had absolutely no idea she was married, let alone a mother to two children...

But Alastair didn't need him to spell it out. He understood the implication entirely. The older man’s face turned deathly pale as he slammed his hand against the mahogany table. "Henry Fairchild, that absolute bastard! Luring my daughter away was one thing, but hiding it for twenty years?! Who the hell does he think he is?! And you, Finnian. You knew the truth and you played accomplice for over two decades. The Vaughn family does not recognize an ungrateful traitor like you!"

Finnian bore the brunt of the blistering psychological assault without lifting his head.

He knew he was completely in the wrong. Standing there, taking the abuse, he couldn't find a single word to defend himself.

He finally understood what Hudson meant by 'backing himself into a corner.'

He had always viewed the Vaughn connection as a radioactive secret, something to be kept buried to avoid a catastrophic fallout.

Now, he realized the magnitude of the mistake.

It wasn't a liability; it was the ultimate trump card. His father had squandered a massive strategic alliance, turning himself into the Vaughns' greatest enemy and dragging his son down with him.

Seeing Alastair's eyes bloodshot with rage, Vivian hurriedly handed him a fresh cup of coffee, terrified he might suffer a heart attack. "Just calm down..."

Alastair ignored the drink, waving her off. His furious gaze slowly drifted toward Nora. The storm of rage in his aged, sharp eyes shifted into a complicated, heartbreaking vulnerability. His Adam's apple bobbed. "Are you... Felix's daughter?"

Nora met his gaze. Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs, but she didn't look away. She gave a small, slow nod, a faint tightness catching in her throat. "Grandpa."

Alastair’s hand trembled.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the words bottlenecked in his throat. Not a single sound came out.

Vivian reacted first. She hurried forward, grasping Nora's hands tightly. "You're Felix's baby? Come here, let your grandmother get a good look at you!"

Her eyes immediately brimmed with tears. She held Nora's hands, her gaze tracing every inch of the younger woman's face, from her brows to the corners of her mouth. "You look just like her... it’s uncanny. Your eyes, your face... you are a carbon copy of Felix."

Enveloped by the warmth of Vivian's trembling hands, seeing the red rims of the older woman’s eyes and her quivering smile, Nora felt a sudden lump form in her throat. "Grandma."

Tears spilled freely down Vivian's cheeks. She hastily wiped at her eyes, laughing and crying all at once. "My sweet girl. My sweet girl. Come, sit closer. Let Grandma look at you."

She pulled Nora down onto the sofa beside her, her grip unyielding, refusing to let go of her fingers.

Sitting off to the side, Vincent finally began to process the seismic shockwave that had just hit the room. His brow furrowed deeply. He looked at Finnian, then at Nora, and finally zeroed in on Hudson. He mouthed silently: You knew?

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