Rebirth Revenge Is Everything (Ariana) novel Chapter 773

An illegitimate child?

Everyone turned to stare at the illegitimate son from the main branch of the family, their expressions shifting with unspoken thoughts. In truth, they all knew that both the main and secondary branches had their share of bastards, but Old Mr. Stone despised them. And since the men themselves had only sired those children in moments of fleeting desire, they held little affection for the offspring raised outside the family walls.

That was why the Stone family household had never descended into the chaos of welcoming illegitimate heirs—until now.

But at this moment…

Lambert had somehow produced an illegitimate son from the main branch and intended to have him inherit the main branch’s resources and influence.

Immediately, the members of the secondary branch exchanged uneasy glances.

Finley was initially stunned, but his surprise quickly gave way to relief and a smug sense of schadenfreude. Realizing that Lambert wasn’t aiming to dismantle both branches, the earlier words spoken by Arnold no longer held any power to unsettle him. As long as his own interests remained untouched, he had nothing to fear.

Who inherited the main branch had nothing to do with the secondary branch anyway.

With their sense of crisis dissolved, the secondary branch settled back to enjoy the drama unfolding before them. Only Finley’s father, the second uncle, wore a shadowed expression, something dark flickering behind his eyes before he schooled his features back into calm.

Khloe’s eyes blazed with fury as she glared at the illegitimate son!

She shot her husband a look of pure rage, then lifted her tear-filled eyes to her father- and mother-in-law. "Mom, Dad! Even if Arnold has made mistakes, surely it hasn’t come to this—allowing a bastard into the Stone family? What will people think of our Austin family’s dignity? And once this door is opened, who’s to say it won’t happen again and again? Dad, you once promised that no illegitimate child of unknown origin would ever set foot in the Stone family household."

Now was not the time to vent her hatred toward her husband. Her priority was to protect her son’s position.

The thought of everything her son had worked for being snatched away by this vile, lowborn bastard made her wish she could strike him down on the spot. It was only natural for a lawful wife to despise illegitimate children, especially for someone of Khloe’s temperament. And this one had the audacity to openly scheme to steal what rightfully belonged to her son.

The old patriarch remained silent.

He frowned at the boy, then shifted his gaze away with visible disgust and irritation, turning to Lambert. "What's the meaning of this?"

Lambert’s expression remained cold and detached. "There’s no hidden meaning—it’s exactly what you see before you. Arnold colluded with outsiders to leak company secrets and, together with Irene, nearly harmed my wife and child. As for Allison’s car accident last time, who’s to say it wasn’t meant for me or Ariana, and Allison—Stefan’s wife—just ended up taking the fall instead? Grandfather, the fact that I haven’t already sent him straight to prison is the greatest mercy I can offer."

Lambert’s message was unmistakably clear.

He was directly challenging the old man: *Do you want the main family line to continue or not?*

If the answer was yes, then there was no choice but to accept this illegitimate son.

If not, even better. Lambert had no need for a scheming branch of the family to prop him up as head of the household. It wasn’t Lambert who needed the branch family—it was the branch family that depended on him.

The old man fell into a heavy silence.

He studied Lambert for a long, tense moment, but Lambert met his gaze unflinchingly, without a hint of retreat.

Pursing his lips, the old man slowly shifted his attention to the illegitimate son of his eldest son—a child he had never particularly liked. His instinctive aversion to an offspring of unclear origins had initially kept him from looking properly. But now, with a measured glance, his eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise.