The Secret Heiress | ✔️

Epilogue

☘︎ Lʏᴋᴀs Vɪᴛᴀʟʟɪs ☘︎

Someone killed my father.

There were daisies on the nightstand next to his bed, where he lied stabbed to death and soaked in his own blood. No one knows who did it, even the elite team couldn't find a whiff. The killer was far too well trained to leave no trails, except the daisies.

Everything happened so suddenly-David Vitallis being killed, his funeral, me taking over Vitallis Group, Jennifer taking over Davidson Group with Mia as her partner because Samuel wanted to retire and my grandfather isolating himself in some desolate place because for some reason, he was furious his son died and not sad.

My mom, on the other hand. . .

I chance a glance at Jennifer leaning against the doorframe of Vitallis Villa's drawing room, dressed in a white business suit, her eyes trained on my mother.

Heather Vitallis stares blankly into the fireplace, her mind and body at two different places. She's been like this ever since Dad died. She won't tell anyone why she's so lost.

I'm still trying to process his death. I have no idea how to feel. There is sadness somewhere, but a part of me-despite how much I hate that part-is relieved my mom is now free of his clutches and even Grandpa's since he won't contact any of us.

Yet mom remains like this.

I look at Jennifer again and she gives me a nod. She doesn't realizes how encouraging her single nod is.

Letting out a deep sigh, I settle down on the warm rug next to the fireplace where Mom's seated. My hand gently clasp her shoulder, my voice soft as I say, "What is it, Mom?"

A single tear runs down her eyes at the sound of my voice, "I have no way to find her anymore."

I blink, confusion swirling within me, "Who?"

But Mom just shakes her head, peering into the furnace, "Your father is dead. Your grandpa is gone. How am I to ever find her? All of these years yielding to them, for nothing?"

My grip on her shoulder applies a comforting squeeze, "I won't understand if you keep speaking in circles, mom. You've been saying this since Dad died. You need to be clear so that I can help you."

"You can't!" Mom suddenly flips, fury and helplessness coating her features, "You have no idea what your father and grandfather are! I didn't listen to them all these years because I was afraid for myself! I was afraid for her, because they have her!"

"Who, Mom?" I ask again, calm yet my tone firmer than before, "You have to stop hiding things from me. I know about your lover before Dad, it's okay. I don't blame you."

Her face breaks at the mention of her lover, tears straining down her cheeks more prominently. Under the light of the fire, the deep red in her hair is more visible, unlike the way they usually look brown to the eyes. She pushes her hair out of her face, her expression completely crumbled. Whatever the reason, the last few days have been getting at her.

And maybe it's only because of that, she expresses, "Your grandfather and father didn't rip Rorick off everything he has only because he loved me and I did him. They hated Rorick because they found out he'd impregnated me."

My eyes widen in shock, taken aback by her words, "Does that mean, I am. . .that Rorick is my. . ."

"No." She shakes her head, "David is your father. But you have a sister a year older than you. Rorick and my daughter."

A lump forms in my throat and before I know, I'm pulling away from my mother, "What?"

"They were going to kill the child. But I begged them to let her live. To let her be born. That I would do anything they would ask of me till the day I die, if they let her live. They certainly thought it was a good bargain, I'd do everything they asked without any force or threat. But I should've known. If they sold away Francis, then they'd do much worse to the child they despised." My mother's tears are endless now, "They isolated me for nine months to avoid anyone from knowing I'm pregnant and then they took the child from my arms the moment she was born. While I was forced to marry David instantly. You were born within a year. They told me if I kept listening to them, they wouldn't do anything to my daughter."