Spoiled By My Brothers: Return of The Lost Heiress-Chapter 153: I’m Taking Everything Back!

Author’s POV

Asher’s tone left no room for doubt. His expression was cold, unreadable, but those words hit Seraphina like a tight slap across her face.

Her chest tightened. She didn’t understand. What had she done so wrong for him to say that? Where had she failed him, for her own brother to call her an outsider?

She stood frozen, staring at him as if she had heard something wrong. For a second, she almost believed she had misheard.

"Brother!" Melissa’s voice turned misty as if she had finally won the battle she had been battling, as she took a step toward him. But before she could reach, Emma came forward, blocking her with a glare that stopped her in her tracks.

"Stay where you are!" Emma stated coldly as her voice was trembling with anger. She grabbed Seraphina’s wrist, tugging her behind her protectively. Her eyes didn’t leave Asher, as they were burning holes into his side as if daring him to say more, and he’d be done for. "Sera, let’s go. People here don’t deserve you. I’ll take you away from this place."

She turned on her heel, already pulling Seraphina with her, when suddenly Asher’s hand clamped around Emma’s arm, halting her. The sudden grip forced her to turn around and glare at him, but his eyes weren’t on her.

They were on Melissa.

"Isn’t this what you wanted to hear?" Asher’s voice was sharp and almost mocking. "That I’d choose you, and I’d ignore Sera to stand by you. That’s what you’ve been wishing for all this time, isn’t it?"

Melissa’s eyes widened, confusion flashing for a second before turning into panic.

But Asher didn’t stop there. His voice dropped lower. It was heavy enough to silence everyone around them.

"Well, I’ve awakened now. Just like Sera, I’ve changed. I see things for what they are... I hear things clearly now. "So don’t come to me acting innocent, trying to make it look like she’s the one in the wrong, and now... walking away from you. Because she’s not the only one who’s leaving. I am leaving too!"

The room stilled. His words were firm and resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.

"I wasn’t blind, I knew what was right and what was wrong..." Asher started again. "But I chose to look away. I let her suffer while I did nothing. And now... now all I can do is beg. Sera, I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but if you’d give me even one chance... I’ll spend the rest of my life on my knees, trying to make up for every wound that I let you face all alone.

Mrs. Lancaster’s chest ached at Asher’s words. Her fingers tightened around the champagne glass until her knuckles whitened. She had always believed in Asher that he’d be with her all the time.

Out of all her children, he was the one she trusted would never turn away. Adrian was distant since childhood, always living in his own world; Alistair had slipped further and further from her reach, but she didn’t know why. But Asher... he had been her most reliable child, who would do anything for her.

And now, even he was walking away from her, distancing himself like that!

Her lips trembled as she looked at his face, but all she saw was his usual expressionless face. "Where... where did I go so wrong?" she muttered, her heart pounding with the fear of loss.

Yes, she had been harsh with Seraphina. Yes, she had done things she shouldn’t have. But was it truly so terrible? Hadn’t Seraphina chosen that room herself? Hadn’t she still been given money every month? So what if it was less than the others... wasn’t it still enough?

And yet here Seraphina was, throwing accusations in front of everyone, acting like she’d been left to rot and was not taken care of!

Just what in the world did she want?

Her throat burned, and her heart bled just by the thought of losing her son. "She’s tearing this family apart," she said bitterly, her gaze darting between Asher and Seraphina. "She’s planting a wedge right through us, turning my children against me... turning them into strangers."

"Who is turning stranger?" Alistair snapped as his voice was sharp and cold. "You were so obsessed with your fake daughter that you never cared about your sons. And when your real daughter came back, you still chose to ignore her. Instead... you let her rot in this house, treated worse than a maid!"

His chest rose and fell with anger. He had stayed silent for years, enduring injustice, telling himself that no matter what kind of woman she was... she was still his mother, the one who gave him life. That was the only reason he hadn’t spoken before and expressed his feelings.

But tonight... tonight he couldn’t keep himself silent. Seeing his sister, his own flesh and blood, dragged through the same cruelty as him, his patience broke.

"We’re not even asking you to throw Melissa away," he continued as his voice trembled with rage and heartbreak. "Nobody asked you to abandon her. All you had to do was look at Sera. Just a little care... just make her feel like she had a place in this family, too. But you couldn’t even do that. You were so blinded by your obsession that you crushed her. You broke her heart into millions of pieces that they’ll never fit back together again."

His words were so strong that for the first time, Stephanie’s face lost its color, and her heart was heavy with guilt.

"Sera is right! Not everyone deserves to be a mother!" Alistair’s voice was firm as he reached for Seraphina’s hand. Without hesitation, he guided her back toward Old Madam Lan and made her sit down beside her.

"She might not be our mother anymore," he said, glancing at Stephanie as his jaw clenched tightly. Then his gaze softened when it landed on Sera. "But Sera... Grandma was the one who brought you in. If anyone treated you right, with kindness... it was her. So please, don’t walk away from her. Do not leave us. Stay by her side, stay by our side."

Old Lady Lan, who had been silent all this time, finally exhaled deeply. He eyes were sharp with years of wisdom, and her face unreadable, turned to Liam.

"So, is this how you run your family? Or should I say... ruin it?" Her tone was cold and firm. "Tell me, Liam. Did I ever treat you and your sister the way you treat your children now?"

The table went still. Liam lowered his eyes, shame flickering across his face, but he didn’t answer.

Seraphina’s chest tightened as she looked at her grandmother. For a moment, fear started to bubble in her heart. She was worried when she raised her voice; she hated seeing herself burdened with these things. What if it made her condition worse? What if it pushed her too far?

Her fingers curled into her lap. "Grandma..." she whispered in a worried tone.

But Old Madam Lan looked steadier than Seraphina had ever seen her. That confused her even more. If she could hold herself so firm now... how could she possibly be the same woman who had grown so weak with in a weak that she couldn’t fight back for her life anymore? How could someone like her ever fall so sick that death would take her?

The thought made Sera’s stomach twist. She didn’t want to think about losing the only person who had truly stood by her. But was her death really natural?

Or was there something she had forgotten?

"Tell me, Liam," Old Madam Lan’s voice echoed, coldly and sharply. "Have you still not stood before everyone and said it? That she is your daughter? The real blood of this house, the real heiress of the Lancasters? Is it true you’ve hidden her all this time, treated her worse than a maid as Alistair had mentioned? 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Liam froze, his throat turned tight, but before he could speak, Stephanie snapped.

"No!" Mrs. Lancaster’s voice rose, shaky and sharp. Her chest heaved, her face twisted with anger as she tried to mask her anger. She could feel it crushing her, so she would rather rage instead, using it to shield herself and justify her guilt. "Don’t put all the blame on me! I... I never—"

Her words stumbled, her hand gripping the arm of the chair. "I only did what I thought was right! She... she wasn’t supposed to be here, in this house, or in this family! I—" She broke off, her eyes darting to Seraphina, but the moment she saw her stark reflection of herself on her face. She froze.

"Yes!" Seraphina’s voice rang out, steady but burning with fire. "I won’t be part of your family anymore!"

Stephanie flinched, Liam’s face darkened, and even Alistair’s breath caught.

"But don’t think for a second," Seraphina continued with her eyes sharp, "that just because some rotten people here refuse to accept me no matter what I do... that I’ll walk away quietly. I’m not leaving my brothers. And I’m not giving up what belongs to either."

Her hands were trembling, but her voice only grew stronger, making a clear statement. "Everything that was taken from me, every share that you stole while and gave your precious daughter, while treating me like I never existed... I’m taking it back. Every penny you and your daughter swallowed, thinking I’d not say anything... I’ll make sure you pay it back, one way or another."