Joseph was somewhat afraid deep down when he saw Colton, for he didn’t expect Nicole to be with him. Feigning composure at once, he said respectfully with a smile, “What a coincidence, President Gardner! I’m here to talk to Miss Anderson.”
“She’s not available,” Colton refused bluntly. His tall figure exuded a terrifyingly chilly aura even when he was merely standing there doing nothing.
Seeing how Colton turned him down so quickly, Joseph looked slightly embarrassed. However, he came well-prepared this time. Turning his gaze to Nicole, he produced a report in his hand, saying, “Miss Anderson, I’ve got a report in my hand, which I obtained after meeting you last time. I think you’d like to take a look at it too.”
The air turned heavy all of a sudden, and Nicole’s heart shuddered involuntarily when her gaze fell upon the report Joseph was holding. She pursed her lips as her hands clenched into fists by her sides.
Seeing Nicole’s ghastly expression, Colton frowned slightly and asked with concern, “Nicole, are you alright?”
Luckily, Nicole had applied makeup before leaving home today. Even if she looked pale at the moment, no one could notice it. In an attempt to make her voice sound steadier, she lowered her voice, saying, “It’s okay, President Gardner. It’s about something private between him and me. Let me deal with it first.”
Colton glanced at Nicole before darting another look at Joseph. His black eyes darkened slightly, but he nonetheless stepped aside to give way to Joseph. Before he left, he said, “Just call me if there’s anything. I’ll fix it.”
A forced smile crossed Nicole’s face. She replied with a nod, “Thank you, President Gardner.”
After Colton left, Joseph immediately went up to Nicole. At this moment, however, he looked less obsequious as a lewd smile appeared on his face. He handed Nicole the report in his hands, saying, “Please take a look, Miss Anderson. This is the result of the paternity test done by matching the DNA of your son’s hair with the DNA of my own hair.”
Nicole’s hands froze visibly as she took the report. Looking up at Joseph, her brow furrowed. “This can’t be possible!”
Seeing the look of panic on Nicole’s face, Joseph immediately took advantage of the situation, saying, “Miss Anderson, why don’t you take a look at the report’s contents first before saying anything else?”
Realizing that she had lost her composure, she quickly composed her features. She would always lose her cool whenever it concerned her son. After steadying her hands, she took the paper out of the envelope.
On the white paper were words printed in black ink. At the bottom of the paper, though, there was a section where words were printed in scarlet. The words, which Nicole found offensive, read, ‘Paternity Confirmed.’
Nicole felt as though she was going to stop breathing. She didn’t expect that Joseph would actually get the paternity test done, but she soon kept herself from trembling. With a chilly expression, she looked up and tossed the report into his arms with a sneer. “Do you think I’m gonna believe you with this forged paternity test report in your hands?”
Joseph was inwardly confident as he held the report in his hands. He had personally obtained this report from the hospital, and when he saw the words ‘paternity confirmed’ on it, he was also in disbelief. He never thought that he would have a son five years ago with Lisa, the Chief Designer of F&M Apparel. With that, a connection was quickly established between the two previously unrelated people, and Mann Clothing Co. could be saved once again.
Just when neither of the two refused to budge, a loud and clear female voice suddenly rang beside them. “Oh, sis, why are you standing at the entrance?” Queenie walked up to Nicole with an obvious smile on her face. When she turned her head slowly and saw Joseph standing next to Nicole, she pretended as though she had just noticed his presence. “Oh, Mr. Mann, you’re here too? What a coincidence!” Then, she happened to glance down and saw the words “Paternity Confirmed” printed in red on the paper Joseph was holding. She darted a look at Nicole before turning her gaze back to Joseph. Then, she stepped forward and pretended to ask, “What’s happening between you two?”
Nicole’s face darkened slightly when she saw Queenie’s affected manners.
On the other hand, Queenie seemed eager to stir up trouble. Staring at Nicole, she said, stressing each word, “Could Mr. Mann have found out that he’s the father of your son, sis?” She had modified the paternity test report herself so that Joseph would go to Nicole after getting his hands on it. She had waited here for a long time before she finally saw them meet. It’s a shame that Colton has gone upstairs, or else the drama would’ve been even more interesting to watch.
Upon hearing Queenie’s words, Joseph played along with her. “Queenie, you’re here at just the right moment. Your sister gave birth to my son five years ago, but she never told me about it,” he said while feigning a hurt expression that made him look all the more pitiful.
Upon hearing Joseph’s words, Queenie immediately assumed a look of surprise. She shouted at the top of her voice, “How could you do that, sis? It’s not like the Mann Family can’t afford to raise a kid. Since Mr. Mann has learned about it, how about you let Hayden acknowledge him as his father?”
Seeing how the two people before her sang the same tune, Nicole couldn’t help feeling amused. Queenie’s voice was so loud as though she feared that no one could hear her, and she was eager to tell the world that Hayden was Nicole and Joseph’s son. Recalling what Queenie had said at F&M Apparel earlier, Nicole easily surmised that the woman was ready to hold her back by using Joseph for fear that Colton might get seduced by her charm. It was a cheap and despicable trick, but it was indeed effective. She said in a cold voice, “Don’t you two find this laughable? Coming to Gardner Corporation with a paternity test report out of nowhere, insisting that my son is his? Where’s the proof of that?” Her eyes were frosty. No matter whether Joseph was Hayden’s biological father or not, he had no right to be Hayden’s father.
Queenie swiftly replied, “Sis, if you don’t believe us, we can take Hayden to do a paternity test with Mr. Mann. If the report is fake, we can find out who is to blame later on. How about that?” Only she knew that Colton was the guy Nicole had slept with five years ago, so she didn’t believe that Nicole would dare to have the paternity test done.
Nicole’s expression changed slightly when she heard Queenie’s words. She knew Queenie was certain that she wouldn’t dare to have the paternity test done, for Queenie knew what had happened between her and Joseph five years ago. But now that Joseph had come to her with the paternity test report, if she refused him in an unyielding manner, she would have no chance of winning once he took legal action directly. In that case, I’d better agree to have the test done first, she thought to herself while gulping a mouthful of saliva.
Keeping her countenance, she said calmly, “Okay. In that case, I’ll take Hayden to do the paternity test with you this weekend. If the results show that you aren’t his father, I’ll call the police right away on account of harassment.” With that, she turned around and entered Gardner Corporation’s building right away, disappearing from the two people’s sight.
Joseph looked all the more smug as he watched Nicole leave. He turned to look at Queenie with a smile, saying, “Miss Queenie, thank you for the matter this time. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known that I have such a close relationship with Lisa.”
On the other hand, Queenie’s face paled somewhat after she listened to Nicole’s words, and she forced a smile. If she could find out in advance at which hospital Nicole would have the paternity test done, she would be able to do something about it. However, if Nicole were to have the paternity test done on the spot, she might be unable to continue hiding the truth.
After returning to her office, Nicole looked somewhat unsettled, and her face took on a look of worry. Resting her chin in her hand, she tapped on Zachary’s Facebook, only to quit his Facebook page upon recalling how he had left in a hurry.
Now that Zachary had his hands full with matters concerning his family, she might cause him even more trouble if she bothered him with such a trifling matter. However, she had few acquaintances in the country, and the companies she had previously worked with were all foreign companies. At the moment, she really felt isolated and helpless.
Holding her cell phone, Nicole glanced up and down her contact list before her finger suddenly paused and tapped on Colton’s Facebook. She and Colton were merely partners, but she figured that he would lend her a hand if she asked him for help. This was a private matter, but since it concerned her son, she had no choice but to bother him. Letting out a sigh, she chose her words in her mind before tapping her fingers on the phone’s screen to compose a text message. It read, ‘President Gardner, I’d like to ask you to help me with a private matter. It’s okay if you’re busy.’
She stared at her phone’s screen for a long time. Seeing that there hadn’t been any response from the other side for a long time, she couldn’t help but feel that the man wasn’t going to help her. Just as she was about to find another way, her phone suddenly beeped with a Facebook message from Colton. It read, ‘Let’s talk about it upstairs.’
Nicole looked at the Facebook message. The message was simple, but its meaning was clear: Colton had agreed to help her. Finally, a great weight was lifted off her mind, and her originally tense nerves relaxed a little. After tidying herself up, she picked up the design drafts on her desk. After all, she had to take something upstairs with her as a cover.
After reaching the top floor, she came to the president’s office, a place she was familiar with. Standing at the door, she knocked on it politely.
A slightly deep and husky voice sounded from the inside. “Come in.”
When Nicole opened the door and entered,
Colton happened to be staring at his laptop while tapping on the keyboard with amazing speed. He darted his eyes toward the door. Seeing her coming in, he withdrew his gaze.
He stood up and gave a light chuckle as his gaze fell upon the papers in Nicole’s hands. Sitting on the sofa, he poured two glasses of water before handing one of them to her. “As I said, Miss Anderson, just tell me if there’s anything.”
Nicole hesitated for a moment, but nonetheless said, “I’ve got a personal matter. President Gardner, if you’re free – “
Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Colton. “Miss Anderson, your business is also mine. You just have to keep your mind on your design and leave everything else to me,” he said calmly. It wasn’t difficult for him to figure out that Joseph had something to do with the personal matter. Gardner Apparel was only one step away from the top spot in the country’s clothing industry, so he wouldn’t allow anything unexpected to happen during this period.
Nicole also knew that Colton only agreed to help her because she was still of use to Gardner Corporation. At the thought of this, she dispelled her worries and said directly, “I’d like you to go to the hospital with me this weekend. Can you do that?”
Colton was startled. The hospital? He pressed his thin lips together with a hint of puzzlement in his narrow, black eyes. He slowly asked, “You’re ill?”
“No, it’s for the paternity test,” Nicole replied seriously. Clasping her hands together, she briefly explained what had just happened.
This time, it was Colton’s turn to frown. “You mean Joseph’s the father of your son?”
Such a thing sounded somewhat shameless, but Nicole endured the humiliation and nodded. She lowered her head with a flicker of anguish in her eyes while clenching her fists tightly. If it weren’t that Mom was critically ill five years ago… I wouldn’t have sunk so low… “I didn’t get to see the man’s face that night, but it was most likely him. Joseph only approached me because he wanted to work with F&M Apparel or Lisa, but he’s not qualified to be either a business partner or a father.”
Colton fell silent for a moment. After a long time, he raised his eyes and replied, “Okay.”
Colton was surprised by what Nicole had just said, but he didn’t express it. There was a strange look on his face when he heard Nicole mention the night of her encounter with Joseph just now. The date really matches up with what that little brat told me. His black eyes darkened slightly, but he didn’t say a word. After all, he had doubted Hayden’s parentage at the time because of how confident the boy sounded as though he had concrete proof, and he had really had the DNA paternity test done on Hayden’s hair, but the results… He chuckled inwardly while quickly banishing those thoughts from his mind. With a hint of a smile on his face, he asked, “In that case, Miss Anderson, how would you like me to help you?”
Nicole pondered for a moment; she had had everything planned out downstairs just now. She said seriously, “Joseph and I agreed to go to the hospital this weekend since the results of the paternity test will only be convincing when the test is done right before us. President Gardner, if you’re free, could you go to the hospital with me?”
Colton smiled. It was easy for him to figure out what Nicole meant, and he nodded with a faint hint of joy in his dark eyes. He was never a meddlesome person, but for some reason, he agreed to help Nicole without hesitation when he saw the message she had sent him. Perhaps it’s just for the sake of our collaboration this time, he thought to himself. “Alright. Miss Nicole, if you have any plans, you might as well tell me the details.” Today was Monday, which was a whole week away from the weekend. There was plenty of time for them to make preparations.
Nicole collected herself. Her plan was simple: she would go to a random hospital by then. After all, if the test done at the hospital she had chosen gave a negative result, it wouldn’t sound convincing enough. She would have Colton secretly swap Joseph’s DNA sample with his own. After all, Colton was unrelated to her son, so the test results would definitely show that Hayden wasn’t Joseph’s son.
She was now skeptical about the report in Joseph’s hands. However, if the report was forged, why would he dare to accost her at Gardner Corporation’s entrance? To avoid unnecessary troubles, she decided to come up with a foolproof plan. No matter whether Joseph was Hayden’s biological father or not, she had to make sure that the results would show that he wasn’t Hayden’s father to avoid unnecessary complications. She briefly explained her plans, whereas Colton’s smile deepened as he listened to her. Without turning her down, he lowered his eyes and replied softly with a nod, “Okay.”
Now that Colton had agreed to go along with her plan, Nicole’s mind was finally put to rest. Actually, it was mainly because Joseph wouldn’t dare to behave too presumptuously in Colton’s presence.
Because of this matter, Nicole wasn’t in the mood to stay in the company. After asking Colton for a day off, she returned home.
…
Meanwhile, Queenie had wanted to take this opportunity to take a dig at Nicole. However, she didn’t expect Nicole to ask Joseph to have another paternity test done on the weekend. If the test were to be done on the spot, she would have no opportunity to do anything. That way, the truth would come to light.
Queenie knew that Nicole had joined Gardner Corporation today as Lisa. At first, she had wanted to seize this opportunity to show Nicole who was the boss. It would be even better if everyone in the company knew about what had happened, for this would make Nicole feel humiliated in the company. However, she didn’t expect Nicole to not be afraid at all. Could she have learned that the one she slept with five years ago was Colton, not Joseph? But judging from her reaction just now, it didn’t seem like she knew about it.
Her expression was somewhat grave, whereas Joseph, the idiot, was still rejoicing over his connection with Lisa.
After casually sending Joseph away, Queenie turned in another direction and went home. I’ve got to establish the fact that Joseph is the father of Nicole’s bastard son. That way, even if Nicole does anything, she’ll never be able to turn things around! As a hint of venom flickered across her eyes, her hand clenched tightly into a fist by her side.
When Queenie returned home, Lydia was playing bridge with a group of other women. She was clad in a form-fitting dress, and her makeup was carefully done. Although she was over fifty, Lydia only appeared to be in her early forties due to her excellent skincare routine.
Queenie could hear someone ingratiating Lydia the moment she stepped inside.
“You’re so fortunate. Your daughter is amazing for being able to snag the president of Gardner Corporation for herself. She’ll be able to live like a queen now.”
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