The Billionaire's True Heiress From Fake Jewel to Real Crown novel Chapter 1392

"After all, Tiffany is still Seb and Yolande's biological mother," Claire pointed out softly.

"True," Padgett conceded with a heavy sigh. "Then sort this mess out yourselves."

"But I refuse to hear another word about Tiffany favoring her relatives and sacrificing her children."

"If Seb or Yolande suffer because of her, I will personally ruin that woman!"

Padgett never made empty threats.

Owen Churchill wouldn't dare argue.

"You have my word. If she crosses that line, I'll divorce her before you even have to step in."

By the time the argument settled and Pike's family left the estate, it was well past midnight.

As eager as Claire was to discuss her parents, she knew it was too late.

Padgett would be far too overwhelmed to sleep if she dropped that bombshell now.

She decided to save the conversation for the morning and headed to bed.

Exhausted from the late night, Claire slept in the next day.

Coincidentally, Padgett was also running late.

They bumped into each other in the sprawling dining room.

"Did you sleep well, Padgett?"

She noticed the tired lines around his eyes.

Padgett offered a strained smile. "Well enough."

The truth was, the drama with Pike's branch of the family had kept him tossing and turning.

"Claire, what goes through that woman's head? How can a mother neglect her own children just to coddle her extended family?"

Claire shook her head. "She probably thinks the Churchill dynasty is so unfathomably wealthy that even the crumbs from our table are enough to make her family filthy rich."

"Over the years, has Tiffany actually managed to exploit our family?"

"More specifically, has her maiden family truly profited off us?"

"She likely assumed Melissa was gone for good, meaning Yolande would eventually inherit that fortune."

"And what belongs to Yolande, she considers hers, giving her unlimited funds to funnel back to her relatives."

It was a sickening reality. Some people were just delusional, and it was a mystery how Tiffany ever managed to marry Owen Churchill in the first place.

He was likely choking on his regrets right now.

Marrying a woman like that had brought nothing but chaos to their branch of the family.

"To think she dared to covet what rightfully belongs to your mother," Padgett scoffed. "Absolutely delusional!"

He let out a cold snort.

Padgett knew exactly what Tiffany had been plotting every time she pushed Yolande to visit him.

He genuinely cared for Yolande as his grandniece, largely due to the love he held for his own daughter.

But in his heart, there was only one Melissa. No one could ever replace his precious daughter.