The True Heiress Reborn And Slays (Alicia Delaney) novel Chapter 322

Chapter 322 Shattered Vase

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In the middle of that awkward, staged hug, Lucas suddenly felt an icy glare drilling into his back–sharp enough to cut through the tension in the room.

His heart lurched, and he spun around instinctively.

The study door had been left slightly ajar. Through the narrow gap, Riley stood outside in a simple nightgown, her expression frozen.

She had a clear, unobstructed view of the two of them wrapped in each other’s arms.

Her cold stare sliced through the opening and pinned them right where they stood.

A chill shot down Lucas‘ spine.

Without thinking, he shoved Sophia away so forcefully she stumbled against the desk.

“Riley–it’s not what it looks like! Let me explain!” Lucas‘ face went pale as he rushed toward her, his voice trembling with a panic he’d never shown before.

In that moment, every bit of his usual cool composure shattered, leaving nothing but bare–faced guilt and fear.

But Riley stepped back smoothly, avoiding his reach. She remained planted in the hallway, silent.

Her eyes swept over Lucas‘ frantic, guilty face like twin blades, then landed on Sophia, who was now leaning weakly against the desk, doing her best to look wounded.

Riley’s voice was calm, but each word landed hard. “You were hugging. What exactly needs explaining?”

A faint, sarcastic smile touched her lips. “Or are you going to try and tell me there’s nothing between you two”

Lucas opened his mouth, but nothing came out. What could he even say?

He couldn’t very well admit that holding Sophia had made his skin crawl.

Or that he’d muttered a few empty reassurances only for her to cling to him.

Just as he stood there speechless, Sophia chose that moment to speak up.

She bit her lower lip, wearing a carefully crafted look of hesitation, though her eyes flickered toward Riley with a trace of concealed triumph.

“Lucas… are you really still trying to hide this from Riley?”

“Sophia!” Lucas snapped, stunned.

And this time, he didn’t miss that flash of smugness in her eyes.

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11:37 Thu, Jun 4

Chapter 322 Shattered Vase

So all of this had been her setup.

+20 Free Coms

He’d rejected her, pushed her away–so she’d decided to drag him down with her. If she couldn’t have him. then he wouldn’t end up with Riley either.

Riley took it all in and let out a low, cold laugh. “So this is what you wanted me to see, Sophia. You asked me to come to the study for this.”

But Sophia played innocent. “Riley, I don’t know what you mean. I just thought… it wasn’t right to keep lying to you. The truth is, Lucas and I have been together for years, and I’ve even-”

“You scheming little-”

“Crack!”

Before Sophia could finish, a sharp slap echoed through the study.

Lucas, furious, had grabbed her wrist and struck her hard across the face.

The slap held nothing back. Sophia’s pale cheek immediately flushed with the red imprint of his fingers.

She stared at him, stunned. She’d never seen Lucas so enraged–and she’d never dreamed he’d actually hit

her.

Clutching her stinging cheek, she cried out, tears welling in her eyes. “Lucas, how could you… hit me?!”

She was still performing, but now her act was layered with genuine pain and shock.

Riley watched coldly from the doorway, as though she were an audience member at a play.

If she hadn’t seen through Sophia’s game from the start–and if she’d still cared for Lucas the way she once did–she might have fallen right into the trap: making a scene, screaming, letting everything blow up in chaos.

She knew exactly what Sophia wanted: a dramatic, messy explosion that would force Lucas to publicly acknowledge her, and secure her place in the family alongside Jeremy.

Riley’s gaze moved from Lucas‘ twisted, angry face to Sophia sobbing into her hands.

A faint, cool smile touched Riley’s lips. Fine, she thought. If Sophia wanted a push, she’d give her one.

Without another word, Riley walked calmly into the study. Ignoring the two of them, she went straight to the display shelf against the wall, where an antique ceramic vase stood.

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