Chapter_8
Chapter 8
“I won’t go! I refuse to see her!” Timothy shouted as he bolted away, clearly upset. Alana had other plans, though, and wasn’t deterred by his reaction.
“Madame Ryker, are the three children still at the Ryker mansion?” Alana asked, her voice casual, as though the question didn’t hold any significance.
Rosaline, sipping her tea, nodded. “Yes, they’re outside playing with Timmy in the garden.”
“In that case, do you know who their parents are?” Alana pressed, her voice laced with intrigue. “Emmeline mentioned that Abel is the father. I’m hoping that’s true. I’m waiting for him to return so we can go for a paternity test.”
Rosaline, clearly surprised, raised an eyebrow. “That won’t do!” Alana interjected before she could say more.
Rosaline was taken aback by the sharpness of Alana’s words. “Why’s that?” she asked, genuinely confused.
“Because Emmeline said that Adrien is the father,” Alana quickly clarified.
Rosaline’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Adrien? How can that be? I don’t agree with this!” she exclaimed, feeling unsettled by the idea.
Alana smirked, her tone growing condescending. “Madame Ryker, disagreeing with it won’t change anything. If you’re too attached to these children, people might think you’re jealous of Auntie Julianna. But don’t worry, once Abel and I are married, I’ll give you multiple grandchildren. How does that sound?”
Rosaline sat in stunned silence. The audacity of Alana’s words left her speechless, and yet, she couldn’t ignore the sense of dissatisfaction bubbling inside her. She quickly grabbed her phone and called Abel, urging him to come over with Adrien. Alana’s plans were falling into place as she watched Rosaline, who seemed to be at a loss for how to respond.
After a while, Abel and Adrien arrived, and the atmosphere was tense as the children gathered in front of them.
“Who are these three?” Adrien asked, his confusion evident. “When did you give birth to them?”
Alana’s voice was dripping with sarcasm as she responded, “Congratulations, Mr. Adrien. These three are yours. Were you unaware of that?”
Adrien’s eyes widened, and he nearly stumbled from the shock. He stared at the children, pointing toward them as he muttered, “These three… are mine?”
Abel and Rosaline were visibly upset by the situation, neither knowing how to react.
“Adrien, you should undergo a paternity test, just to be sure,” Abel suggested, his tone edged with frustration.
“That’s right! There’s a hospital nearby, so it should be convenient,” Alana added with a sly smile.
Rosaline stood up, her voice full of exhaustion. “I’m done with this. If the results prove they’re Adrien’s children, don’t bother telling me about it!”
Alana, unfazed, nodded enthusiastically. “You got it, Madame Ryker. You should rest now.”
As Rosaline left the room, she turned to Abel. “Abel, it’s time to prepare for your wedding to Alana. Timmy is grown up now, but I still want to take care of your children. It’s not just one grandchild I want—I want at least three!”
Abel sat silently, drinking his tea, lost in thought. He was still processing everything, his feelings a mixture of confusion and dread.
The children, unaware of the deeper tensions at play, looked between their parents.
“Isn’t Abel our daddy?” Helios frowned, clearly puzzled.
“That’s right. Why did it suddenly change?” Endymion asked, his confusion mirroring the others.
“What’s going on?” Hesperus added, completely lost.
Alana scoffed, her patience wearing thin. “You all have no right to argue here. Once the paternity test results are out, you’ll see for yourselves that Adrien is your father!”
Abel, feeling the tension rising, stepped forward, his voice firm. “You have no right to speak to them like that. Timothy is my son, and he’s part of the Ryker family. Where do you get the courage to scold them?”
Alana paused, realizing she was crossing a line. “I’m bringing my son upstairs to read,” Abel said, lifting Timothy into his arms. Alana stayed behind at the mansion to wait for Adrien and the test results, her thoughts filled with certainty. She had already informed Christopher about the plan. Once the results came back, there would be no denying the truth—Adrien would be the father.
Later, Christopher delivered the results, and Alana waited by the stairs, a knowing smile on her face. She winked at him, her attention divided between the results and the subtle gestures exchanged with Christopher, though no one seemed to notice.
“Mr. Adrien, the paternity test results indicate that your DNA matches. That means you’re the father,” Christopher announced, and though Adrien had anticipated the outcome, his joy couldn’t be contained. He stood up, his eyes brimming with tears as he embraced the three children.
“Congratulations, Adrien,” Abel said bitterly, his voice strained with frustration.
Alana walked down the stairs, a smug smile on her face. “I knew they were Adrien’s kids. They look just like him!” she declared confidently.
Adrien, grinning, looked toward Abel. “It was the same woman who brought these kids here. You only have one, but I have three!”
Alana’s voice chimed in, “Adrien sure is the best. He gave me three healthy grandchildren just like that. It’s a wonderful day, isn’t it?”
Everyone turned their attention to the entrance, where a cheerful voice rang out. It was Julianna, her laughter echoing through the hall.
“Mom, come see your grandchildren!” Adrien called out.
Julianna took a quick glance at Rosaline, her expression filled with satisfaction. “I came over after receiving the phone call. Looks like today’s my lucky day!” she said with a laugh.
Rosaline, her face tight with anger, turned away with a snort, unwilling to entertain Julianna’s presence any longer.
Julianna approached the children, her arms outstretched. “Nice to meet you all. I’m your Granny,” she said warmly.
The three children exchanged silent glances, clearly unsure how to react to the woman before them.
Helios turned to Abel, his voice full of concern. “Daddy, is this true?”
Abel’s heart clenched as he responded softly, “I’ve told you before, I’m not your father. He is.”
Endymion, confused, asked, “Did mommy make a mistake?”
Hesperus, always the realist, said, “It’s up to mommy to decide.”
Helios, not fully understanding, pulled out his phone. “We need to tell mommy. She’ll know what to do!”
Julianna smiled, a glint of satisfaction in her eyes. “It’s better for your mother to know. That way, you can all be reunited as a family!”
“That’s right!” Adrien added with a grin. “She gave birth to three beautiful children, so I must marry her!”
Abel, feeling an overwhelming sense of discomfort, frowned. He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t suppress the feeling of unease deep within him.
Alana, sensing the growing tension, said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
