Return of The Alpha Heiress-Chapter 65: Clarissa -- Verdict

The guests surrounded me, their faces twisted as if they wanted to tear me apart.

Just as I was about to drown in the crowd, Luna Eileen forced her way through them.

Everyone respected her as the hostess. They stepped back, creating space around us.

The two bodyguards who had been pinning me in place also loosened their hold, leaving a gap between us. It seemed Luna Eileen had no idea what her husband had been doing.

She approached me and whispered into my ear.

"Clarissa, just admit everything. The punishment will only be confinement. After that, you can return to the academy."

She spoke as if she were offering me mercy. As if this was the kindest outcome possible.

Her eyes, red from crying, stared straight at me.

"Darren already told me everything about the allowance. He actually only gave Edwin a small amount. You used the rest yourself. As for your lies... Mother has already forgiven you."

I didn’t know what to feel anymore.

Even now, Luna Eileen was still blind.

But then again, it made sense. If she weren’t blind, none of this would have happened. She would never have allowed her own daughter to be humiliated like this in public.

I only stared at her with mocking eyes.

Besides, I couldn’t speak anyway.

Around us, the guests praised Luna Eileen for her patience in dealing with a delinquent like me.

She heard them.

And she held back a smile.

She could actually smile while her ’daughter’ was being torn apart like this.

On the stage, Alpha Will was watching us. His gaze was cold, even toward his own mate.

Then he spoke, "Clarissa’s crimes do not end there. There is still one crime I cannot tolerate."

I looked at him as if I were watching a cheap morning soap drama.

What other fabricated crime was he about to pin on me?

Alpha Will took a document from Darren. As he read it, his expression turned sorrowful.

He raised the document. "This is proof of Clarissa’s unforgivable crime."

Murmurs spread around me. The guests were curious about the document and what other sins I had supposedly committed.

"Originally, we took Clarissa in as our daughter because she claimed to be our biological child," Alpha Will said. "She had the same purple eyes and hair as Luna Eileen."

The ballroom erupted.

Even I was stunned that Alpha Will brought up the issue of biological versus adopted children.

But something was wrong.

I had never claimed to be their daughter. Luna Eileen was the one who had been convinced.

When I turned to look at her, she was smiling softly.

She looked pleased, as if she believed Alpha Will was finally about to reveal my identity as their true daughter. Something she had hoped for again and again.

Darren approached us, stopping beside Luna Eileen.

He whispered to her, "Mother, Father investigated the kidnapping from eighteen years ago. Based on the testimonies of the doctors and nurses involved, they are certain your daughter... my younger sister... did not have purple eyes."

"The doctor said some mothers experience hallucinations after childbirth. That may be what happened to you."

Luna Eileen froze.

She wanted to argue. After all, she had believed all her life that her daughter had purple eyes.

Before she could speak, Darren cut in again. "These are the facts, Mother. You must listen to Father until the end."

Luna shifted her gaze back to Alpha Will on the stage.

So did I.

"Besides claiming to be our biological daughter," Alpha Will continued, "Clarissa also maliciously spread the claim that Shannon was not our biological child, but an adopted replacement for the daughter we lost."

Luna Eileen looked guilty.

After all, those were words she herself had repeated countless times.

The guests, however, were confused.

So who was the real daughter?

Alpha Will went on.

"The document I am holding contains statements from Clarissa’s biological parents."

’My biological parents? Who?’

"Yes," Alpha Will said firmly. "Clarissa is not our biological daughter. She is the child of the kidnappers who attempted to abduct Shannon and replace her with Clarissa at birth."

"They even injected substances to alter eye color and carved a birthmark to make Clarissa appear to be Luna’s child. But their plan failed because the hospital staff on duty that day recognized our baby."

"But Clarissa and her criminal parents were not satisfied with their failure. They later sent Clarissa to West Wolf Academy to attract Luna’s attention. That was where Luna first met Clarissa."

"Clarissa deceived the Alpha Green family," Alpha Will concluded coldly, "and even attempted to eliminate Shannon, our true biological daughter."

Compared to anger, what I felt was shock.

Alpha Will had brought up my biological parents. So... was I really not their daughter?

Whether I was their biological child or not, one thing was certain.

I had lived my whole life without parents.

I was not someone who had parents like Alpha Will claimed.

In the eyes of the guests, my ’crime’ this time was not as severe as the previous accusations. I had deceived Alpha Will, but the truth came out within a year, and Shannon had not been harmed in any way.

But to Luna Eileen, Alpha Will’s words struck her like a hammer to the chest.

Her eyes filled with tears as she spoke in a trembling voice. "So... Shannon has been my biological daughter all this time?"

"Yes, Mother," Darren nodded. "Shannon is my real younger sister."

Tears fell from Luna Eileen’s eyes. She turned and stared sharply at me. I had never seen such hostility in her gaze before.

"You evil fox! Because of you... I almost sent Shannon away. I almost hurt her by announcing that she was adopted!"

She looked utterly miserable as she recalled how she had believed Shannon was an adopted child all this time. And all of that guilt was directed at me.

SMACK!

Her cold hand struck my cheek.

It didn’t hurt me physically, Luna Eileen was weak. But my heart shattered.

Any feelings I had left for this family vanished completely. Not even a trace remained.

Darren shot me a sharp look before soothing Luna Eileen. "She will receive the punishment she deserves, Mother."

He guided Luna Eileen back to her seat near the stage. I briefly heard him mention something about inner wolves.

A parent’s inner wolf should instinctively recognize their child’s inner wolf. That had never happened with Shannon, even though she had already awakened.

Darren explained it was because Luna Eileen and Shannon were both omegas. Their inner wolves were too weak to form a strong connection.

However, Alpha Will had already felt the connection to Shannon. And that proved she was truly his biological daughter.

I didn’t know when Alpha Will had discovered the truth. Perhaps that was why he had always protected Shannon.

Standing at the front, Alpha Will finally declared my punishment.

"Clarissa will be exiled from the Green Pack. Before that, both hands she used to torment others will be cut off. The legs she used to wander and cause trouble will be severed. Her eyes, which witnessed her crimes, and the tongue she used to speak wicked lies, will be removed."

My body went cold, my heart pounded wildly, and my head spun as panic finally set in.

That punishment was no different from a death sentence.

No, it was worse than death. He wanted me to suffer before I died.

Alpha Will had gone mad. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

I struggled, but it was no longer the female bodyguards restraining me. It was the warriors of the Green Pack. They were already treating me like a criminal.

"Luna Eileen," Alpha Will suddenly asked, "do you agree with this punishment?"

I looked at Luna Eileen, and our eyes met. Her gaze was filled with pain, as if I had deeply wounded her.

Thump.

My heart slammed violently, not from fear. It felt as if it was about to burst out of my chest. The pain was unbearable.

Closing my eyes and enduring it, I heard Luna Eileen firmly agree to the punishment.

They were all eager to see me die.

I couldn’t take it anymore. The pain drained all strength from my body.

"Hello. You’ve finally awakened me." A voice echoed inside my head as the pain slowly faded.

I still didn’t understand what was happening to my body.

The voice slipped from my thoughts when I heard the guests cheering in agreement with my punishment.

Once again, I struggled.

To my surprise, this time I managed to resist slightly. I was no longer completely immobilized.

Either these warriors were weaker than the bodyguards before, or my body had suddenly grown stronger.

Seeing me resist, more warriors rushed in to help.

The voice in my head spoke again. "It’s time to ask our parents for assistance with shifting."

That was when I finally understood.

I had read this theory countless times in books, secretly wishing it would happen to me.

Awaken inner wolf!

I had finally succeeded.

My joy vanished instantly when a sharp pain struck my chest. From the corner of my eye, I saw Luna Eileen clutch her chest in pain. Alpha Will did the same.

’So... they really are my parents?’

...