Chapter 5 - The Bride’s Countermove
The marriage had never been legally valid.
The revelation should have brought relief. Instead, Genevieve felt physically sick.
Lucille had attempted to bind two people who shared a father, not for love, inheritance, or family reconciliation, but to create a fraudulent claim over Mercer Holdings.
Adelaide looked twenty years older after reading the certificate.
“I never knew,” she said.
Thomas explained that William’s recorded testimony revealed the circumstances. Before marrying Adelaide, William had a brief relationship with Lucille. She concealed the pregnancy and allowed Everett to raise Derek as his own.
Years later, she used Derek’s true parentage to claim he possessed Mercer blood—while hiding it from Derek himself.
“We need a DNA test,” Naomi said. “The certificate alone may be challenged.”
Genevieve looked at William’s testimony.
“We also need Lucille to expose what she knows.”
They designed a countermove based on Lucille’s greatest weakness: she believed love made everyone else foolish.
Genevieve publicly announced that she was willing to reconcile with Derek and negotiate shared control of Mercer Holdings.
The story spread within hours.
Lucille called before noon.
“You’re finally behaving rationally,” she said.
“I’m behaving practically. There’s a difference.”
“What do you want?”
“The forged license withdrawn and my mother’s name cleared.”
“In exchange?”
“The reserve certificates.”
Lucille became silent.
Genevieve smiled toward Naomi, who was recording from across the room.
“So they do exist,” Lucille said at last.
“Meet me at the Mercer Foundation gala tomorrow night.”
“You’ll bring them?”
“I’ll bring what you need.”
The gala took place in the same ballroom where Genevieve’s wedding had collapsed.
This time, she entered alone.
Lucille waited near the mosaic crown. Derek stood beside her, unaware of the birth certificate in Genevieve’s bag.
“Where are the certificates?” Lucille asked.
“Safe.”
Derek stepped forward. “You said you wanted to discuss reconciliation.”
“I wanted you here.”
“For what?”
“The truth.”
Genevieve handed him a copy of the birth certificate.
He read it once, then again.
His face emptied.
“This is fake.”
“It has been authenticated.”
“My father was Everett Callahan.”
“The man who raised you was Everett Callahan. Your biological father was William Mercer.”
Derek looked at Lucille.
She did not deny it.
His voice broke. “You knew.”
“I knew biology did not determine family.”
“But inheritance did. That’s why you sent me after her.”
Lucille remained silent.
Derek looked back at Genevieve with horror. “You’re my sister.”
“Half sister.”
He stumbled away from her.
For the first time, Genevieve saw not the arrogant bridegroom or calculating suitor but a man discovering that his entire identity had been shaped into a weapon.
“You made me marry her,” he said to Lucille.
“I made you reclaim your birthright.”
“You made me stand at an altar beside my father’s daughter.”
Lucille seized his arm. “Control yourself.”
Derek pulled away.
Genevieve placed the ring on the table between them.
“The ceremony is void. The transfer clause is worthless. Your petition collapses the moment this becomes public.”
Lucille’s gaze fixed on the ring.
“You still don’t understand what Adelaide did,” she said.
She removed a sealed envelope from her handbag.
Inside were bank statements showing that, after William’s death, twenty million dollars from the Mercer reserve had entered an account bearing Adelaide’s name.
Derek laughed bitterly. “Another forgery?”
“No,” Adelaide said from behind them.
She had entered with Thomas.
“The statements are real.”
Genevieve turned to her mother.
Adelaide continued walking until she stood beneath the mosaic crown.
“I received the money because William instructed me to use it to protect both his children.”
Derek stared at her.
“You knew about me?”
“Not your identity. William’s instructions referred only to a second child.”
Adelaide used part of the money to establish an anonymous education trust for Derek. Lucille had intercepted the payments and concealed their origin, later telling Derek that Everett created the fund.
The remainder stayed untouched.
With accumulated returns, it now exceeded two hundred million dollars.
“It belongs equally to Genevieve and Derek,” Adelaide said.
Lucille’s composure cracked.
“You had it all this time?”
“Yes.”
“You let me struggle while you controlled his money?”
“It was never yours.”
Lucille lunged for the envelope.
Derek stopped her.
Cameras flashed as Naomi signaled for the press to enter from the adjoining gallery. Every statement had been recorded.
Lucille looked around at the witnesses.
Then she smiled.
“You think you’ve won because the marriage is void.”
She turned toward Genevieve.
“But the Mercer board voted twelve minutes ago. Your mother has been removed, your shares remain frozen, and Thomas Bell cast the deciding vote.”
May you like
Genevieve looked at Thomas.
He did not deny it.
