The Returned Heiress Who Never Fit In novel Chapter 869

869 The Truth

Victor’s tone over the phone left no doubt—he had already recognized Stella’s voice the moment she spoke.

Finished

Tessa locked eyes with him. His gaze was steady and composed, yet beneath that calm surface lay something she couldn’t quite decipher. The phrase “blood feud” echoed relentlessly in her mind, tightening her chest with unease.

During her stay in Redwood, she had witnessed firsthand just how merciless Victor could be when it came to the Morris family. She was aware there was history between them, but she hadn’t grasped the full extent of it—how deep and bitter the animosity ran.

A feud so intense that it had wiped out an entire family? That was something far more severe than she’d ever imagined.

Thank goodness she wasn’t Dale’s daughter. If she had been, how could she ever face Victor again without fear or hesitation?

Tessa instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek softly against his stomach. “It doesn’t matter,” she whispered. “Those people have nothing to do with me.”

Back when she still believed Dale was her father, she had been terrified of this side of Victor—afraid of what he might do once he discovered the truth. But that fear had faded.

Since her mother’s call, she found herself able to meet Victor’s gaze without flinching, no longer held hostage by uncertainty.

A new question suddenly surfaced in her mind.

“When everything happened between you and Dale… where was my mom?” Her voice trembled slightly, betraying her worry.

God, she hoped her mother hadn’t still been married to Dale during all that chaos.

Victor’s reply was steady, almost resigned. “By then, he was already married to Artemis.”

Tessa exhaled a long breath, relief washing over her like a warm tide.

So the bitter feud between Victor and that despicable Dale had nothing to do with her—or her mother.

Thank God.

Her mother had already endured enough pain being tied to Dale all those years.

“That’s good,” Tessa said quickly, the tension in her voice easing. “It has nothing to do with me.”

The weight that had been pressing down on her chest lifted completely, leaving her feeling relaxed and at peace.

Victor glanced down at her, noticing the flicker of relief that softened her expression. A faint, almost imperceptible smile curved the corners of his lips.

He reached out, his hand warm and gentle as it stroked the top of her head.

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