Reborn From Oblivion

"That was the happiest day of my life. Who would've thought that good times and bad are often two sides of the same coin?"

Even Lincoln himself seemed lost in thought, his expression turning somber.

"And then what happened?" Nathalie asked, curiosity lacing her voice.

Lincoln paused for a long moment, his usually bright eyes now dim and clouded. "Vivian, I grew up in a wealthy family, but I never liked it. Being raised in that kind of environment left me with a lot of baggage, and I always struggled to trust people around me."

"So when your granddad pushed for me to come back and take over the Stewart family business, I had a bad gut feeling about it. Before heading back, I made some plans: I handed all my savings to your aunt, asking her to take care of Maya and you if something happened to me. All in all, it was about a hundred million- enough, I thought, to keep you and your mom comfortable for a lifetime."

Nathalie's face went white as a sheet. Her dad had given so much to Miranda, yet Miranda constantly complained about being broke and even forced Nathalie to beg.

"Dad, weren't you worried about giving so much to someone you barely knew?" she asked.

Lincoln replied, "I was in a rush and didn't have the time to find a proper trustee. Plus, your mom always spoke so highly of her sister, and I trusted her judgment."

Something dawned on Lincoln, and he asked Nathalie, "Did your aunt not give you the money?"

Nathalie hesitated. If she told him

that her mom had ended her life after his accident and that the money he left with her aunt vanished, leaving her daughter, fend for herself, she feared it would

crush him. After all, he had poured albhis love into his wife and daughter.

"I don't know. Mom never mentioned the money," Nathalie fibbed.

Lincoln sighed, visibly relieved. "Your aunt might be rough around the edges, but she's straightforward. She wouldn't have kept the money."

Nathalie felt a knot of bitterness in her chest. Straightforward? The way Miranda had treated her was anything but.noveldrama

The past was the past, and Nathalie didn't want to dwell on the missing money. She was more interested in what happened to her parents.

"Dad, what happened after you went back to the Stewart family?"

Lincoln sighed heavily. "I had a half-brother from my dad's other marriage. When my dad handed me some control of the company, my brother got jealous. I was a young talented mathematician, and my return was welcomed by many. My brother felt threatened and messed With my car. That day, I was all excited to bring your mom her

favorite treats, but the car broke down, and I ended up in an accident."

"Luckily, I didn't die on the spot. I called your mom and, with a heavy heart, told

her we should break up so she could find someone else."

As Lincoln recounted this, tears shimmered in his eyes. He clutched his chest. "You can't imagine how much it hurt to say that. I couldn't stand the thought of her marrying someone else or of my daughter calling another man 'Dad.' But since I couldn't be there for them, had to make a clean break. Otherwise, with your mom's deep love, she might never have moved on from my death."

Nathalie closed her eyes, her heart twisting with pain. She felt the agony of her dad's forced words and mourned the tragic fate of her parents' love story that was never meant to be.