Chapter 292

Daughter? My Daughter?! Victoria's entire body shook violently at the revelation.

It felt like twin jackhammers were relentlessly pounding against her skull.

Only one thought echoed through her mind - How?! This was supposed to remain buried forever!

Now that the truth was exposed, the girl's resemblance to her became painfully obvious.

"No... this can't be..." Victoria whispered like a broken record, her face drained of color.

Dominic's laughter cut through the air like a knife. "How pathetic. How poetic." His cold eyes bore into her.

"Tell me, Victoria," he sneered, "What kind of mother fails to recognize her own flesh and blood?"

The grand ballroom erupted into chaos, the revelation hitting like a tsunami.

Half the guests stared at the trembling socialite on stage, while others watched Nathan's reaction with bated breath. The usually composed billionaire's jaw clenched so tightly it looked painful, his emerald eyes darkening dangerously.

Penelope's perfect facade cracked as she yanked Victoria close. "Explain yourself!" she hissed through clenched teeth. "Who is this man? How does he know you?"

Margaret Sterling, ever the protective mother, lunged at Dominic with surprising speed. "You filthy liar! How dare you slander my daughter!"

But Dominic, trained in combat, sidestepped effortlessly. Margaret went sprawling across the marble floor, her designer gown tearing as she landed with an undignified thud.

Snickers rippled through the crowd. Richard Sterling turned crimson, wishing the ground would swallow him whole.

Victoria ignored her fallen mother, screaming for security. "Get this madman out of here! Now!"

Dominic's rage boiled over at her denial. Just as he opened his mouth to retaliate, a voice colder than Arctic ice cut through the noise.

"Touch him, and you're fired."

Nathan advanced like a predator, his crimson-rimmed eyes locked on Victoria.

The woman he'd known since childhood - who'd played the angelic friend, the devoted lover - now seemed like a complete stranger. Every memory with her suddenly felt tainted.

"Darling, this is all a setup!" Victoria stumbled toward him, nearly tripping over her hem. The few steps felt like crossing a battlefield.

She clutched his arms desperately, her manicured nails digging into his suit sleeves. "You must believe me! I've loved only you my entire life! I remained pure for you all these years!"

Dominic barked out a laugh. "Pure? That's rich coming from you."

Victoria whirled on him, eyes blazing. "I'll sue you for defamation! I'll have you arrested!"

"Save your threats," Dominic spat. He yanked a document from his pocket and flung it at her. "DNA doesn't lie. That's your daughter's test results in black and white."

The damning papers fluttered to the ground between them.

Nathan's entire world tilted on its axis as he stared at the evidence. The woman he'd trusted implicitly had been lying to him for years.

Victoria's perfect life was unraveling before everyone's eyes. And Dominic? He'd drag her down to hell with him if it came to that.