Chapter 1806: Exile

A deathly silence fell on the room. Lucian's gaze steadily avoided Sonya, unwilling to see her reaction. He had given her a second chance. Didn't she understand the time required for paternity test results? Didn't she realize he would uncover Clinton's machinations? Even Roxanne understood and hadn't pressed the issue, leaving the paternity test entirely to Sonya.

Then, Elias's text arrived: "Your mother is being obstinate! But I still hope you will give her a chance to make amends." He'd sent it yesterday, omitting mention of the paternity test, yet Lucian knew Sonya would never accept the results. Elias had interceded for her.

Clinton, trembling, reached into his pocket, producing a folded report. His head hung low as he handed it to Lucian. "Mr. Farwell, it's all my fault—my obsession with benefits. Have mercy, Mr. Farwell! I don't want to go to prison!" he pleaded, his lesson learned. Regret consumed him; he shouldn't have meddled in the affairs of the wealthy. He wanted to disappear, but feared exposing Sonya further.

Lucian picked up the report and tossed it at Sonya unopened, his gaze finally meeting hers. Sonya was stunned. She hadn't expected Clinton's level of culpability. Villainy, it seemed, required competence. She knew she could never recover from this exposure, fearing a complete estrangement from Lucian. Overwhelmed, she couldn't meet his eyes.

"Mom, I don't understand your refusal to accept Roxanne, Archie, and Benny. Fine. I grant your wish. You and Dad can travel Epea starting today. Better yet, enjoy the scenery—and don't return for three to five years!"

Lucian offered Roxanne an apologetic glance, met with a forgiving smile. The color drained from Sonya's face; she looked stricken.

"Son, I truly don't know what Clinton did or why he falsified the report. It's not that I don't want to acknowledge Archie and Benny. I'd be overjoyed if they were my grandchildren," she pleaded. But Lucian's face was impassive, irritation flaring in his eyes.

Sonya's desperate gaze sought Roxanne's, only to meet an icy expression. Roxanne couldn't muster sympathy for a grandmother who rejected her grandchildren and constantly attacked them. Such a three-to-five-year travel plan was akin to exile. Domestic bliss was irrelevant.

Lucian's decision, considering Elias's plea for leniency, likely dictated the time limit. Besides, he owned many properties in Epea; leaving them in Sonya's care wasn't unreasonable.