Real Heiress: Flash Marriage With Boyfriend's Uncle - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Bella, stop lying

“Why did you do it, Bella? Why did you ask to spike Layla’s drink?” Miriam’s voice was sharp for the first time at Orabela. She sat with her husband, Darius, whose face held a deep look of disappointment.

Seraphina, sensing the rising tension, turned her gaze to Orabela and asked, “Did something happen at the reception? Did Layla humiliate you?”

“No,” Miriam replied firmly. “Layla did nothing tonight.”

Orabela, trying to mask her unease, shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Mom, do you really believe what Lucius said? He and Layla are conspiring to ruin my reputation! Roderick told me himself—his uncle doesn’t like him because of the inheritance. Lucius is lying to all of you! It was his reception party, of course, he would have fabricated evidence. Layla doesn’t want me to marry into that family, and she’s using Lucius to make sure of it.”

With ease, Orabela twisted the truth, deflecting the blame onto Layla. She had always been a master of manipulation, spinning lies so smoothly that even the most attentive listener could be swayed. But this time, Darius wasn’t convinced.

“Bella, stop lying,” Darius interjected, his voice low but firm, cutting through her web of deceit. His piercing gaze locked onto his daughter.

Orabela faltered as her confidence slipped. “Dad…” she began, her voice trembling, but her words trailed off as the Darius interjected her.

“I spoke to the person you bribed,” Darius said coldly, recalling as they left reception Roger asked him to follow him. “You need to start taking responsibility for your actions.”

Without another word, Darius stood, weary from the confrontation. “I’m tired. I need some rest,” he muttered as he left the room.

Miriam rose from her seat on the sofa, her eyes narrowing as she fixed her gaze on Orabela. “Go to bed, Bella,” she said, her voice laced with a stern finality. “You will not harm Layla any further. As your mother, I’ve watched you blame her time and time again, and this ends now. I expect you to uphold the dignity of this family.”

Miriam never liked Layla because she was Seraphina’s daughter. That was the only thing that made her hate Layla.

“If you don’t, I’ll be left with no choice but to take serious action,” she warned her daughter. Glancing at Seraphina this time, she said, “You shouldn’t have hit your own daughter. Everything changed after you slapped Layla.” Exhausted from the confrontation, she left the drawing hall, not wanting to engage in further arguments.

Orabela clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white with frustration. Never before had her parents scolded her—let alone doubted her. The sting of their rebuke burned deeper than she could express.

Seraphina gently placed a hand on Orabela’s shoulder, trying to offer comfort, but Orabela angrily shrugged it off. “Layla is ruining my life!” she snapped, her voice cracking as her emotions surged. “Because of her, I got scolded. My parents… they didn’t trust me, not for the first time in my life!” Tears welled in her eyes as her anger boiled over.

“Just stay away from me! I hate you and I hate Layla!” she screamed, her voice trembling with both rage and hurt before storming off to her room upstairs.

Seraphina furrowed her brows together, trying to think of a way to stop Layla.

~~~~~

“Why weren’t you answering my call?” Orabela asked from the other side in a sharp, frustrated voice.

Roderick, groggy and half-awake, rubbed his eyes and let out a tired sigh. “It’s late, Orabela. Why do I need to answer your calls at this hour?” he muttered, his voice laced with irritation. “I’m sleepy. We can talk in the morning.”

“Rick, I’m hurt. I need you,” Orabela said, her tone shifting to one of vulnerability, trying to appeal to his emotions.

Roderick frowned, confused by the sudden shift. “You were fine earlier at the reception. What’s going on now? I can’t come to see you—I’m exhausted.” He stretched, trying to shake off his growing frustration.

“Marry me,” Orabela blurted out, her voice laced with desperation.

Roderick bolted upright, shocked by her words. “What?” he exclaimed, the fog of sleep vanishing instantly. “Are you drunk? Orabela, just go to bed. You’re not thinking straight.”

“I AM NOT DRUNK!” Orabela screamed into the phone, her voice so loud that Roderick instinctively jerked the phone away from his ear, wincing at the volume.

“Hey! Calm down,” Roderick snapped back, his patience wearing thin. His tone turned icy as he added, “You can’t just shout at me like that.”

Before Orabela could say another word, Roderick sighed in exasperation. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with her drama. Without waiting for her response, he coldly ended the call and switched off his phone, tossing it to the other side of the bed as he laid back down.

“Fucking bitch! She thinks I’ll marry her,” Roderick laughed bitterly, his voice dripping with disdain. The absurdity of Orabela’s demand lingered in the air, but his mind quickly shifted to someone else—Layla.

Layla. The image of her at the reception flooded his thoughts. She had never dressed like that before, so elegant and radiant. She looked stunning, more beautiful than he remembered.

He hadn’t even gotten the chance to speak with her, and it gnawed at him. Had Layla really moved on in just a few days? How was that possible? She had been so deeply in love with him.

Roderick’s chest tightened at the thought. “I’ve lost Layla,” he muttered to himself, the weight of his realization settling in. “I can’t even try to get close to her because my uncle’s always there, watching my actions.”

Roderick pinched the skin between his brows when an idea hit his mind. “I’ll first take that ring back from Orabela. If I weren’t drunk that night, I would not have given her that ring. I’ll break up with her. Then, I’ll think further how to make Layla see me. She can’t live as the wife of my old uncle forever!”

He smiled at his plan and closed his eyes, confident that he would win Layla once again if he would act cleverly.