Chapter 17 How Could It Be Yours?

Linda was thrilled to learn about the children. She had always seen her son as someone not easily swayed by love. Though she had been anxious about his future, he had surprisingly become a parent, making her a grandmother sooner than expected. "What?" Nora was shocked. "An affair with Luke while married? Bill, can you believe what your daughter has done?" Tears streamed down Floriana's face. "How could you betray me like this, Charlotte? Even if you don't like me, this is too much." Nora wept, embracing Floriana. "Our lives, as mother and daughter, have been so tough!" Luke was exasperated with their refusal to understand. "I'm done explaining. Please leave my house and stop bothering my parents." Bill was still clear-headed. "How could you possibly be the father of her children? You expect us to just believe that?" Floriana grew more distressed. "This can't be true." Nora wiped her tears. "I'm fully aware of the past events. Don't try to fool us with fabrications. You were engaged to our daughter, a fact set in stone. And now, marrying a woman with a questionable past, aren't you concerned about your future reputation?" As they aired their grievances, Luke remained calm, listening intently. Nora added, "Floriana has been so innocent, never even holding a man's hand, which certainly puts her above that woman." Luke, seeing their disbelief, decided to reveal his findings. He brought out Charlotte's IVF record and his own sperm storage registration from the same hospital. "There was a nurse's error. The sperm intended for storage was mistakenly used for her embryo." He accidentally caught Charlotte's gaze. Luke hadn't intended to disclose this so soon, worried it might frighten her. He had hoped to gradually win over Charlotte before explaining. He had no idea things would escalate to this situation. He invited Charlotte to show everyone he already had a girlfriend, hoping it would squash any lingering expectations, but now he felt compelled to defend her honor. Charlotte, tears in her eyes, was moved by Luke's efforts. She had initially thought the evidence was fake, hardly believing such a twist of fate. His dedication left her deeply conflicted. With Luke's parents now more confused about their relationship, she felt it unfair to continue being with such a wonderful man. Linda gazed at Charlotte, her eyes filled with compassion. "You've endured so much, dear." Charlotte simply shook her head. "It's fine, I'm used to it by now." Luke said, "I've met those two kids. They bear a striking resemblance to me. I have no doubt they're my children." Nora was determined to stand up for her daughter. "At least make your story sound plausible. How can we be sure you didn't fake these documents?" Linda stepped forward. "There's no secrecy here. You're welcome to check with the hospital yourselves." "How can we be certain you haven't colluded with the hospital? Anyway, Floriana is infinitely better than this woman without shame." Linda felt a deep sorrow for their lack of understanding. "She's your daughter too. How can you allow her to be talked about in this manner?" Bill, driven by his own agenda, was fixated on getting Luke to marry Floriana to rescue his business. "She stopped being my daughter when she had an affair." Luke's anger was palpable. "That's it! If I hadn't looked into the past, Charlotte would still be suffering from your ignorance. Instead of supporting her as her family, you accused her of having an affair. You don't even have the basic morals expected of a human being, let alone as parents." Nora snapped back, "And what about your morals, hiding your relationship with someone else?" Charlotte, overwhelmed with tears in Linda's embrace, felt deeply let down by Bill. Her father, who should have been her greatest support, was less understanding than Luke, someone she had known for less than a month. In this crisis, Luke's family stood by her, providing a strong backing against the world's biases and misunderstandings. Luke had offered her not only protection but also the courage to confront her past. "Dad, you never believed me, no matter how much I explained. Now, even with proof before your eyes, you still refuse to believe. Since you've already disowned me, I need to be clear today." Bill's anger flared at the sight of his daughter. "What's left to say?" "I'm cutting ties with you as my father. You won't have to be embarrassed by me anymore. And regarding Floriana's engagement to Luke, I was unaware of it, and I have nothing to apologize for." Nora was bitter. "You should just break up with Luke and stop wreaking havoc on others' lives." Luke's impatience was evident. "You think a few words from you can control my life? Who are you to dictate my actions?" His fierce reaction left them all taken aback, but Bill was still stubborn. "We're just showing you the truth. Think of it as a favor. Don't be so unappreciative." Luke had enough. "Well, since we're all here, let's get everything out in the open." Andrew stood by his son. "The engagement is off as of today. Our families will have no further dealings, in business or otherwise." Bill was utterly shocked by this, while Nora struggled to come to terms with the impact this would have on their family business. Floriana, bitter and envious, confronted Luke. "I'm so much better than her, and we were engaged. Why won't you even consider me?" Luke dismissed her without a second look. "Leave." Bill, seeing an opportunity, quickly changed his stance. "Charlotte, I can't agree to end our relationship as father and daughter. How can a father abandon his own child?" He thought, if Charlotte ended up marrying Luke, it might still save his company from its troubles.