Chapter 4 The Son We Gave Away

The room fell into stunned silence as Franklin stepped through the doorway.

Adrian Jones, the proud patriarch, and Corinne, his emotionally torn wife, stared at the man they had once given up-a decision buried under years of silence and sacrifice.

Franklin, calm and composed, carried the quiet dignity of someone raised with love, but not by them.

They had kept their vow to Corinne's cousin's best friend, the woman who adopted Franklin when desperation had forced their hand.

Seven years ago, they had allowed Corinne to speak with Franklin once, when they tried to offer him the CEO position as a form of restitution.

Franklin had declined, though he'd shown interest in meeting his twin brother, Frederick. They had shared contact details, but nothing had come of it, or so they thought.

Now, it was clear the brothers had been in contact all along.

This should have been a joyful reunion. But something darker loomed, something volatile enough to destroy everything they had built.

"What do you mean you're divorcing Cassie?" Adrian's voice cracked like thunder. "Do you even know who she is?"

They had rushed over the moment Cassie informed them of the divorce, eager to confront their son, only to find him here, with his mistress.

Frederick Jones, the emotionally volatile heir, let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Of course I do. You brought her into our home when she was four. All she ever did was freeload."

Adrian's hand flew up again, but Franklin stepped in, intercepting the slap mid-air.

"Mr. and Mrs. Jones," Franklin said calmly, his voice firm but respectful. "I don't know you well, but my parents never described you as violent."

Corinne swallowed hard. The son they had given up was addressing them like strangers, and rightly so. They had forfeited the right to familiarity.

Still, she was relieved. He had turned out better than they'd dared hope.

"Franklin, this isn't how we imagined meeting you," she said softly. "There's so much you don't know. But some people... some people cannot be messed with."

"And who might those be?" Frederick asked with a sneer, his tone dripping with contempt. "Cassie? That's funny."

Adrian's face darkened. "All our sacrifices... wasted. We should've given you up instead."

Franklin blinked, stunned. Before he could respond, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, then looked up apologetically.

"I'm sorry. I have to go. Perhaps we'll speak again, when things are less... tense."

"Can't you stay a little longer?" Corinne pleaded.

But Franklin only stared at her, detached, distant. Even after learning the truth from his adoptive parents, he still saw them as strangers.

"I promised my mom I was going to bring a woman home. She's been waiting, calling."

Corinne's brow furrowed. That wasn't what she heard, but before she could ask, he was gone.

"I think we should leave too," said Lucien, one of Frederick's friends. Asher nodded, both men edging toward the door. This wasn't the visit they'd expected.

Sienna, Frederick's mistress, stood frozen, feeling exposed and alone. In her condition, she had never imagined being at the center of such chaos.

If Frederick couldn't stop his parents from slapping him, how could he possibly protect her?

"Fred, I can't believe you left Cassie for this caricature," Julius, Frederick's younger brother, spat. "I heard she had a miscarriage, but her face paint's still flawless. Cassie never wore makeup, and she was always beautiful."

Sienna's eyes welled with tears. Frederick raised his hand, fury blazing, but Adrian stepped in, blocking the blow.

"Try it, Fred," he warned coldly. "And I'll strip you of everything you hold dear."

Frederick lowered his hand, but not his voice. "Isn't it too late for that? You signed everything over to me the moment I married Cassie. After she gave birth to Rose, you stepped down as chairman."

"That was for Cassie," Adrian snapped.

Frederick shrugged. "Well, everything's in my name now. And I get to marry the woman I've always loved. Cassie tried to tear us apart, but fate brought us back together."

"Don't blame Cassie for your twisted urges," Adrian growled. "Don't make this mistake. There's more to her than you know, and we can't tell you everything. Not yet."

"I know more than enough," Frederick hissed. "She's a shameless whore. A murderer. A conniving-"

"Stop it!" Corinne cried.

But Frederick's voice cracked with grief. "No, Mom. Cassie pushed Sienna out of jealousy. I saw it. She killed our child."

What he didn't know was that Cassie had already told his parents everything, and they believed her.

"You should be ashamed," Adrian roared. "You're still married to Cassie, and you dare speak of losing a child? I never loved your mother before marrying her, but I never cheated on her. You're shameless. I regret having you."

He began coughing violently. Corinne rushed to his side, rubbing his chest.

"It's alright, Adrian. Let's go find Cassie. We can't lose her as our daughter-in-law."

Frederick shook his head. "Too late. The divorce is already in motion. There's nothing you can do."

"You imbecile," Adrian spat. "You never deserved her. Do you even know who she is? Give it two years, you'll be begging her on your knees."

"Over my dead body," Frederick snapped.

Adrian's final words shattered the last of his son's confidence. "Then let's see you marry that gold digger. And don't ever call us your parents again if you do."

They stormed out, dragging Julius behind. The boy glanced back, his eyes filled with disappointment. Frederick had once been his hero. Now, even at fifteen, Julius knew better.

"Daddy!" Rose's voice rang out as she ran toward him. "Those men wouldn't let me see Mommy!"

Adrian and Corinne froze.

"What did you say?" Corinne asked.

"Grandma, Grandpa," Rose said, breathless. "Mommy came to school, but the bodyguards pushed her away."

Adrian's chest tightened. He turned to Frederick. "What's going on?"

"Cassie isn't fit to be a mother," Frederick said coldly. "Not after what she did."

Sienna coughed gently. "It's alright, Fred. I hold nothing against her."

Her voice was soft, warm, but Corinne's eyes burned with hatred. "Oh, stop pretending," she snapped.

"Mom, please," Frederick said. "Don't talk to her like that."

Rose ran to Sienna's bedside. "Aunt Sienna, are you sick? Why are you in that bed?"

Sienna whispered something to her, too soft for anyone else to hear. Adrian stepped forward and pulled the girl away.

"If you're divorcing Cassie, fine," he said. "But Rose stays with her mother."

He hoped this would shake some sense into his son. But Frederick's response was chilling.

"If you take her, I'll involve the police."

His parents didn't listen.

Sienna wept. "I never meant for this to happen. Fred, your parents will never accept me. We've already lost the baby. Maybe... maybe we should let each other go."

Frederick's expression softened. He pulled her close.

"Don't worry. They're just angry. They'll calm down. Everything will fall into place."

He gave instructions to his bodyguards, then returned to her side.

***

Together with Rose, Adrian and Corinne arrived at the mansion Frederick once shared with Cassie. Their hearts sank at the sight of her-pale, weary, but still holding herself with quiet dignity.

Cassie's eyes lit up when she saw her daughter. She dropped to her knees and embraced her tightly.

But the moment was shattered by the wail of police sirens.

"Mommy, what's going on?" Rose whimpered. "Why are the police here?"