Chapter 1160

Collecting herself, she realized the phone was indeed ringing. Taking it from the nightstand, she checked the caller ID and hurriedly answered, "Ralph, is it you? Where are you? Why aren't you coming back?"

Ralph was surprised. He never expected such a reaction from his mother. She sounded worried and concerned, a stark contrast to her coldness the other day.

"Mom..." he barely knew what else to say. He had mixed feelings toward her. She had adored him for years, yet ultimately betrayed him.

"Ralph? Ralph?" Not getting an answer, Margaret sighed, trying to calm herself. "Are you... still blaming me?"

"Why did you do that?" he demanded, clenching his fists, tears welling up as he sat on a nearby sofa arm. "How could you do that to me? You've ruined my life, do you realize that? How could you be so heartless?"

Margaret's tears flowed freely under his questioning. "I wasn't being heartless. I simply couldn't betray the family!" she cried. "You have no idea how I struggled when I read the DNA report. You're my favorite son, and I never thought—"

"Then why didn't you tell me earlier? Did you enjoy making a fool of me in front of so many people?"

He had called seeking forgiveness, hoping to return home, but his anger overwhelmed his purpose.

"I wanted to keep it from you at first!" she sobbed, barely able to speak. "If the truth caused me such agony, I knew it would devastate you, and I'd rather suffer alone. I told you not to burn your bridges, but you wouldn't listen! I even told you to stop that morning, but did you listen to me?"

Margaret wanted him to understand her anguish at having to reveal the secret. Ideally, she would have taken it to her grave, sparing him the pain. She wished he could remain a member of the family, enjoying his wealth, even if he amounted to nothing. But things didn't go as planned; she had no choice. She didn't want to expose the secret, but she couldn't allow a true descendant to be ostracized. She told the truth, each word a searing pain.

"If you had told me about my... birth, wouldn't I have listened? Besides, who knows if the DNA report is fake? You could have just treated me as your son, as I've always treated you as my birth mother. If you kept it a secret, I'd never know, and I'd always be a Russell! Why couldn't you just help me then? I almost succeeded!"

Clenching his teeth, he felt he was so close to success, only to have his mother, the person he trusted most, sabotage him.

"You wouldn't have succeeded," Margaret sniffled, her voice husky. "Even if I didn't say anything, you wouldn't have succeeded either."