Chapter 90
Joanna blurted out, “Angel, you’re actually listening to Sylvia and staying here for the audition?”
Her eyes widened in utter disbelief.
Angel always dropped everything, even important business, for her without a second thought whenever she needed her for shopping
But now Angel actually turned her down–and all because of Sylvia!
Moreover, if Angel stayed and somehow landed the lead role, she would absolutely be crazy with jealousy.
Angel replied earnestly, “Exactly. Why wouldn’t I seize such a golden opportunity? If i get cast as the lead, I could become the next big superstar everyone’s talking about!”
Joanna nearly saw red at those words!
Sylvia was standing by their side. Hearing it, she nodded to herself and thought, ‘It seems Angel is not too foolish after all–at least she’s not letting Joanna lead her around by the nose anymore.”
Joanna’s eyes welled up with tears when she realized Angel wouldn’t budge. She turned to Sylvia and pleaded with a trembling voice, “Sylvia, did you say anything to Angel? She’s my only real friend–please, don’t take her away from me!”
Sylvia frowned deeply. She knew all too well–this was Joanna’s classic manipulation tactic: putting on an exaggerated show of being terribly wronged. With just a few tears and a scene, she could easily sway the soft–hearted Angel. ‘And before long, the blame ill somehow land squarely on my shoulders,‘ she thought.
But Angel snapped, “Joanna, how can you blame Sylvia? It was my own decision–I don’t want to go shopping with you. What does Sylvia have to do with this? Must I waste my time idling around with you all day to make you happy?”
She was visibly annoyed at Joanna.
Joanna’s face flushed with embarrassment. She said sheepishly, “Angel, that’s not what I meant. I just wanted you to keep me company, that’s all.”
But Angel refused her. “Sorry, I can’t do that. I’ve already finished my master’s degree overseas–if I come back just to fool around with you all day, Byron
would skin me alive.”
Angel finally saw Joanna for who she truly was. As she looked back on all their time together, it suddenly dawned on her that more often than not, Joanna was just taking advantage of her.
She either pumped her for info about her brother or badmouthed Sylvia.
Joanna’s face cycled through shades of pale and flushed. For some reason, Angel seemed like a completely different person to her.
Sylvia walked off to the side to avoid being targeted by Joanna again.
But Angel quickly caught up from behind and looped her arm through Sylvia’s affectionately. “Hey, Sylvia, where are you off to? You look tired. Want a back rub to help you relax?”
Joanna’s eyes blazed with fury at the sight.
‘What’s wrong with that idiot? Has she lost her mind? Why is she being so chummy with Sylvia? She must be out of her wits!‘ She thought indignantly.
Sylvia coldly brushed Angel’s hand off and said without any emotion, “We’re not that close. You don’t need to give me a shoulder rub.”
Angel wasn’t the least bit offended. Instead, she leaned in with a playful grin and asked, “Tell me then, what can I do for you?”
She was now so grateful to Sylvia and fond of her because not only was Sylvia her idol, but she also helped her see through Joanna’s true colors.
1/3
Chapter 90
Just go read the script and lock in your role. Don’t bother me here –
Sylvia snorted in annoyance. She’d realized the flairs all had this downright perverse streak–treat them kindly and they’d jis for Al
ignore them and they’d cling tenaciously to you like gum on your shoe.
“Okay!” Angel chirped, plopping back into her seat and picking up the script to read with genuine focus.
Before long, she looked up and leaned in closer, talking to Sylvia hushed voice, “Sylvia, it seems Byron wants to reconcile with you. What do you think?”
“If you defend your brother in front of me, then don’t ever show your face around me again.”
Sylvia replied icily.
Yet another Blair family trait–they always push their luck!
Angel sighed with dismay and felt sorry for Ruron. It seemed there was just no way Sylvia would ever get back together with him.
Meanwhile, Byron sneezed unexpectedly as he walked into the hospital. Rubbing his nose, he had a nagging feeling that someone was cursing him behind his back.
A doctor handed him a manila envelope and said, “Mr. Blair, here is the paternity test report for you and little Ruby Sullivan.”
Byron took the file silently and expressionlessly, heading straight back to his car.
It wasn’t until he slid into the driver’s seat that his heart began to race.
Taking a deep breath, he swiftly tore open the manila envelope and pulled out the paternity test report inside.
The report began with a series of comparative DNA data. At the end, the conclusive result stated that, “The probability of paternity is greater than 99.99%. This result supports the hypothesis that Byron Blair is the biological father of Ruby Sullivan.”
Reading it, Byron clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white, his eyes blazing with unrestrained joy.
The adorable little Ruby was indeed his own flesh and blood!
Now it finally dawned on him–that inexplicable closeness he always felt whenever he saw Ruby was, in fact, the bond of blood.
‘Sylvia, you’ve been lying to me all this time!
And you even tried to pass off my daughter as Zander Gage’s!‘
Just thinking about it made Byron’s blood boil. He was burning to storm over to Sylvia right then and there, settle the score, and bring his precious daughter back to his side.
But just as quickly, he regained his composure.
لي
He pulled out his phone to check–some time had passed since Sylvia last filed a lawsuit against him, and their next court date was just around the
corner.
Now was not the time to tip his hand.
Byron thought to himself, ‘She wants to take this to court? Fine, I’ll give her the legal battle of her life–and while I’m at it, I’ll take back full custody of my daughter.’
He felt a surge of joy at the thought of having both his son and daughter by his side. Back at the office, he bypassed his usual paperwork and immediately called Zack instead.
“Zack,” he spoke, “we’re having a special dinner at home tonight. I’ll pick you up myself after school.”
2/3
Chapter 90
Sitting on the seesaw at school, Zack blinked his eyes. Something felt off about Dad today. ‘Isn’t this just like any other day? Why’d he call post to remind
me?‘ he wondered.
“Got it, Dad,” he replied.
Zack’s young mind couldn’t quite grasp it, so he stopped trying. Just as he was about to hang up, Byron added.
“Don’t you have a close friend you’d like to bring home for dinner?”
Zack’s eyes lit up instantly. “Yeah, Dad! Can I bring Ruby over for dinner?”
On the other end of the line, Byron’s lips curved into a smile. ‘Smart kid, he finally got the hint, he thought.
So he replied, “Of course you can. Bring her over tonight.”
“Thanks, Dad!” Zack chirped happily.
Byron hung up the phone, stroking his chiseled jaw with a wry smile. ‘So that’s why,’ he thought. ‘I always wondered why my usually aloof son was suddenly so nice to that little girl–they’re actually siblings!‘
AD
