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Chapter_143
Yvette put down her coffee cup, her fingers delicately tapping the rim as her sharp gaze locked with her father’s. Her eyes, already cold and piercing, narrowed even more as she spoke, her voice low and smooth but carrying an undeniable edge. “What did you find out? Was my mother’s disappearance related to Nellie? Or was it tied to the Smith family?”
Zachary’s expression shifted, his eyes clouded with memories that seemed to pull him into a past filled with regret and sorrow. For a long moment, he didn’t speak, his gaze unfocused as if lost in painful recollections. Finally, he gave a bitter, self-deprecating laugh before answering her question.
“You’re right,” he began, his voice cracking slightly. “The past was complicated.” His eyes darkened as he continued, “When I met your mother, she appeared out of nowhere, no family, no history. She was like a mystery I couldn’t solve. Our love was… intense, chaotic, but filled with obstacles. My father—your grandfather—he never would’ve accepted Lilian, not with her past, and I was ready to leave everything behind, to leave the Chambers family for her. We were going to disappear together. But the day before we left, Lilian told me she was pregnant. I thought that would make your grandfather see reason, but he still didn’t accept us.”
Zachary’s hands clenched around his head, a faint tremor running through his fingers as his voice thickened with emotion. “In the end, your grandfather tricked me back home, locked me up for half a month. Lilian and I lost contact. I had no idea what happened. When he finally let me out, your grandfather agreed to our marriage, saying we could be together after the child was born. I was overjoyed. But… I didn’t see the signs. I didn’t notice how anxious Lilian seemed.”
He paused, his breath shaky as memories resurfaced, more painful than he’d anticipated. “I was so blinded by happiness, thinking things were finally falling into place, that I didn’t see the fear in her eyes. Your grandfather made me join the Chambers Group, promising that once I became a part of it, I could be with Lilian. So I worked, day and night. Slowly, I began seeing less of her. And her belly grew, but… I never realized what was happening. Looking back, I know now your grandfather probably did it on purpose, to tie me down with work. Then, at five months pregnant, Lilian disappeared. Just vanished. No note. No trace.”
Zachary’s voice faltered as he continued, growing more agitated with each word. “I searched for her for half a year. I lost myself in alcohol, in despair, unable to accept that she was gone. And then… then Nellie used drugs to trick me into bed. She manipulated your grandfather into marrying her into the Chambers family, with someone else’s child. Zeke and Winona… I knew they weren’t mine. I had a vasectomy after Lilian got pregnant with you, so I knew the truth.”
Yvette’s expression darkened as she processed what her father had just confessed. She leaned forward, her eyes hard, her voice barely above a whisper, “What happened next?”
Zachary sighed, his face twisted with frustration. “It wasn’t your grandfather who did it. After Nellie married into the Chambers family, I found a piece of paper among Lilian’s things. It had a symbol on it. It took me years to figure out where it came from. I eventually learned it was from the physics lab—the country’s most secretive lab. It used to have a branch in Seacrity. I think Lilian’s disappearance had something to do with them.”
Yvette’s eyes flashed, a chilling calmness settling over her as she leaned in, her voice cold as ice. “Where?”
Zachary hesitated, clearly torn. He didn’t want to drag Yvette into this mess, but he knew she wouldn’t stop until she knew the full truth. After a tense moment, he finally revealed the connection he’d uncovered.
“The physics lab,” he began, his voice grim, “It’s one of the country’s three most secretive institutions, always under the highest level of protection. Back then, they had a branch here in Seacrity. Your mother, Lilian, she always had this… weight on her, as if she was carrying some terrible secret. And Nellie, she—she was involved. I overheard her once, talking to someone, mentioning Lilian’s name. It was just a few words, but I’m sure Nellie knew something. Not many people know this, but Rashad Pollard, the head of the physics lab, used to be comrades-in-arms with Dennis, Nellie’s father. They were close. The Smith family even invested in a project at the lab, though it was never made public. I couldn’t find any information about it, but it must be top secret. That’s when I agreed to marry Nellie, hoping to find some answers. But I’ve come up empty-handed.”
Zachary’s eyes were filled with regret. “I’ve been powerless all these years. No one can access the lab unless they have connections, and I’m just… a businessman. I can’t do anything. But if someone could infiltrate the lab, maybe there’s a chance to uncover the truth about why Lilian disappeared.”
Yvette’s expression shifted, her eyes narrowing in focus. A sense of chilling determination settled over her. She stood up slowly, her gaze never leaving her father. “I will get to the bottom of this,” she said, her voice low, dangerous.
Zachary watched as she walked away, his heart heavy with both hope and dread. He had no idea what his daughter was capable of, but one thing was certain—Yvette wouldn’t rest until she uncovered the truth.
Later that evening, after returning to her dorm, Yvette stood on the balcony, her phone pressed to her ear. Without preamble, she spoke bluntly. “Move the company to Betrico in the second half of the year.”
She didn’t wait for a response before hanging up, her gaze drifting to the busy street below. Her eyes, wild and rebellious, seemed to reflect the chaos of the world around her. “This is getting more interesting,” she muttered, the name of the physics lab echoing in her mind.
The next day, the news of what had happened at the Chambers residence flooded every media outlet in Seacrity. Headlines screamed of Winona’s scandal, Yvette’s shocking identity as Cyanbird, and Zachary’s dramatic divorce from Nellie. It was all anyone could talk about, and the reverberations of the events were felt across the city.
At Argrol University, students whispered in hushed tones as they glanced at Yvette, their curiosity piqued by the revelations. The discovery that she was Cyanbird, the elusive and powerful artist, had stunned everyone. To think that someone with such talent and influence was walking among them, attending classes and eating in the cafeteria, was nearly incomprehensible. Yvette, on the other hand, remained unfazed by the attention. She went about her day as usual—picking up her bread and orange juice, heading to class, completely unaware that the simple meal she’d bought would become a sensation on campus. By the time she left the cafeteria, those same sandwiches and juices were sold out in an instant, with students eager to boast that they’d eaten the same food as the infamous Cyanbird.
