Chapter 44: Already Knew Beforehand (2)

The adults held their breath, awaiting the children's reaction, yet to their surprise, the little ones displayed no overt response. The boy remained silent for a moment, then exhaled, his expression unchanged: "Do you have anything else to share, Mom and Dad?"

Flora locked eyes with Matthew, detecting the same bewilderment in his gaze that mirrored her own. The children's reactions were entirely outside of their expectations.

She furrowed her brow: "You... aren't reacting to the news?"

At this, the two children couldn't contain themselves any longer, dissolving into laughter and rolling on the floor. Regaining her composure, the girl turned to her parents: "We've known for a while."

"What do you mean?" The adults had not shared the information; how could the children possibly know?

The boy stood up, pattered to his room, and returned minutes later with a sheet of paper.

"Take a look."

In his hand was a DNA test result, stating clearly: they shared a father-child relationship.

Tilting his head, the boy grinned smugly: "I took a strand of Dad's hair, and one of mine, and had them DNA tested. Considering how similar we are, it would be stupid not to suspect something."

The two adults stared dumbly at each other. Flora couldn't shake the feeling that the boy was calling her foolish. After all, she had spent the entire day with father and son without suspecting their biological connection.

The ticking of the clock echoed in the room. Layla's fingers were ceaselessly tapping on her phone keyboard, composing a message, then deleting it, then writing another, only to delete it again. After a long pause, she gritted her teeth and hit send.

The message on the screen was quite ordinary: "Three o'clock this afternoon, room 201 at our usual spot."

Layla let out a sigh. This was the last time, the last chance to salvage their friendship.

Upon receiving the message from her friend, Flora was preparing a riverside outing for the children with Matthew. The sandy riverbank was adorned with beautiful flowers of all kinds, and she wanted the children to see it - an ideal moment for the adults to unwind.

"Those flowers over there are so pretty! Charlie, let's go have a look!"

"Look, a butterfly, Charlie, isn't it beautiful! This is a daisy, isn't it?"

"Hey, Bear, let's go over there!"

Upon reaching the riverside flower garden, the girl was ecstatic, darting around while chattering nonstop, her brother in tow. The boy glanced at his wrist, gripped firmly by his sister, and reluctantly slowed down.

Assuming the protective big brother role, he admonished: "Slow down, you'll trip."

Flora clutched her man's hand, leisurely trailing behind. Their obedient children, a loving husband, this life felt like a dream come true.

After many challenging days, she had finally provided her children with a complete family.

"Why do you keep looking at your watch?" Matthew halted, questioning his companion.

His gaze held an undeniable tenderness.

Flora smiled, shaking her head: "It's nothing, just a meeting with Layla at three this afternoon. I'm checking the time so I won't forget."

Matthew nodded, recognizing Layla Gary, Flora's closest friend and the fiancée of his young protégé. He recalled Flora mentioning how it was through Layla that she came to know about the job posting at S.E.I Corporation.

From a certain perspective, that young woman could be considered their matchmaker.

"Well, it's already past two. I'll have someone take you home now. Let the young ones have their fun a bit longer; I'll stay here to chaperone. Feel free to enjoy your date with your friend." he gently suggested.

Each passing day, Flora felt more certain that her man was a responsible father. She nodded gratefully: "Thank you. I'll try to return early."

Matthew smiled and embraced her: "The sooner, the better, because I'll miss you."

"Isn't it too delightful seeing you two together?" A voice laced with bitterness pierced through their harmonious moment: "Stealing another woman's man and still able to laugh so freely. Flora, you're truly heartless!"

It was Selena. But how had she found them here? Flora frowned at her, her brown eyes wide with surprise.

"Miss White, what are you doing here?"

Selena sneered: "How else would I witness your seductive tactics if I didn't follow you... Wait... why do you have that ring?"

On Flora's little finger was an extraordinarily designed diamond ring, its band winding with the centerpiece fashioned like a phoenix tail.

It was the same ring Selena had coveted for years. She couldn't believe her eyes, shaking her head in denial: "Impossible... Flora, what trick did you use to get the Phoenix ring from Matthew?"

"Have you gone mad?" Matthew stood protectively in front of Flora, sternly gazing at the hysterical woman: "I gave the Phoenix ring to Flora..."

Before he could finish, Selena erupted: "How can this be? That ring should be mine, I am your rightful fiancée... Matthew, I can't live without you, how could you..."

Flora was taken aback, unsure of the unfolding drama. When Matthew proposed with that ring, she thought it was just a uniquely designed diamond ring. It seemed now to carry a special significance.

Matthew's hand tightened around hers, his silence a comforting presence.

He then addressed Selena: "What you can't live without was never me, but wealth, power, fame, and connections... everything associated with me. We both know why we were together. Don't bring up love in front of me... it's laughable."

What Selena aimed for had always been the matriarch position of the Charles family and the benefits he could bring. It was never merely Matthew.

Thinking about Selena's grotesque expression upon seeing the ring on Flora's finger, he gave a sardonic laugh:

"If you behave, give birth to the child in your belly, you'll get every penny you deserve. But if you prefer causing trouble, believe me, I have plenty of ways to make both you and your father miserable."

The reason he was currently not doing anything to Selena or her father wasn't due to old affections, but because he felt it was unnecessary. However, if she insisted on threatening those he loved, she couldn't blame him for being ruthless.

Reaching out to embrace Flora's slender shoulders, he soothed: "I've said what needed to be said, let's go."

Selena stood there, shivering and alone. She couldn't fathom what had gone wrong. Why had that man grown so utterly cold towards her? Yes, her pursuit of him was partly motivated by self-interest, but there was genuine affection too.

A few heartless words from him had swept her feelings aside, causing a pain so profound it felt like death itself.

"Fine. If you refuse to believe in my love... then let me and the child I carry die to satisfy you." She gritted her teeth, each step bringing her closer to the river's edge, before she cast herself into the water.

Two children, waiting for their parents, abruptly witnessed the scene. The little girl shrieked: "Mom, Dad, that lady just jumped into the river!"

The adults jerked around just in time to see Selena sinking into the icy waters. Flora, after a brief moment of stunned silence, swiftly pushed Matthew to perform a rescue.

No matter how loathsome Selena may be, she and her child were lives at stake. She couldn't just stand by and let them perish.

A chaotic afternoon followed the rescue and the subsequent rush to the hospital.

"Doctor, she had a fall a few days ago and was in a bad way. Now this has happened... is the child... alright?" Matthew intercepted the doctor with his question.

The elderly doctor regarded him with a strange look: "Both mother and child are in fine health. If she was indeed in a precarious condition, today's events should have tilted the balance unfavorably."

The doctor's words were reassuring, but Matthew frowned deeply. Flora sighed at his stern countenance.

Days earlier, Selena had tearfully clung to Matthew, pleading about the child's fragile health. It had been a deception, no more, no less. And by the look on Matthew's face, he had just realized the same.

The doctor glanced at his watch: "It's nearly dark. Let's keep her for observation for a day or two. If there are no complications tonight, she can be discharged tomorrow."

Flora followed the doctor's gaze to the clock, and at the sight of the hour - almost six in the evening - she blanched.

She had forgotten her appointment with Layla and Patrick!

"Patrick... wait for me... go slow..."

The city lights were coming on. Along the deserted street, a woman was in pursuit of a man, trying to keep pace and calling his name continuously.

But the man showed no inclination to slow down. If anything, he quickened his pace.

"Patrick!" The woman bent down to remove her high heels, and rushed forward to embrace him tightly.

"What are you doing?" Patrick attempted to pry off Layla's arms, furrowing his brow: "Isn't it enough for you to make a mockery of me?"

Taken aback by Patrick's anger, Layla paused for a few seconds before shaking her head: "No, I'm not lying to you. Trust me, I had an appointment with Flora today... We were supposed to meet at three, but she... she must've forgotten."

Actually, Layla herself was unable to come up with a reason why Flora would miss the appointment. Unless... Layla tightened her grip, suddenly considering the possibility that Flora didn't genuinely want to resolve everything clearly.

Patrick's eyebrows knitted together: "I won't believe your words anymore. You keep saying you've met Flora, you've talked to her, but when I ask you where she is, you can't answer. Do you think I'm a child?"

Today, on his way to the place where Layla said she would rendezvous with Flora, Patrick found himself gripped by an unprecedented sense of anticipation and hope. But as minutes turned to hours, hope gradually faded to disappointment.

He saw not even a trace of Flora.

Inhaling deeply, he fought to control his mounting frustration. Despite his effort, he harshly removed the hand stubbornly gripping his own, saying: "Layla, you know... you know how important Flora is to me. Please, stop toying with my heart."

The situation was bizarre. If Layla was in touch with Flora, she surely knew her whereabouts. Why insist on this futile meeting?

He should have seen it from the very beginning.