Subconsciously, Dolores discreetly concealed her hand behind her back. The matter at hand was of utmost importance to her, and she couldn’t allow herself to be constantly threatened by the other party. Especially considering the potential harm it could bring to her children, she couldn’t remain calm and do nothing.
“Yes, it’s incredibly important to me,” she asserted firmly. “You can go inside first. I’ll be right back.”
With those words, Dolores turned around and strode out.
Matthew watched her hurried departure, narrowing his eyes. He always sensed that something was amiss with her, as if she were hiding something from him.
As soon as Thomas noticed Dolores leaving, he hastened to approach. “Why is Mrs. Dolores leaving? Mr. and Mrs. Nelson are still waiting for her inside.”
Matthew shot him a cold, icy glare, as if attempting to freeze Thomas on the spot.
Meeting Matthew’s gaze, Thomas immediately fell silent. He knew that Matthew didn’t have a good relationship with Jayden and Victoria. Perhaps Matthew was upset that they hadn’t informed him beforehand about their visit.
Realizing this, Thomas attempted to explain, “It’s for your own benefit that Mr. and Mrs. Nelson came this time.”
Matthew was in no mood to listen.
For his own benefit? He sneered inwardly. Striding into the living room, he exuded an aura of coldness that seemed to chill the air around him, causing an uncomfortable atmosphere for those present.
Thomas dared not utter a word and followed him inside.
The living room was filled with more people than ever before, injecting life into the otherwise empty space.
Jayden sat in the host’s seat, with Victoria by his side. Jessica occupied a seat on the right, accompanied by the two children. Coral stood behind Victoria. As everyone turned to look at Matthew upon his entrance, he couldn’t help but wonder why he had returned alone.
“Why did you come back alone?” Jayden spoke first, his voice brimming with unconcealed excitement.
Matthew sneered. “Who else did you expect me to bring?”
Father and son, they were always at odds whenever they crossed paths-filled with an intense mutual disdain.
Jayden’s hands clenched suddenly, tightly grasping the leather armrest of the sofa as he struggled to suppress his anger. “Am I not your father?”
“I didn’t have a choice,” Matthew replied calmly, taking a seat on the sofa.
Simona gazed at Matthew with a pitiful expression. If Jessica hadn’t held her back, she would have thrown herself into his arms the moment Matthew entered the room.
In contrast, Samuel remained remarkably composed, as if he knew why the elders of the Nelson family had come and what was at stake.
“You-” Jayden didn’t want to lose his temper, but he couldn’t help but feel agitated whenever he heard his son’s sarcasm.
Victoria held his trembling hand, trying to calm him down. “Stay calm. There’s something more important.”
“If you want to engage in public displays of affection, don’t do it in my house. I’m rather busy,” Matthew replied impatiently. His gaze shifted to Simona. The little girl didn’t cling to him today, which left him feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
He had grown accustomed to the soft, warm presence of the little girl, always running to him for hugs whenever he returned home.
“We have something important to discuss,” Victoria firmly grasped Jayden’s hand, preventing him from getting angry due to Matthew’s words.
Jayden took several deep breaths to suppress the anger simmering within him. Pointing at the folder on the desk, he said, “Take a look for yourself. Read it carefully before trying to argue. The evidence is right here. Don’t attempt to hide anything from me.”
Matthew remained motionless.
Father and son locked eyes, engaging in a silent battle where a war without smoke had begun.
…
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
“Daddy.”
Simona’s sweet voice broke the tension.
“Quiet,” Jessica reminded her, patting her shoulder gently.
With teary eyes, Victoria reached out to Simona. “Come here.”
Simona widened her round eyes, glancing at Matthew and then at Victoria. Slipping off the sofa, she threw herself into Matthew’s arms, her voice muffled as she spoke, “Daddy, didn’t Mommy come back with you?”
Her anger, displeasure, and coldness dissolved in Simona’s call. Matthew controlled himself and gently stroked her hair. “Your mommy will be back soon.”
“You…!”
Pounding the armrest, Jayden stood up in a fit of anger.
Earlier, Coral had mentioned that Matthew was unaware that he was the children’s father, so she hadn’t informed Jayden either. It was understandable since Matthew himself had no knowledge of it. However, when Jayden heard the little girl calling him “Daddy,” he misunderstood and believed that Matthew had been aware all along.
He wondered if Matthew still recognized him as his father.
Simona trembled in fear, seeking refuge in Matthew’s embrace.
Matthew’s large hand continued to stroke her back, comforting her. “Don’t be afraid.”
Simona remained silent, her eyes blinking rapidly.
Coral understood that Jayden had misunderstood something. She immediately intervened to defuse the situation. Approaching the table, she handed the folder to Matthew. “Mr. Nelson, please have a look.”
Matthew accepted the folder but hesitated to open it. When he was about to toss it aside, he caught a glimpse of the word “DNA.”
He paused.
Whose DNA test was it?
“I collected samples of your hair as well as Samuel and Simona’s,” Matthew looked up at Coral, questioning her intent.
Simona blinked in confusion, asking, “Grandma Coral, why did you collect our hair?”
Coral smiled and reached out to tousle Simona’s hair. “Nothing special. I just wanted to help your daddy uncover something.”
Matthew’s gaze returned to the papers.
It was a report of a DNA test. The title caught his attention.
Though filled with medical terminology that Matthew was unfamiliar with, he continued to read. As his eyes moved down the page, his heart raced, desperately seeking an exit from the overwhelming mix of emotions coursing through him.
He couldn’t remain calm. The nervousness swelled within him, threatening to engulf him entirely.
The results indicated a similarity of 99. 99%.
His gaze fixed on that particular line.
In an instant, his body froze. His trembling fingers betrayed the intense excitement that could no longer be contained, an emotion that had never surged so forcefully before.
Was he the father of Simona and Samuel?
But how could that be possible?
After a few moments of silence, he let go of the paper. He stood up abruptly and glanced at Coral, then at Jayden.
His voice dripping with irony, he asked, “What is it that you want?”
He wanted to know their intentions behind orchestrating such a deception.
“You still want to deny it, don’t you?” Jayden seethed with anger, his voice trembling.
“Even if I did wrong by you or your late mother, am I not still your father?” Matthew pressed his hand against his chest. “Is there not still my blood running through your veins?”
Victoria refrained from attempting to persuade Jayden this time. She yearned to, but the situation seemed beyond her control.
Coral’s anxiety grew, her mind racing to comprehend what was happening. The undeniable truth had been presented before them, yet Jayden stubbornly refused to accept it.
In a hurry, she fetched the photo album and placed it next to Samuel, urging everyone to compare. “Look at this face, the eyes, the forehead-”
Matthew glanced over, his gaze lingering for a moment before swiftly averting his eyes.
He had never been intimate with Dolores, and he was certain of it.
Throughout his life, spanning over three decades, he had only slept with a woman once, and that encounter had taken place six years ago.
If these children were indeed his…
Then it must have been six years ago…
A bewildered shock creased his forehead.
Suddenly, he seemed to understand why Maria harbored such intense hatred toward Dolores…
It all stemmed from that fateful night.
Maria wasn’t the woman he had been with.
It had been Dolores instead. That was why he had always felt a strange sense of familiarity around her.
He wondered what on earth had transpired that night.
Why had Dolores appeared in his room?
However, his silence was perceived as denial in Samuel’s eyes.
It appeared that this man had no intention of acknowledging them, did he?
He wished to continue being the unfaithful husband, didn’t he?
Samuel narrowed his eyes.
Perfect!
He didn’t want this man as his father either.
A heartless and merciless individual like him didn’t deserve to be his father at all.
Pushing Coral away, Samuel slid down from the sofa and snatched the DNA test result. With a sharp hiss, he tore it apart, as if it wasn’t enough to satisfy his anger. He continued to rip it into fragments until the result lay in ruins. “This is just a mistake. How could I be his son?”
Samuel pointed at Matthew.
“My mother carried my sister and me for ten months. I’ll be turning six this year. I’ve never laid eyes on my father because I never dared to ask my mother. I’ve witnessed her waking up from nightmares and shedding secret tears. I have no idea what haunts her dreams or who appears in them. I’ve often wondered if she dreams of something heart-wrenching.”
Sniffling, Samuel continued, “When I’m asleep, she apologizes to me. She says she couldn’t give us a complete family. Little does she know that I never truly sleep. When I’m awake, she never utters those words. She fears I’ll question why I don’t have a father.”
He gazed at Matthew with disappointment. “My mommy is an incredible woman. How could it ever be possible for her to fall in love with you?”