“Send the Poor, Ugly Girl—He’ll Reject Her!” They Laughed… Until the Millionaire Stood Up
Chapter 8
The legal battle began.
Vanessa’s lawyers attacked Claire from every direction.
They claimed the property deed was invalid.
They claimed Claire’s father had transferred ownership.
They claimed Claire lacked the capacity to understand the trust.
Every claim was eventually challenged.
Adrian’s legal team uncovered bank records.
Thomas testified.
The old secretary testified.
Then the most important evidence appeared.
A security recording from eight years earlier.
It showed Vanessa’s father meeting Claire’s father at the warehouse.
Their argument was clear.
No audio.
But the timestamps matched the payments in the ledger.
The footage proved they had met shortly before Claire’s father’s death.
The final piece came from an accountant.
The property had never legally been transferred.
Claire owned it.
The court froze the asset.
Vanessa panicked.
She called Claire.
“You’ll ruin this family.”
Claire answered calmly.
“You already did.”
“You think Adrian will stay with you when the scandal gets worse?”
Claire glanced at Adrian.
“He already stayed.”
Vanessa became silent.
Then she whispered:
“You don’t know what your father did.”
Claire frowned.
“What?”
“Ask Adrian.”
The call ended.
Claire turned toward him.
“What does she mean?”
Adrian’s face was serious.
“I know.”
“What?”
“Your father wasn’t only a victim.”
Claire froze.
“What?”
“He made one deal.”
“With whom?”
“My father.”
“What deal?”
“To protect you.”
She couldn’t breathe.
Adrian explained.
After discovering the criminal network, Claire’s father realized the people behind it would come after his daughter.
He agreed to remain silent temporarily.
In exchange, Adrian’s father promised to hide Claire’s inheritance and keep Vanessa’s family away from her.
But the plan failed.
Claire’s father was killed.
Adrian’s father buried the evidence.
And Claire grew up believing she had been abandoned by everyone.
She was furious.
“He made a deal?”
“Yes.”
“Then he lied to me.”
“He was trying to save you.”
“That doesn’t make it right.”
“No.”
Claire turned away.
“I spent eight years thinking my father didn’t care about us.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“He cared enough to sacrifice everything.”
She cried.
Not because the truth was beautiful.
Because it was painful.
Adrian held her.
For once, she didn’t resist.
That night, Claire returned to her mother’s room.
Her mother had been mostly unable to speak since the stroke.
But Claire showed her the old photograph.
Her mother’s eyes widened.
Then she lifted a trembling hand.
She pointed to the back.
Claire turned it over.
There was a handwritten number.
A date.
And one word.
Locker.
Claire looked at Adrian.
“There’s something else.”
