Chapter 176 - You Already Have A Place In My Heart

Lexus who was standing behind the wheelchair quickly glanced down at Gina when he heard what she said. What was she talking about? He noticed that the Duke of Aswald was also equally surprised as him.

"What are you saying?" The Duke asked, looking at his daughter.

"I see that report on your safe," Gina muttered, narrowing her eyes at her thighs. She was tightly clenching her fist, trying her best to stay calm. She looked up at her father again and noticed the shock on his face. Then she said, "The report that says I'm not your biological daughter."

The Duke's face turned pale and he stood frozen yet his gaze was still fixated on his daughter. "Gina - "

"At first," Gina started, interrupting her father. "I thought that I was adopted. But when I gave a serious thought, I know that you won't run a DNA test if I were adopted. Then I started digging."

"My mother... " She paused and clenched her fist even more tighter. "She was raped almost a year before I was born. You keep it a secret not to harm the reputation of this family name. However, I heard that since that incident, you never have physical contact with her again."

The Duke of Aswald fell silent but when his gaze landed on Lexus, his face turned darkened and quickly glanced down at his daughter again. "Let's talk this later. We have a guest for now."

Gina looked at her father with disbelief. Then she sneered. What did she even expect from him? Even now, all he cares about was his reputation!

"Lexus deserves to know everything. He is the man whom I choose to spend my life with." She snapped. Her eyes were now fiery red. "Have you ever thought about my mother's suffering? Was it her fault that such a thing happened to her? Why did you treat her that way and made her life more miserable? You should try your best to comfort her but... you shunned her while she wasn't the one at fault!"

"Enough! Don't bring up the past! Speaking of that incident is forbidden in this house!" The Duke growled. He was gritting his teeth, trying to keep himself under control.

"You drove my mother to death," Gina uttered, ignoring what the Duke just said. "The past you say?" She sneered once more. "You never regard it as a past. In your eyes, I'm the living proof of that shameful incident. I'm the stain in your perfect life."

"Yes!" The Duke growled and point his finger at Gina. "You're right! Whenever I see you, I am reminded of that memory which I really wish to erase! You're the blood and flesh of that monster who destroyed my perfect family!"

"Don't be ridiculous," Gina argued in a deadly low voice. "You're the one who destroyed your so-called perfect family. Because of your selfishness, you made many enemies apart from that criminal who destroyed my mother's life."

"What are you trying to say?" The Duke grunted. His face was still red due to anger yet there was a hint of confusion in his eyes.

With a nonchalant face, Gina takes out a file from her bag and throw it to her father. "Look it yourself." She coldly said.

Without asking anything, the Duke picked up the file and when he looked at the content, his eyes grew wide. "This - "

Gina threw another two files to him before he could say whatever he was trying to say. "If you don't believe it, look at the other two. It's all the same."

Losing no time, the Duke bend down and picked up the files, quickly reading the contents. "No. This can't be." He muttered as he shook his head.

"Why? All this time, you believe that I'm not your biological daughter and never showed me love. Now, you realized that I'm your true daughter. How does it feel?" Gina asked. Her face remained expressionless.

"This can't be!" The Duke uttered as he stood up. "I ran a test when you were born and I'm sure that the result - "

"I already told you before, Duke." Gina interrupted him with an unpleasant voice. "You made many enemies and this is what you get. If you don't believe me, you can do another test right now but... it won't matter anymore. From now on, I don't have a father and I don't need one either."

The Duke bend down once again and grabbed Gina on the arm. "Gina, you should explain. This is - "

"Don't you dare touch me," Gina warned him with a threatening tone.

Seeing the rage in her eyes, the Duke reluctantly withdrew his hand. He couldn't even think clear anymore!

"We won't meet again, so I'll explain it to you." Gina simply said and glanced at the files which all contained the DNA test report. "I already keep those reports with me for a while but - "

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Gina paused when he interrupted her by asking her a question. "Why didn't I tell you?!" She said and scorned. "Have you ever give me time? Ever since I was young, your time was always too precious to waste on me."

"Gina - "

"From now on," Gina snapped and made a deliberate pause, staring at her father right in the eyes. "You don't have a daughter anymore. Just the thought of your blood flowing in my veins disgust me." She enunciated each syllable, firm and unyielding.

"Gina, we should talk. It's a misunderstanding." The Duke argued. Despite his damaged left leg, he was still bending down to match Gina who was sitting in a wheelchair.

"There's nothing to say now," Gina muttered. "I know that you only raise me for two reasons. You want to maintain your reputation and... you hope that I could marry the Crown Prince. But they don't matter anymore. I don't care about your reputation nor the Crown Prince. All I want is to breathe at ease."

The Duke felt as if he was paralyzed! He wanted to say something but he couldn't utter a single word!

"Let's leave this house. I don't want to stay here anymore." Gina calmly said to Lexus who was staring at her with a face full of mixed emotions.

"Alright. I will take you away." Lexus said as he nodded. Then he turned around the wheelchair and they leave the house.

The Duke of Aswald lost all his energy and he abruptly sat on the floor. How did this happen? He narrowed his eyes at the reports which were lying on the floor just beside him. Then he suddenly came to his sense and his eyes darted to the door. No! She can't leave!

He gets up with much difficulty as his left leg was damaged. Mustering his energy, he ran after his daughter as much as he could but he can't move fast. Walking was already a challenging task for him and yet he was trying to run!

He reached the gate of his mansion but the car was almost out of his sight! Feeling hopeless, he abruptly sat down on the ground. Finally, tears were forming in his eyes and rolled down his face as the car was out of his sight. It was a tear of regret but it's too late.

*

Lexus was sitting in the backseat of his car with Gina next to him. The latter still remained expressionless and he was quite worried. As such, he ended up staring at her the whole time.

While he was too fixated on watching her, Gina suddenly turned to him and cling onto his arm, placing her head on his shoulder. "I only have you now." She muttered.

Lexus placed his head on top of hers and slightly smiled. "Will you regret your decision? When he knows the truth, I saw regret in his eyes for the first time. After all, he is your father."

"I don't care anymore," Gina said in a low voice. "You must be surprised today. I'm sorry for not telling you beforehand."

"It's fine. I understand." Lexus calmly said and planted a kiss on her head.

His gesture made her slightly smiled. "Do you know this? Ever since Cara died, I already give up on the Crown Prince."

Lexus narrowed his eyes at her and raised a brow. He didn't understand what she was saying.

"The only problem was that... I was not the master of my life at that time. I do whatever Alonzo told me to do. That's why I have to keep on chasing the Prince. Besides, my father pressured me to win the Prince's heart ever since I was young. It's not easy for me." She explained.

"During those years, you are always the only one whom I could rely on." She continued with a smile.

"Thanks to your unwavering heart and unconditional love, I was able to live on. When you find out that I was the one who hired someone to threaten the Prince through a phone call, I was told to shut you up but... I can't do that. You were the only reason I could endure all those years, so... I thought that it would be easy for me to die than harm you." Gina added, telling him why she made that decision to end her life.

"Are you saying that - "

Gina nodded before Lexus could finish talking. "What I'm trying to say is that... you already have a place in my heart since years ago."