The accusations hung in the air like a heavy fog, casting a pall over the once-celebratory atmosphere of the gala. Ophelia stood frozen on the stage, her heart pounding in her chest as she faced the venomous glare of her step-sister, Clarissa. Every word that spewed from Clarissa's lips felt like a dagger to Ophelia's heart, threatening to pierce through the carefully constructed facade of her identity.
But amidst the chaos, a glimmer of defiance flickered in Ophelia's eyes. She refused to cower in the face of Clarissa's baseless accusations. With a steely resolve, she squared her shoulders and met Clarissa's gaze head-on, her voice unwavering as she spoke.
"You dare accuse me of impostorship, Clarissa?" Ophelia's words rang out with a quiet intensity, cutting through the tension like a blade. "You, who have spent your life hiding behind lies and deceit?"
Clarissa's eyes widened in shock at Ophelia's boldness, her composure faltering for the briefest of moments. But she quickly regained her footing, her expression morphing into one of smug satisfaction.
"You may have fooled everyone else, Ophelia," Clarissa spat, her voice dripping with malice, "but you cannot hide from the truth forever. I know who you really are, and I will stop at nothing to expose you for the fraud that you are."
The accusation hung in the air like a guillotine, threatening to sever the ties that bound Ophelia to her family and her legacy. But Ophelia refused to falter. With a deep breath, she steadied herself, her mind racing as she searched for a way to refute Clarissa's claims and salvage what remained of her shattered reputation.
As the tension mounted, Thomas Devereux stepped forward, his expression a mask of disbelief and confusion. He had never anticipated that Clarissa would be aware of the truth, let alone have the audacity to expose it in such a public manner. But as he surveyed the scene before him, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. The carefully constructed facade of his family's legacy was unraveling before his very eyes, and he was powerless to stop it.
"Eleanor," Thomas murmured, his voice barely audible above the din of the crowd, "how could this have happened? How could Clarissa know the truth?"
Eleanor's expression was inscrutable as she met her husband's gaze, her eyes betraying a hint of satisfaction beneath the facade of concern.
"I don't know, Thomas," she replied, her voice laced with faux innocence. "But perhaps it's time for the truth to come out. Perhaps it's time for Ophelia to finally face the consequences of her actions."
He glared at her and spouted, "Shut your mouth!". Eleanor couldn't help but shudder a little bit under the wrathful eyes of her husband.
Thomas's heart sank at Eleanor's words, his mind whirling with confusion and despair. He had always believed that Ophelia was the rightful heir to the Devereux legacy, groomed from birth to take on the mantle of leadership. But now, faced with Clarissa's accusations and Eleanor's betrayal, he couldn't help but question everything he thought he knew.
Ophelia's world spun out of control as Clarissa's accusations echoed through the room. She stood frozen on the stage, her mind reeling with disbelief. How could Clarissa accuse her of being an impostor? It was inconceivable, unthinkable, and yet here she was, facing the brunt of her step-sister's venomous accusations.
"I assure you, Clarissa, there has been some mistake," Ophelia declared, her voice trembling with a mixture of shock and indignation. "I am Ophelia Devereux, the daughter of Thomas Devereux, and I have never claimed to be anyone else."
But Clarissa would not be deterred, her eyes blazing with a fervor that bordered on madness. "You can deny it all you want, Ophelia, but the truth will come out eventually. You may have everyone else fooled, but I know who you really are."
Thomas Devereux's face darkened with anger as he stepped forward, his voice thundering through the room. "That is enough, Clarissa!" he bellowed, his eyes flashing with fury. "How dare you make such baseless accusations against your own sister?"
But Clarissa would not be silenced, her resolve unyielding as she continued to spew her accusations. Thomas's anger mounted with each word, his blood boiling with rage. Suddenly, he staggered backward, clutching at his chest as a searing pain shot through him.
"Thomas!" Eleanor cried out in alarm, rushing to her husband's side as panic swept through the crowd. Ophelia's heart clenched with fear as she watched her father's distress, her mind racing with a million thoughts and fears.
"Someone call for help!" Ophelia shouted, her voice cracking with emotion as she fought to maintain her composure. "We need a doctor!"
As the chaos unfolded around them, Thomas shoved Eleanor's hand away and instead reached out to Ophelia, gripping her hand tightly as he struggled to catch his breath. In that moment, Ophelia felt a surge of protectiveness wash over her, a fierce determination to shield her father from any further harm.
With a heavy heart, Ophelia realized that now was not the time to fight back, not when her father's health hung in the balance.
"I'm sorry for the disruption," Ophelia murmured, her voice barely audible above the clamor of the crowd. "I think it's best if we end the event for now. Please, everyone, return to your homes."
With a heavy heart, Ophelia ushered the guests out of the mansion, leaving behind the chaos and confusion that had engulfed her family. As she rushed her father to the hospital, her mind raced with worry and uncertainty. What would become of the Devereux legacy now that its patriarch lay gravely ill? And how would she ever prove her innocence in the face of such damning accusations?
As the crowd started to disperse, in the corner of the room, there was a black figure sitting from whom a cold aura could be felt. His face had also become dark like a burnt kettle pot and his body was filled with anger from inside. But before he could explode his anger, he stood up and left the venue. While going towards his car he ordered his secretary, "By tomorrow morning, I need every ounce of information about this mother-daughter duo. Gather as many minute details as you can. How dare they destroy my girl's big day."
One could feel him gritting his teeth in anger but the secretary couldn't help but give a quick reply. But from inside he was wondering, only a couple of hours are remaining, he has to quickly start his work.
"Yes boss!"