Chapter 112

Kiara frantically tried reaching Merritt when a sudden, frigid sensation washed over her. She glanced up to discover Darin’s murderous glare boring into her.

Kiara instinctively recoiled in fear. She had strutted confidently under Merritt’s protective influence, flaunting her advantage over Darin. But with Paige’s entertainment aspirations collapsing and Merritt’s sudden disappearance, her power had evaporated completely. Should Merritt abandon her permanently, her existence within the Jones household would transform into unbearable torment.

“Darin…” Kiara manufactured a feeble smile, desperately attempting to diffuse the tension.

Darin wasn’t placated. He surged forward, rage emanating from every pore, and struck Kiara’s face with devastating force.

“Ah!” Kiara stumbled backward, disoriented as crimson droplets escaped her split lip.

“You manipulative viper!” Darin growled through clenched teeth. “Don’t delude yourself into thinking I’m blind to your sordid relationship and machinations with Merritt!”

Fury consumed Darin entirely. “I’ve tolerated your presence solely because you convinced Merritt to advance Paige’s professional prospects. Now that everything has disintegrated spectacularly, you still parade around with unearned entitlement?”

“I—I wasn’t—” Kiara faltered, cradling her scorching cheek. Her voice trembled as she attempted to pacify him. “Darin, please calm down. I’ll continue trying to reach Merritt. He’ll rectify this situation, I promise you.”

He retorted, “Merritt just messed with you. By dawn, tabloids will dissect our family mercilessly. He’s deliberately ignoring your calls because he’s abandoned this catastrophe. He avoids controversy at all costs!”

Kiara’s gaze dropped dejectedly. Deep down, she recognized Darin’s assessment as accurate. Merritt prioritized self-preservation above everything. When ventures soured, he vanished without hesitation.

Darin fixed Kiara with contemptuous eyes before striking her again, the impact reverberating throughout the room.

? ? ?ν?

Kiara’s arrogant demeanor, sustained through Merritt’s influence, had tormented Darin endlessly. Right now, Darin refused to restrain himself any longer, desperate to expel days of accumulated resentment.

Understanding she was out of moves, Kiara didn’t fight back. She simply shielded her face while retreating, tears streaming uncontrollably. “Darin, I beg you, restrain yourself…”

Yet, his rage had merely begun to surface, fueled by long-suppressed grievances. “You’ve systematically destroyed everything worthwhile!” he exploded. “I’ve warned you about Elliana’s intelligence, which reminds me of Rita herself. But you just dismissed Elliana as inconsequential and poisoned my perspective against her! Look at the consequences! Elliana has emerged as an internationally acclaimed designer without us even knowing! Her connections could have elevated the Jones Group immeasurably. Thanks to your interference, communication between us barely exists. How are we supposed to capitalize on her success now?”

Seething with uncontrolled wrath, Darin violently kicked Kiara, sending her crashing across the floor. “You’ve contaminated every potential opportunity!”

Kiara collapsed painfully. Glancing at Darin, she saw his preparation for continued violence. Desperately, she scrambled upright and confronted him with raw desperation. “Darin, confront reality! Is your fractured relationship with Elliana entirely on me?”

Darin halted mid-motion.

Kiara regarded him with a twisted, sardonic smile spreading across her battered lips. “Stop projecting complete responsibility onto me, Darin. Your psychological damage runs deeper! Elliana’s the daughter of the woman you adored, yet she isn’t yours biologically. You harbor resentment that Rita rejected you and jealousy toward Elliana’s biological father. You’ve always resented Elliana’s very existence, which explains why you permitted my mistreatment of her, doesn’t it?”

Darin’s compressed lips betrayed his unspoken unease.

Kiara released a hollow, haunting laugh. “Despite your profound devotion to Rita, she chose another. Elliana shines brilliantly, but shares none of your DNA. I provided you with two children, imperfect though they may be. What justification supports your treating me with such contempt?”

“Mom, what did you just say?” Paige leaped up, her voice quavering with disbelief. “Elliana isn’t Dad’s biological daughter? Then whose child is she?”

Horror blanched Kiara’s features as she realized her catastrophic revelation.

Darin had guarded Elliana’s parentage zealously, repeatedly warning Kiara against disclosure. However, blind fury had loosened Kiara’s tongue. Fortunately, only Paige had witnessed this revelation. Nevertheless, Darin exploded with renewed ferocity, as though Kiara had deliberately reopened a profound emotional wound.

“You witch!” Darin roared, viciously kicking Kiara down once more. He then stormed out, abandoning her crumpled form.

Paige rushed to assist Kiara. “Mom, what’s happening? Tell me everything.”

Kiara’s face had swollen dramatically. She exhaled painfully. “I’ve only gathered fragments from Darin during intoxicated moments. The complete narrative eludes me. But avoid mentioning this subject again. It triggers extraordinary sensitivity in him.”

“Alright,” Paige murmured, nodding hesitantly.

Meanwhile, tension permeated the atmosphere at the Hudson family estate. Lenard berated Raylan mercilessly…

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