The True Heiress Reborn And Slays (Alicia Delaney) novel Chapter 585

Chapter 585 A Public Stand

If Elsie turns out to be as loyal as you claim-if she stands by you through thick and thin or poor-then I, Riley, will publicly apologize to you. But… do you have the guts to put t the test?”

Those words hung over her like a curse, gnawing at her nerves and leaving Melissa uneas restless.

Just then, the lights in the venue dimmed. A single spotlight hit the center of the stage, an music began to play, pulling everyone’s attention toward it.

The event had officially begun.

The children from the group home, dressed in matching outfits, were led by their caregive onto the stage in an orderly line.

They looked a little nervous, but more than anything, they were excited. With youthful voi they sang a chorus of “Thank You for Giving Me a Chance”-a heartfelt tune popular in loc charity performances.

The singing may not have been professional, but the genuine emotion behind it touched everyone in the room, earning a warm round of applause.

After that simple opening act, Violet stepped onto the stage dressed in modest attire.

Wearing a gentle smile, she first thanked all the guests for supporting the charity drive. Ther her tone shifted, carrying a note of unmistakable excitement.

“Actually, among our guests tonight, there’s a very special friend.”

Violet’s gaze slowly swept across the VIP section below, a touch of pride in her eyes. “She’s als someone who grew up right here in this home.”

A quiet murmur rippled through the crowd.

Violet paused before continuing, “Back when she was growing up, she never quite found the right family to take her in. But let me tell you-she was one of the hardest-working, most determined kids this place has ever seen. Through sheer effort and academic scholarships, she not only got into an Ivy League school but built an incredible career for herself after graduating.”

By now, Violet’s eyes were growing moist. She raised her voice slightly. “And what makes us even happier for her is that not long ago, after years of hoping, she finally reconnected with

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Chapter 585 A Public Stand

her birth family-and found the home she’d always belonged to.”

With that, Violet began to applaud, turning her gaze directly toward Riley’s seat.

The spotlight followed perfectly, immediately wrapping Riley in a bright, warm glow.

Riley stood up calmly and, under Sebastian’s supportive glance, walked gracefully toward stage.

Meanwhile, Melissa, seated in a shadowy corner, felt her whole body go stiff.

She watched Riley’s back as she moved toward the stage under everyone’s attention, her m blank, her heart racing wildly.

What was Riley about to do?

A cold dread began to creep through Melissa’s veins.

Was Riley going to use this moment-in front of all of Nexopolis’ high society-to reveal th Melissa had walked out on her all those years ago? Was she about to use this platform to sha her publicly, once and for all?

But Melissa had it all wrong.

She was projecting her own twisted mindset onto someone who had long since left the darkness behind and stepped into the light. She was bound to misunderstand completely.

Riley had stopped dwelling on the pain Melissa caused her years ago. She had never intended to parade her scars in public for sympathy, nor to rally the crowd to demand some belated apology.

As she climbed the steps one by one and stopped in front of the microphone, the hall fell completely silent.

The spotlight remained fixed on her, and she stood perfectly poised.

She let her eyes travel across the audience, not lingering on anyone in particular-not even Melissa, who sat shaking in the shadows.

“Hello everyone, I’m Riley.” Her voice, amplified through the speakers, carried clearly across the room-calm, warm, yet full of quiet strength. “Many of you may know me as a Harper, or as Sebastian’s wife. But tonight, standing here, I’d like to speak from a different place-as someone who once called this group home her own.”

Riley didn’t shy away from having once been in the system, but she carefully avoided the

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