Chapter 100: The secret

Words : 1029 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 100: The secret Gabriel’s body slumped into the chair as if the strength had drained from his bones. His hand instinctively clutched at his chest, trying to steady the sudden storm raging inside him. That secret—buried so deep he had almost convinced himself it never happened—was now out in the open. And it hit like a punch to the gut. His eyes locked on Dimitri’s, wide with disbelief. "Why now?" he grunted. "You promised... You swore you’d never speak of it." "You brought this on yourself." Dimitri’s voice rang through the quiet room, hard and unwavering. "Your cruelty... your temper... it cost you your own child. Don’t pretend to forget. You were the one who came crawling to me, begging for help. Have you already buried that night too?" The color drained from Gabriel’s face, and memories he had fought to suppress came flooding back with brutal clarity. That night had been a blur of rage and alcohol. He had lashed out after hearing Gervis had been assigned the company’s biggest project—a move he saw as betrayal. His wife had tried to calm him down, but in a fit of anger, he had shoved her. She had stumbled, hitting her stomach against the sharp edge of the table. Her ear-piercing cry seemed to still echo in his ears, haunting him. Her water had broken. She had been rushed to the hospital, bleeding and in pain. As fate would have it, Gervis’s wife had also arrived at the hospital that same night, going into labor. That night, life and death had played out side by side. Gervis’s wife delivered healthy twin boys, while Gabriel’s daughter... was stillborn. He remembered standing there, numb, staring at his motionless daughter in his arms. It was the memory he had never wanted to remember and had tried hard to erase. And now, Dimitri had ripped it open again. "Your temper didn’t just destroy a moment—it destroyed a life. Your own daughter’s." Dimitri stood straighter, pressing down on his cane. "I pitied your wife that night," he went on. "She was fragile. If she had found out her baby didn’t make it, she would’ve broken—completely. So I made a choice. I switched the children. I gave you Denis. And I buried the truth." He paused, the emotion welling up in his throat. "I was selfish and biased, always preferred you. Gervis never knew he had two sons. His wife... she grieved for a daughter who was not hers. She mourned every year and never once celebrated Augustine’s birthday." His eyes glistened, but his expression hardened as he turned his full gaze on Gabriel. "But you," he spat, fury returning to his voice, "you never once visited your daughter’s grave. Not a flower, not a tear. Not a moment of remorse. Was she ever real to you? Or just an inconvenience—forgotten as soon as she was gone?" The pain in his voice was matched only by the bitter disappointment that lined his features. Gabriel’s fury surged back like a wave crashing against a fragile dam. His eyes blazed as he shot to his feet, glaring at Dimitri. "That was supposed to stay between us," he barked, his voice shaking with betrayal. "You gave me your word—why bring it up now?" "You left me no choice," Dimitri snapped back. "Try to hurt Augustine again, and I swear I’ll tell them. Every last detail." Those threatening words were like a dagger piercing his chest, twisting deeper. Panic gripped him. "Dad?" he gasped, almost choking on the word. His mind spiraled as he imagined the fallout. If the secret got out, Denis—his pride, his weapon, his legacy—would turn on him. So would Augustine. The two of them together would rip everything from him—his power, his status, the company. Everything he had built up until now would be reduced to nothing. No. He couldn’t let that happen. He wouldn’t. He shook his head, his voice cracking under the weight of desperation. "How could you do this to me? I raised Denis. I made him who he is today. I gave him everything—he is mine – my son, not Gervis’s. That man has no claim on him." But even as he spoke, Gabriel knew he was losing control. The past he had tried so hard to bury was crawling to the surface. "Then let go of this grudge," Dimitri commanded, his tone leaving no room for debate. "End this hatred now. If you do, I’ll take the secret with me to the grave. No one will ever know the truth." Gabriel clenched his jaw, the bitter taste of defeat sharp on his tongue. He had no choice but to yield. "Fine," he muttered tightly. "I won’t touch him. But you can’t hand over everything to Augustine. That’s not fair. Denis is your grandson too." Dimitri raised his chin, eyes firm with finality. "You haven’t heard me fully," he replied coolly. "You assumed things on your own. I’ll give Augustine what rightfully belongs to him. The rest? It will go to the future of this family. To my great grandchildren. They are the ones who will carry the Beaumont legacy forward." Gabriel stood frozen, masking the storm brewing inside him. His thoughts churned, venomous and calculated. There was no way he’d ever accept Augustine back into the fold, let alone let him inherit a single share. But he didn’t show it. "I understand," he agreed begrudgingly. "You’ll do what’s best for the family. I won’t oppose it." It was a lie. He had no intention of keeping his word. Just like Gervis had vanished without leaving a trace, Augustine would be next. But timing was everything. For now, he had to play it smart—make sure Denis had a child before Augustine did. That would secure Dimitri’s shares. Once the power was his, he’d deal with the old man, too. "Let me know when the dinner is finalized," he added with a nod, turning on his heel. As he walked out, a slow, cunning smile crept across his lips. ’Old man... Don’t stand in my way. Or I’ll send you somewhere so quiet, no one will ever hear from you again.’

Chapter 100: The secret

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