Chapter 506

“Marvin and Andrew are probably father and son,” Lauren said hesitantly.

Tiana scoffed, her tone dripping with disdain. “You’re overthinking it. When Marvin escaped from Chetvine, no one even knew the scale of the forces he had crossed. But one thing’s certain – he was already in his 50s and gravely injured. Do you really think a man in that condition could father a child?”

She continued, “And Andrew is 26, isn’t he? There’s no way he’s Marvin’s son. He’s just a smoke screen – a decoy Marvin set up to confuse his enemies, or worse, a pawn to execute Marvin’s schemes.”

Tiana paused, her gaze growing colder and more penetrating. “Now, do you finally understand the lengths I’ve gone to for your sake? I’m not just doing this for you – I’m doing it for the entire Rhodes family. Marvin’s criminal past will catch up with him sooner or later.”

She added, “The forces he angered are unimaginably powerful, far beyond anything you or I can comprehend, and certainly beyond what the Rhodes family can handle. These people could destroy our family with a flick of their finger.”

She explained, her voice sharp and resolute. “Marvin’s whole plan is to use Andrew to drag our Rhodes family into his mess and align us with his doomed fate. He can dream all he wants, but we will never fall for it.”

Tiana gripped Lauren’s shoulders firmly but not harshly, her tone softening just enough to sound maternal. “Andrew is nothing but a puppet, manipulated and disposable. Do you still love him? Are you still so infatuated with him that you can’t see the truth?”

Her voice dropped to a gentler tone as she sighed and added, “You’re my daughter. No matter our differences or disagreements, nothing can sever the bond we share. I would never harm you. Everything I do is for your own good, for the good of our family.”

She let her hands fall to her sides, her eyes unwavering as she delivered her final ultimatum. “The choice has always been yours, Lauren. Will you choose a pawn – a man who only seems impressive but is hollow beneath the surface – or Joe from the Blumedale Driscoll family? He’s a man of true caliber, a leader among leaders who can elevate you to heights you’ve never imagined.”

Lauren’s face was expressionless as she quietly mumbled, “Leave. I want to be alone. I don’t believe a word you’ve said.”

Tiana left with a silent smirk. She had planted the seeds of doubt, and the fire would spread eventually.

She was confident her precious daughter would make the right choice about this puppet of Marvin’s, this clown who would eventually be exposed and eliminated. Lauren stood alone in her room, her mind in chaos. She wondered if Andrew was really Marvin’s puppet, used to trap and manipulate her.

Was he really as worthless and fake as Tiana claimed?

She had originally thought Andrew was Marvin’s illegitimate son, but now things seemed different. Her mind raced, but then a small sense of relief washed over her as she remembered something.

She thought, ‘At least, when I’m with Andrew, he never hurt me, nor did he try to take advantage of me. Meanwhile, Mom has constantly targeted him, trying to destroy him and my love for him while pushing Joe on me. So I won’t believe her words… I won’t…’