Arthur Lindsey was utterly astonished.
What had Dariel Cooper just said? Claiming to be Ella's father?!
However, except for him, no one else in the entire room seemed surprised.
Because earlier, when Emma Campbell had gone to the door to greet him, they had all decided in Ella Lacey's room that they would share this surprise with him at dinner.
At this moment, Dariel's smile grew deeper. Holding Ella Lacey's small hand, he said, "Arthur, it's time for you to know the surprise. Aurora, she is my child, her name is Aurora Cooper!"
Then, he explained to Arthur all the evidence and events that had led to his recognition of Ella.
And Ella Lacey was nodding and corroborating throughout.
In her mind, memories occasionally floated through of living in the mansion on Mount Glimmer as a toddler...
...
But Arthur didn't believe it. "Ella, come here, you can't possibly be the Cooper family's child!"
