Storms of the Heart novel Chapter 3

Everyone at the table stared at Trina in shock.

"You! You ungrateful brat!" Wayne snapped.

Jessica snapped out of it first and hurried over, trying to smooth things over. "Trina, if you have something to say, say it calmly. Don't make your father angry..."

"It is not your place to speak here!" Trina cut her off sharply. "You were the mistress who clawed your way in. And you think you get to lecture me in this house?"

Jessica's face went pale, then flushed, her eyes filling with tears as she looked helplessly at Wayne.

Wayne was furious, but when he saw the way Trina looked like she might burn the whole place down, he held back his anger and waved a hand, sending Jessica and the frightened children upstairs.

"What are you making a scene about this time?" he asked furiously.

Trina met his eyes and asked coldly, "Did you use that specific drug to force Julian into marrying me?"

A flicker of guilt flashed through Wayne's eyes. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"You know very well whether it's nonsense." Trina stepped closer, refusing to back down. "Wayne Shepherd, answer me! Did you or did you not do that?"

Seeing Trina on the verge of breaking, Wayne knew he couldn't hide from it any longer. Irritated, he gave in and admitted it.

"Yes, I did it. So what? I was thinking about you! Julian is capable and has a bright future! He's the kind of man other families would dream of marrying their daughters off to! I got you a perfect match! How is that wrong?

"You're my daughter. You think I would hurt you? A man like Julian is the only one who can keep you in line! You will only be happy with him!"

"Happy?" Trina let out a bitter laugh. "You want to use a deal and a lie to build a marriage and call that happiness? Let me tell you something, Wayne Shepherd. Men line up for me! I don't need to stoop to cheap tricks to keep a man!"

She took a deep breath and stripped away the last shreds of his façade. "And stop pretending this was all for my sake! You just got tired of me fighting you over Mom all these years! You wanted me married off as fast as possible so you could have some peace!

"You know I have high standards and don't look twice at most men, so you picked Julian. You made sure I would fall for him, marry him, and have his child.

"Then, once I settled down, you could get him to persuade me to stop fighting over the inheritance. That way, you could leave every last cent to the woman you love and the kids she gave you. Isn't that your plan?"

Wayne's face shifted through several shades, but he still tried to brazen it out. "You! You're talking nonsense!"

"Nonsense?" Trina laughed until tears pricked her eyes, but her pride held. "Fine! Whether that was your exact plan or not, I'm officially telling you right now—I don't want the inheritance!"

Wayne froze for a second. A flash of relief and something close to joy flickered in his eyes before he could hide it.

Trina caught his reaction and felt her heart sink all the way to the bottom. Everything inside her went cold.

"But I have two conditions," she said firmly. "First, you have to give Julian the drug. Second, use every connection you have to push our divorce through as fast as possible."

Wayne was still angry, but once he heard her give up any claim to the inheritance, his expression eased almost instantly. He even pretended to care about her like a father. "Fine. A relationship can't be forced. If you want a divorce, then go ahead. I only want you to be happy."

He paused for a moment, then added, "But I can't give Julian the medicine just yet."

He told the maid to bring paper and a pen, then sat down and wrote out an agreement on the spot. When he finished, he slid it across the table to her.

"Once the divorce is finalized, you'll go back overseas and stay there. Don't come back and stir things up again. And you'll have it clearly written that you voluntarily give up all rights to the inheritance. Once that's done, I'll give Julian the medicine."

Trina stared at the cold lines of the agreement. It felt like someone was slicing her chest open.

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