Joe was not someone who would hold back with the things he wanted to say.
He held his tongue for an entire day. Eventually, the children went to bed, and Terry went to take a shower. Joe dragged Emily to the balcony to have a private conversation.
However, he could not get the words out.
“Don’t hold back. Just say it.” Emily saw his hesitance, and she knew that he would have a lot of questions.
“I… I don’t know… What I’m saying is…” Joe scratched his head. He had no idea where to start.
“You and Terry… When did your relationship start?” The timing did not add up!
He knew that Emily would not forget her relationships that easily, nor did he believe that Terry would take advantage of her.
However, the birth of the twins did not coincide with how the situation had played out. His friends had only left for two years, and yet their twin children were already almost a year and three months old.
Did they get together immediately after they left? Had it not developed too fast?
Emily smiled, but she did not answer him.
Joe got even more curious when she remained silent, and it almost killed him.
“Did you guys… before this… But that can’t be right! Terry lived with me, and he didn’t even spend a night outside. When did you guys get the chance to…”
“Alright, you are getting way off course.” Emily rolled her eyes at him.
“Then, what the hell is going on?” Joe had a wild thought in his mind, but he dared to say it.
“If you have doubts, why don’t you just ask it directly?” Emily turned around to look at the night sky. It was dark and gloomy, but she looked peaceful.
Two years had passed, and time diluted everything. There was nothing that she could not shoulder.
After Emily showered to wash away the ugly makeup on her face and removed the thick-rimmed glasses, she had regained her former beauty. She looked like a fairy under the moonlight.
Joe felt reluctant to break the illusion, but he had questions.
“Sweety resembles you.” That was true, Sweety had inherited all of Emily’s beauty. However, she had qualities that Emily did not have. Joe was confident that she would be more beautiful than her mother when she grew up.
“So?” Emily still stared into the night, but the smile on her face gradually disappeared.
“Also…” Joe looked at her, still hesitant to say the words.
“If you don’t spit it out, I’m going to accompany the two little ones.” Emily tilted her head toward him.
“They’re already asleep. There’s no need for you to accompany them.”
Joe thought about it and realized something did not add up. “You sleep with the children? Then…what about Terry?”
They were still so young, so why would they sleep in separate beds?
Sweety and Chester had their own room; there was no reason for them to do that.
“Terry sleeps on his own. He’s a big boy, why would he need me to accompany him?” Emily winked at him.
“But…he’s still young and full of vigor, how could he…stand it to sleep away from you?”
“Ha!” Emily was amused, so she laughed.
Joe frowned and was a little unhappy with that. “Don’t laugh; I still have a lot of questions in my head.”
Joe decided to take advantage of Emily’s light-hearted smile, and blurted, “Chester… Chester doesn’t seem to resemble Terry.”
He knew that some questions might hurt her, but they were close friends, were they not?
Joe felt as if he would continue to suffer if he did not get an answer from her.
Emily smiled and stared at him. “Then, who does Chester resemble?”
“He resembles…” Joe hesitated. Finally, he took a deep breath and said in a soft voice, “That person.”
Emily remained silent, but from the look in her eyes, Joe knew she had guessed who he meant.
“Does he…” He glanced backward to make sure Terry was not in the hall before he dared to ask in a low voice. “Does he know?”
Emily laughed out loud and slapped him across the forehead. “What are you thinking? Terry and I do not have that kind of relationship!”
“What do you mean? Your children call him Daddy, you…”
Joe thought about it again. When he finally realized what had happened, his heart ached for his best friend.
“Terry…was willing to do this?”
Terry, that idiot! He genuinely loved Emily. It had already been two years, and they had to see each other daily for that time. Did he still guard her from the shadows?
“I disagreed, at first. However, Terry said people might make fun of the children when they found out that they don’t have a father.
“Especially for Chester, who is way mature beyond his age. He’s now attending classes with three and four-year-olds. He needed a complete family.”
“Do the children…”
“No, they don’t.” Emily put her index finger to her lips to indicate silence.
“Chester understands many things, so don’t say it too loud. He’d have crazy thoughts if he hears about this.”
Joe immediately shut his mouth and dared not speak of the matter further.
Chester was an amazing child. He was only a toddler, and yet he could understand so many things. It is not something that everyone could comprehend.
“But…” It seemed like Joe was very anxious the entire night. After all, he was the one who barged into their family of four. He did not know his intrusion would cause hostility in the peaceful household.
He hesitated for a moment before he said, “That person… is still looking for you. He has not stopped looking.”
Emily’s expression did not change, but Joe knew her very well. Her aura had changed. In other words, she had not gotten over Hunter. She still cared about him.
“Emily, Gale Corporation’s crisis is over. Eldest Young Master Jackson helped them through the difficulties, and that should be enough to resolve whatever misunderstandings you have with him.”
If Emily were together with Terry, Joe would have never brought it up.
How he despised that domineering man—Hunter!
That man even almost killed him two years ago. He was reluctant to say anything good about that savage barbarian.
However, Emily and Terry had not gotten together, and Joe knew that Emily treated Terry as her elder brother.
If she did not resolve things with Hunter, then the matter between her and Terry would continue to drag until forever.
Joe looked at Emily and took a deep breath before he said, “I think whatever grievances you had with Hunter should have been resolved by now. If he were to find you now, Emily, would you still give him another chance?”