Marrying My Father's Enemy-Chapter 79: Cracked Mirrors: Two Villains

Chapter 79: Cracked Mirrors: Two Villains

Beatrice froze in her chair, her back stiffened as Henry’s words hung in the air like a sharp blade.

She tried to keep her face composed, but her fingers trembled slightly as she gripped the armrests.

"Excuse me?" Beatrice said coolly, clearly trying to hide the intimidation from her body language.

Henry leaned forward, the faint smile from earlier now gone, replaced by an expression as cold as ice.

"You heard me," he said, his tone slicing through the room. "What did you do to Liam?"

Beatrice’s lips twitched, and she began to rise, her hand brushed the corner of the desk for balance.

"You’re ridiculous," she said, letting out a small laugh. "I have no idea what you’re talking about."

Henry’s hand shot out, slamming against the desk. The sound echoed sharply, making her flinch.

"Don’t lie to me," he snapped. "Not now. I’ve been patient, Beatrice. But I’ve had enough."

She stumbled back a step, her composure slipping for just a moment before she squared her shoulders.

"If you’re going to throw accusations, Henry, at least have the decency to explain yourself," she said, whispering like a snake.

Henry rose slowly, his towering body filling the room with a suffocating presence. "I always knew you had secrets, Beatrice. That’s why I hired a private investigator."

Beatrice’s eyes narrowed, but her lips remained sealed.

"Do you know what they found?" Henry asked, his tone deceptively casual as he circled the desk.

"Apparently, Helen—the woman you hated so much—had a guardian when she was in the jail hospital. And that guardian was none other than Steven Blackwood."

Beatrice’s mask cracked, her eyes darting toward him.

"Oh, don’t look so surprised," Henry continued.

"What’s more interesting is that during all those visits, only one person ever came to see her. A woman. A woman who knew her well enough to keep visiting until Helen’s death."

"That’s enough," Beatrice hissed, her hands balled into fists.

"No," Henry barked back like a dog, this time raising his voice. "It’s not enough. I’m not done."

Beatrice stepped back, her breathing became uneven.

"And then there’s Liam," Henry said, quieter but far more menacing. "His mother’s death—it was too sudden. Too clean. Even if I told you I had no feelings for her, the timing was suspicious, wasn’t it?"

He leaned closer, locking his eyes with hers. "And now Liam has disappeared. Isn’t that convenient?"

Beatrice’s hand went up, and she slapped him across the face with a force that echoed through the room.

"How dare you?" she spat, trembling from rage.

"After everything I’ve done for this family, for you, you stand here and accuse me of... of what? Of orchestrating some grand conspiracy?"

Henry tilted his head, his cheek turning red from the impact, but his expression didn’t change a bit. "If the shoe fits, my darling wife," he said mockingly sweet.

Beatrice’s chest heaved, her breath ragged. "You think I’m the villain here? After all the people you’ve crushed, all the lives you’ve destroyed to build your empire? Don’t stand there and pretend you’re any better than me."

Henry’s lips curled into a grim smile. "Oh, I’ve never claimed to be better. But at least I’m honest about who I am. You? You hide behind your designer dresses and perfect smile, pretending you’re a victim when all you’ve ever done is pull strings from the shadows."

"You’re accusing me of pulling strings?" Beatrice replied back.

"You’re the puppet master, Henry. You manipulate everyone around you—your children, your business partners, even me."

"Heh!" Henry let out a bitter laugh. "Is that how you justify it? By blaming me for your sins?"

Beatrice took a step forward. "And what about your sins, Henry? What about the way you ignored Eira, left her to rot while you played the perfect father to Vanesa?"

"Don’t bring Eira into this," Henry snapped. "She’s none of your concern."

"Oh, but she is," Beatrice said in a cold voice. "Because she’s the one thing you can’t control. And it terrifies you, doesn’t it? That little girl you abandoned is now the biggest threat to your legacy."

Henry’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I abandoned her because I was protecting her. Something you wouldn’t understand."

Beatrice let out a harsh laugh. "Protecting her? Is that what you call it? Leaving her to fend for herself while you built your empire? You’re delusional, Henry. You didn’t even know about her existence until now."

"And you’re a liar," Henry retorted. "But not a very good one. Tell me, Beatrice—what did Steven promise you? Power? Money? Or was it something else entirely?"

Beatrice’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before narrowing again. "Don’t you dare," she hissed.

"Oh, I dare," Henry said, stepping closer. "Because I’m done playing games. I know about the meetings, the whispers, the deals made behind my back. And I won’t let you or anyone else tear this family apart any longer."

Beatrice’s lips curled into a sneer. "This family? You don’t care about this family. You care about your image, your precious empire. You’re nothing but a tyrant, Henry. A tyrant who’s finally losing his grip." fгeewёbnoѵel_cσm

"And you’re nothing but a traitor. A traitor who doesn’t realize how easily she can be replaced."

For a moment, the room was silent, the air shaking from the tension.

A husband and wife were tearing each other apart.

More than twenty years of marriage, more than twenty years of secrets hidden from each other.

It felt like a calm volcano that was forgotten for thousands of years had finally erupted.

Then Beatrice straightened, her composure returning like a mask slipping back into place.

"Believe what you want, Henry," she said icily. "But remember this—you may think you hold all the cards, but even kings can fall."

Henry’s glare never left as he watched her turn and walk toward the door.

Just as she reached for the handle, his voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Beatrice," he called out her name like a warning.

She paused, her back to him.

"You may think you’re untouchable," he continued. "But don’t forget—I know who you are. And I know what you’ve done."

Beatrice turned her head slightly, just enough to meet his eyes. "And I know what you’ve done, too," she said softly.

For a moment, their eyes locked, two villains caught in a web of their own making.

Then Henry leaned back. "This isn’t over."

Beatrice opened the door without another word and walked out, leaving Henry alone in the silence of his office.

"Liam... he was my son... you, bitch!"

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺