Aurelia said, “I haven't lied to you. From the moment he was born, something was off. He wouldn't interact with anyone. After the
doctors examined him, they diagnosed him with autism. But there's a silver lining, and we caught it early. With treatment, he could
get better.”
Megan clutched her head, convinced that Aurelia had poisoned her, which caused her unborn child to develop autism. “It was you.
You poisonedand now my child is suffering because of it.” she snapped.
Aurelia replied, “Stop talking nonsense. Your child's autism is a genetic issue, totally unrelated to anything else.”
She had checked with Skyler. The substance in question couldn't cross the placental barrier, so it couldn't possibly affect the baby.
“That's a load of crap.” Megan cursed, her words tangled in anger, “No one in my family has ever had autism. My genes are
perfect, a hundred times, a thousand times, a million times better than yours.”
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Beverley pulled a face at her, “Please, | heard that your father has an illegitimate child out there, a child with autism, getting
treatment abroad in secret. He's afraid his genes are at fault. That's why he stopped sowing his mistress. If it wasn't for that, you
and Evelyn wouldn't even be in the picture with the Alcotts.”
Megan's mouth twisted as if stung by a wasp, her lips nearly splitting to her ears. She had tried to forget that bastard child, indeed
born with autism. The mistress had been so brazen, flaunting her pregnancy to challenge Callie’s position.
But then her son was born with a disability, and her arrogance was silenced. Otherwise, she might have pushed her way into the
family, displacing the legitimate matriarch, Callie.
“That bastard kid probably isn't even my dad's,” Megan spat out.
Aurelia calmly spoke, “The child is getting better with treatment. You don't need to worry. As long as you don't interfere, he'll live a
good life with his father.”
“My child's father is Leopold. So he is with Leopold, right?” Megan's voice shot up an octave.
“Your child has nothing to do with Leopold. How could someone as smart as him fall for your schemes?” replied Aurelia.
Beverley snorted, “Who knows which random guy you found to father your child, trying to pass it off as one of ours. Leopold would
never touch you. He's devoted to Aurelia.”
Megan's face was drained of color, pale as a sheet. Deep down, she knew she had been duped. Leopold had sent someone to
impersonate him, to deceive her, but she couldn't face that harsh reality.
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“Men always want something new. Do you really think Leopold will want you forever? Once you're old and ugly, he'll discard you,
not even wanting to touch you, and he'll go after younger, prettier women, kicking you to the curb.”
Beverley fired back, “You're just green with envy. Leopold adores Aurelia. They're gonna grow old together, still head over heels,
you just watch.”
Megan let out a cold laugh, “Yeah, right. Men are all about looks. Unless Leopold isn't really a man. | don't believe he'll still want
Aurelia once she's old. He's always surrounded by young, beautiful women. Who'd want an old lady with sagging skin, wrinkles,
and white hair? Even women prefer young, handsome, vibrant men. Tell me, which wealthy couple actually grows old together?
Men have mistresses on the side, and all the men in the Stirling family are no different. Isn't your dad enjoying his fling with that
young starlet?”
Beverley was speechless with rage. Her father had been seen with a starlet, a fact her mother knew but chose to ignore, saying it
was normal for men to play around, as long as they didn't threaten her position.
Aurelia's heart skipped a beat and thought, “Uncle Charles involved with a starlet?”