Chapter 217

Bryce stared, speechless, at Adrian's bombshell confession. "Adrian, you have a girlfriend… and a three-year-old? Did I hear that right?"

Adrian nodded. "Yes."

Bryce, remembering Charlie's call, felt a wave of dizziness. "Adrian, give me a minute. I need to… collect myself. I'll call you back." He hung up, reeling. The news was staggering.

Minutes later, Charlie’s ecstatic voice filled the phone. He’d confirmed everything. He practically shrieked his desire to meet his new sister-in-law and nephew.

Adrian, however, swiftly shut that down. "Because of Becky and my profile, it's not possible right now. No meeting Isabella and Damian."

Charlie exploded in protest, but eventually grudgingly accepted. Debra's final words were, "Don't forget a gift for your future sister-in-law and nephew."

Charlie mumbled agreement. Of course, he thought.

Bryce called back. Adrian patiently repeated his explanation. Stacey watched, a smile playing on her lips. He’s changed since having Isabella and Damian, she thought.

The following days were a flurry of activity. Stacey shopped for gifts for Isabella and Damian, planning a diversion for Eugene and, remembering Jeremy’s upcoming surgery, selected a small present for him, along with gifts for Lillian and Kevin.

Then, in the mall, she saw Janet.

Both women froze. It was their first private meeting since Stacey’s identity became public. She’s changed, Stacey observed, noting Janet's outdated clothes. The Mitchell family had cut Janet off, suing her for repayment of over twenty years of support. Online, she'd been blacklisted, losing endorsements and facing crippling penalties she couldn't afford.

Her former manager, Lisa, had been replaced by the notoriously sleazy Flynn, who openly used coercive tactics. Janet had narrowly avoided his advances, but the threat loomed. Desperate, she’d been relentlessly harassed by her biological parents, demanding a kidney donation for her brother.

Her only recourse? Leveraging her past connections. She'd been a celebrity, courted by powerful men. Now, she needed a backer, and after careful consideration, she’d chosen Ryan Zane, CEO of Linkers Entertainment. He was wealthy, influential, and the Zane family was on par with the Carters. Her dreams of a privileged life shattered, she clung to the possibility of replacing Ryan’s wife.

To impress him, she'd sold some luxury bags to buy the latest fashions. Reluctantly, she'd parted with them, knowing she needed to look the part to catch his attention. Then, she saw Stacey. Just my luck, she thought.