Holden almost laughed out loud hearing her obvious lies. Not only was he not the type to keep a secret lover, but Sadie's personality hardly matched someone who would be content with being in a secret relationship.

Did she honestly think he would believe this?

Seeing Holden's amused expression, Sadie grew increasingly uneasy.

Holden's expression then turned serious, and he asked in a cold tone, “So, is Adele really your child?"

Sadie felt her heart drop, her mind reeling from the intense way Holden looked at her. It was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

Hands trembling, she grabbed the edge of the table, trying to steady herself. Somehow, she forced the words out. "Of course, Adele is my daughter."

She couldn't bear to look into Holden's sharp eyes, her voice barely holding together. “Adele is the child I carried for ten months. My health was a mess, and the pregnancy nearly did me in. But I pushed through it because she is your daughter and I love her. I didn't give up."

The more she spoke, the angrier she got. She seemed to believe her own lies. “Holden, you're really accusing me of lying about Adele being mine for Ariana? What is wrong with you? Have you ever believed anything I've said?"

Holden just sneered, tossing a piece of paper onto the table. It was a paternity test report.

He said, "I never doubted Adele was your daughter. But then, I found out how you've been treating her when I'm not around. Who would do that to their own kid? How could someone who claims to care for their child be so neglectful?"

Sadie's face turned white, her voice caught in her throat.

“I was blind before, but this proves everything," Holden said coldly.

“So, what do you have to say for yourself now?"

Sadie felt Like her world was falling apart. She had never thought Holden would actually get a DNA test.

With shaking hands, she looked at the report. Everything was clear: she wasn't Adele's biological mother.

Sadie felt a chill run through her. Her hands trembled as she said, "No, no, there must be a mistake. Adele is my daughter. She has to be!"

But her words sounded hollow against the cold truth of the report.

Soon, Sadie ran out of things to say, and tears started flowing.

It was over.

She knew she was doomed.