Mafia Queen to First Lady: A Reborn Pact with the President

The words fell like shards of ice across the living room, freezing the air in a suffocating silence. Valerie's accusation struck with the force of a hammer. The old man from the Wade family—a name whispered with disgust among the elite—was infamous for his depravity. His sexual dysfunction had birthed a penchant for cruelty and sadistic indulgence, leaving countless girls broken in his wake. And yet, Paulina had actually handed Valerie over to that monster. For the first time, Paulina forgot to maintain her pitiful and wronged persona, staring at Valerie in pure terror. What was wrong with her? Being sent to that lecherous old man, nearly getting raped—it was the sort of shame that could twist the stomach. Shouldn't Valerie have kept it a secret? How could she blurt it out right in front of everyone? Reacting quickly, Paulina clutched her burning cheek, tears pooling in her eyes. "Valerie, even if you're angry with me, you can't accuse me like that! I don't even know anyone from the Wade family. You're slandering me!" Kayden lunged forward without a second thought, sheltering Paulina behind him. Rage painted his features, and he bellowed, "Valerie! You're a disgusting, unwanted freak! Who in their right mind would even think of drugging you? If you've got grievances, take them out on me. Leave Paulina alone!" Eunice's voice rang out, incredulous and sharp. "I don't believe it! Paulina would never be so cruel!" Jason even fetched the whip, snapping it sharply through the tense air. "Valerie! Get down on your knees!" Valerie's gaze swept the room, her lips curving in a cold, mirthless smile. "Unbelievable! My parents and my fiance... none of you believes me. Everyone's too busy protecting Paulina, the adopted daughter. Without the DNA test, I'd have thought I was the adopted one." Then she fixed Jason with a smirk sharp enough to cut steel. "You old fool! Do you remember what your medical report said? That you're impotent? I'm your only true descendant. And here you are, shielding Paulina." The room's atmosphere fractured. Faces twisted, mouths half-opened in stunned disbelief. "Valerie! How dare you!" Jason's face flushed violently, then drained of color as he stared at Valerie. A murderous glare burned in his eyes, yet beneath it, terror lurked like a cold, gnawing shadow. His secret, the one he had guarded so carefully, had been exposed. How had Valerie found out? Of course, he had no idea that, since her return, Valerie had found a computer, tapped into the Todd family's database with surgical precision, and unearthed every secret the family had ever tried to bury. "Don't get so worked up," Valerie said, her voice deliberately slow, dripping with disdainful calm. "Think about this clearly. You're protecting Paulina now, planning to hand her the entire Todd fortune in the future. Do you honestly believe she'll be grateful? Her real parents aren't dead. When they come looking, shedding a tear or two, the fortune you've guarded your entire life will belong to them." Paulina, who had moments ago worn the smugness of a spectator, froze. Jason, too, felt the chill of realization seep into his blood. Valerie had shattered his pride, but her words struck a nerve—irrefutable and precise. Paulina had been raised in the Todd family, more attractive, more refined than Valerie. She made Jason look good in public, captured Kayden's heart, and secured ties to the Harper family. Yet at the end of the day, she was not a Todd by blood. She had her own parents. Jason's hesitation was visible. Paulina's eyes blazed with fury. Valerie had targeted the very core of his fear. How had Valerie grown so cunning? How could Valerie, with a few precise words, drive a wedge straight between her and Jason? Paulina stepped forward, tugging at Jason's arm, her voice sweet like honey. "Dad, I'll never acknowledge others as my parents. I belong to the Todd family. I'll take care of you and Mom when you grow old." Jason's features softened slightly. Valerie's tone, laced with acidic sarcasm, cut through the temporary calm. "Sweet words are easy. But when your real parents come looking for you, who's to say you won't scheme with them just to claim the Todd fortune? Old fool, I may be rude, but I would never harm you. Sending Paulina away is far safer." Jason wavered again. A flicker of willingness to consider her words shone faintly in his eyes. Paulina's complexion drained to white, her eyes darting to Kayden, silently begging him to intervene. "Valerie, enough! Paulina has always been kind-hearted. She would never harm the Todds. I'll vouch for her!" Kayden immediately stood up for Paulina upon seeing her pleading look. Paulina's shoulders sagged, and a shaky breath escaped her lips, as if a storm of dread had just been blown away. Kayden was the scion of the most illustrious aristocratic family in the land. His uncle, Leland, was the President. His guarantee carried significant weight, enough to put Jason at ease. But the next second, Valerie's voice, sharp and venomous, cut through the air again. "How impressive! But this is family business. If the Todd family goes bankrupt, will the Harper family cover all the losses?"