Chapter 1132

"Ralph is not my son!"

Ralph, happily anticipating his mother's expected words, froze at Margaret's declaration. His smile vanished, replaced by wide-eyed confusion. He wondered if he'd misheard.

The family's reaction was explosive. Dumbfounded silence followed, broken only by gasps. They'd anticipated Margaret revealing Alexander wasn't a Russell, not that she'd disown her own son.

"Ralph?!"

"He's not Margaret's son?!"

"Oh my, what's happening?"

Ralph was Margaret's favorite; her frequent arguments with Hugo over him were well-known. His supposed disownment was incomprehensible.

"Mom, what are you saying? You're wrong! It's Alex!" Recovering from his shock, Ralph pointed at Alexander. "It says Alex, not Ralph! I'm Ralph, your son!" He spoke with frantic urgency, as if questioning his mother's eyesight.

Margaret gazed at the son she'd cherished for years, her heart aching. "Ralph, I didn't want to discuss this, but you insisted. You're right. The Russells must protect their legacy and respect our ancestors. To claim otherwise would be a betrayal of your late father."

Ralph's fantasy shattered. He felt as if struck by lightning, his body rigid. He stared at his mother in disbelief, taking two steps back. "No, you're not my mother! Who are you? Why are you pretending? Where is she?!" He rushed forward, seizing Margaret's shoulders and shaking her violently.

The family's shock turned to intervention. They pulled Ralph away. "Ralph, stop it! Margaret can't bear this!"

"Ralph, what are you doing? Let go of Mom!" Celine added, assisting in separating them.

The family restrained Ralph, his face red and breathless, repeating, "You're not my mother... you're not my mother..."

Despite her trembling, Margaret's teary eyes held affection. Thirty years of motherhood couldn't be erased. Revealing the truth had been agonizing, a thousand arrows piercing her heart, yet lying was impossible.

Though Ralph's thinking was skewed, he was right about one thing: Russell assets belonged to the Russells, not outsiders. Regardless of her affection for Ralph, Margaret's loyalty remained with her family.