The Hidden Heiress Revenge – Betrayal Love and Justice

By Lea von Löwenstein

Chapter 7: The Matriarchs Birthday

Part 1: Family Fortunes

The evening sun painted Manhattan’s skyline in gold as Sebastian’s Aston Martin purred through traffic. Sophia sat beside him, still radiating the quiet satisfaction of someone who’d just orchestrated financial chaos in Louboutins.

“That was…” Sebastian’s aristocratic drawl carried equal parts admiration and disbelief, “rather spectacular.”

“Mmm.” Sophia checked her vintage Cartier. “Marcus’s face when the Bloomberg alerts started coming in…”

“Speaking of faces,” Sebastian cleared his throat, his jade cufflinks catching the sunset, “there’s something I should mention.”

“Oh?”

“My grandmother’s birthday celebration. Tomorrow evening at the Winchester estate.”

Sophia’s perfectly arched eyebrow rose. “The same grandmother whose Tiffany silver we used for breakfast in bed?”

“The very same.” His knuckles whitened slightly on the steering wheel. “She’s turning eighty-five, and attendance is… rather mandatory.”

“Let me guess,” Sophia’s smile turned predatory, “Elizabeth Cavendish was supposed to be your plus one?”

“Along with half of Manhattan’s eligible heiresses, I suspect.” He guided the car onto Park Avenue. “Though none of them have ever crashed a press conference quite so magnificently.”

“Are you asking me to behave at your grandmother’s party, darling?”

“Actually,” his smile matched hers, “I was rather hoping you wouldn’t.”

“Your grandmother,” Sophia mused, pulling out her phone, “she collects Pre-Raphaelite art, doesn’t she?”

Sebastian’s eyebrow rose. “How did you—”

“Sarah,” Sophia spoke into her phone, her tone shifting to pure business, “I need two things. First, contact Christie’s. That Waterhouse they’re keeping private – the one with the water nymphs. Buy it. Yes, now.”

Sebastian nearly missed a turn. “Darling, that painting isn’t even on the market—”

She held up one perfectly manicured finger, silencing him. “Second, the Ming Dynasty jade tea service. The complete set. Yes, that one. The imperial collection. Have both delivered to the Winchester estate by tomorrow evening. And Sarah? Make sure there’s one piece for every guest.”

She ended the call with a satisfied smile.

“The imperial jade collection that uncle Philip always talked about?” Sebastian’s aristocratic composure wavered slightly. “That’s been in Beijing’s private vault for—”

“For precisely as long as Daddy needed it to be,” she finished smoothly. “Now, about your grandmother’s celebration… shall we arrive fashionably late or devastatingly on time?”

The Aston Martin purred to a stop at a red light as Sebastian studied his mysterious wife. “You do realize the entire family will be there? Including Mother’s pearls and Father’s disapproval?”

“Perfect.” Sophia’s smile could have frozen champagne. “I do so love a captive audience.”

Part 2: Family Circles

The Winchester estate glowed warmly in the evening light, its Georgian architecture a testament to old money and older traditions. Sebastian guided the Aston Martin up the curved driveway, where ancient oaks cast dappled shadows on perfectly manicured lawns.

“Ready, darling?” He helped Sophia from the car, her midnight blue Dior rustling softly.

“Always.” Her smile was genuine as she watched the staff carefully unload their gifts.

They walked arm in arm toward the grand entrance, where soft classical music drifted through open French doors. Sophia had chosen understated elegance – her only jewelry the vintage Cartier and her wedding ring.

The warmth ended at the threshold.

“Sebastian.” Lady Helena’s voice could have frozen the summer evening. “We weren’t expecting… additional guests.”

“Mother,” Sebastian’s arm tightened around Sophia’s waist. “Surely you wouldn’t expect me to attend Grandmother’s birthday without my wife?”

“Wife?” Lord Winchester’s disapproval radiated from the drawing room doorway. “That remains to be seen.”

Cousin Margaret’s stage whisper carried deliberately: “Can you imagine? Bringing that Instagram nobody to Grandmama’s birthday?”

“Really, Sebastian,” Aunt Victoria chimed in, her pearls rattling with indignation, “there are standards to maintain. This isn’t one of her nightclub appearances.”

“Standards?” Uncle George’s sneer could have curdled the champagne. “The girl probably thinks Monet is a type of champagne.”

Sophia remained serenely composed, her smile unwavering as the barbs flew. The jade tea service gleamed in its presentation boxes, waiting like silent witnesses.

Elizabeth Cavendish swept into the foyer like she owned it, her Hermès dress rustling with calculated elegance.

“Darling,” she air-kissed Lady Helena, pointedly ignoring Sophia, “I’ve brought something special for dear Grandmama.”

The staff unveiled an elaborate jade tea service, its green depths catching the chandelier light.

“Imperial jade,” Elizabeth announced proudly. “From the Ming Dynasty. The dealer assured me it’s one of only three complete sets in existence.”

Sophia’s quiet laugh made heads turn.

“Something amusing?” Elizabeth’s smile could have cut glass.

“Oh darling,” Sophia’s voice carried that deadly quiet, “did your dealer happen to mention where the other two sets are?”

“In museums, obviously,” Elizabeth snapped. “Though someone like you wouldn’t—”

“Actually,” Sophia continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “one is in the Beijing National Museum. And the other…” she paused delicately, “is being delivered here. Right about now.”

On cue, the grand doors opened. A procession of white-gloved staff entered, carrying exquisitely lacquered boxes.

“That’s impossible,” Elizabeth’s voice rose slightly. “This is the authentic—”

“Is it?” Sophia’s smile turned predatory. “Shall we compare them? Though I must say, your reproduction is quite good. The glaze is almost the right shade of imperial green.”

“How dare you suggest—” Lady Helena began.

“Perhaps,” Sophia cut in smoothly, “we should let Grandmama decide? After all, these are her birthday gifts.”

The staff began arranging the boxes with military precision as the family watched in frozen silence.

Part 3: Dynasty in shards

“This charade has gone far enough,” Lord Winchester stepped forward, his authority filling the foyer. “First, you manipulate my son into marriage, and now you attempt to humiliate Elizabeth with fake antiquities?”

“Fake?” Sophia’s amusement remained undimmed.

“Obviously fake,” Elizabeth sneered, lifting one of Sophia’s jade cups. “Just like your marriage.”

Lady Helena’s pearls rattled with approval. “Sebastian, darling, this is the perfect moment to end this farce. The annulment papers are ready.”

“Perhaps,” Elizabeth’s smile turned vicious as she held the delicate jade piece aloft, “we should demonstrate just how fake these are?”

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Sophia’s voice carried that deadly quiet.

“No?” Elizabeth’s fingers loosened slightly. “Afraid we’ll expose your little con?”

“Actually,” Sophia checked her vintage Cartier with casual elegance, “I’m more concerned about you destroying a piece worth more than your family’s annual income.”

“Worth more?” Elizabeth laughed. “Like your fake black diamond card?”

The jade cup tilted precariously in her grasp.

“Last warning, darling,” Sophia’s smile could have frozen champagne. “That’s genuine imperial jade. Ming Dynasty. Around 1426.”

“The only genuine imperial jade here is my gift,” Elizabeth’s arm raised higher. “This? This is just like you – a cheap imitation.”

The first jade cup shattered against Italian marble with a sound that seemed to pierce the very soul of the Winchester estate.

“See?” Elizabeth’s triumph echoed off Georgian walls. “Cheap porcelain.”

Lady Helena seized another piece. “Let’s end this farce once and for all.”

CRASH.

Aunt Victoria joined in, her pearls swinging wildly as she dashed a teapot to the ground. Only little Emma, Sebastian’s twelve-year-old niece, clutched her piece closer, watching the destruction with wide eyes.

CRASH. CRASH. CRASH.

The foyer floor became a graveyard of imperial green shards, each worth more than a Manhattan penthouse.

“Uncle Philip!” Emma’s voice cut through the destruction. “Look what they’re doing!”

The silence that followed was absolute.

Lord Philip Winchester, Chief Curator of Asian Antiquities at the British Museum, enters the room and stood frozen like arctic ice in the doorway. His face had gone the color of old parchment as he stared at the scattered remains of Ming Dynasty craftsmanship.

“Is that…” his voice trembled, “genuine imperial jade? From the 1426 collection?”

Elizabeth’s smile faltered as the blood drained from her face.

“The complete imperial set?” Lord Philip’s whisper carried horror. “The one that disappeared from Beijing’s private vault?”

“Was complete,” Emma piped up, still holding her untouched cup. “Until they started smashing it. If I recall your lecture right Uncle Philip… around 7 billion Dollar, just the material value? Not to mention the priceless historical value.”

All Blood fainted from Elizabeth´s face, “7 billion dollar? Impossible… that must be a…”

The roar that followed made the crystal chandeliers shake.