The atmosphere in the villa wasn’t festive enough, so Nicole bought some decorative lights and hung them up with Hayden to give the place a festive mood.
During the mid-winter holiday, the servants in the villa took three days off to go home and spend time with their families.
There was a little nip in the air during the mid-winter holiday, but the weather today was especially good. The sun was shining high in the sky and making people feel lazy with its heat. Since they had nothing else to do, Nicole took the opportunity of the good weather to take Hayden to her mother’s grave.
Everyone was in a joyous spirit during the mid-winter holiday, so the graveyard was quiet with very few visitors.
Taking her son to the graveyard for the first time, Nicole drove up to the foot of the graveyard. Straightening Hayden’s clothes carefully, she took his hand and said, “Remember to say something pleasant when you meet your grandma later.” Even though her mother had passed away, Nicole always believed that she could hear them on the other side.
Hayden nodded obediently and walked forward in small steps while holding Nicole’s hand.
The flowers Nicole had brought last time were still placed on the gravestone when she and Hayden reached her mother’s grave. Surprisingly, there were fresh flowers placed on the gravestone. Who else would visit Mom’s grave other than me? Despite being puzzled deep down, Nicole didn’t think much about it. Laying the flowers in her hand on the gravestone, she whispered softly, “Mom, I’ve brought your grandson here to visit you. He’s four years old already. If you were still alive, you’d definitely like him. This boy is smart.”
After Nicole finished her sentence, Hayden put down the flowers in his hand as well. Then, with a straight face, he said as if reciting a text during class, “Grandma, Mom has brought me here to visit you. I didn’t come to see you before because we’d been abroad. I was still little, and Mom said she was worried. Now that I’m a little older, I’ve come to see you right away.”
Upon listening to Hayden’s words, Nicole couldn’t help but smile.
Hayden sounded very serious as he spoke to Nicole’s mother’s grave, recounting every bit of his and Nicole’s past.
The smile on Nicole’s face gradually deepened as she stood beside Hayden while listening to his words. She never thought that her son had always remembered these things.
After Hayden finished his speech, he and Nicole bowed to the grave. However, just as they were about to leave, they bumped head-on into a man.
The smile on Nicole’s face vanished at once when she saw who the person before her was. She clenched Hayden’s hand, wanting to go past the person and leave, but Joseph stopped her. He quickly went up to Nicole, saying, “What a coincidence, Miss Nicole.”
Nicole didn’t hold back her annoyance toward Joseph. After all, she never thought of forgiving him for what he had said last time.
Seeing that Nicole wasn’t even willing to take a look at him, Joseph knew that he was very much disliked. However, upon recalling what Queenie had told him, he felt as though he had received a shot in the arm. After Queenie told him that Nicole’s mother’s grave was here, he came here right away and had been waiting for Nicole for about a week. In order to please Nicole, he placed fresh flowers on her mother’s gravestone every single day so that he could speak to Nicole when she came.
Seeing that Nicole wanted to leave, Joseph hurriedly stepped forward and blocked her path. First, he explained what had happened last time, saying quickly, “Miss Anderson, I’m here to explain myself for what happened last time.” Who knows when the next opportunity will be if I don’t get to make myself clear this time? he thought. He hurriedly explained, “I heard from Queenie last time that you were going to marry my dad. It’s only been a few years since my mom passed away, so I couldn’t help but find such a prospect off-putting, which was why I said something harsh.”
Nicole stopped in her tracks. Well, these words at least sound reasonable.
Seeing that Nicole was visibly moved, Joseph immediately struck while the iron was hot, saying, “It was also because of that that I was somewhat prejudiced against you. Now that I’ve learned the truth of the situation, I just want to apologize to you.”
Nicole fell silent as she took a moment to calm down. When she turned to look at Joseph, her expression had softened slightly. “I forgive you,” she said magnanimously.
As soon as Joseph’s expression eased, he heard Nicole continue, “But I hope that we won’t have any dealings anymore. I don’t like you.”
Whatever the reason was, the man before her had spoken ill of her son, so Nicole was unwilling to forgive him for this. Having finished her sentence, she took her son’s hand and left with a stony face.
Joseph was startled for a moment. Upon coming to his senses, he quickly caught up to Nicole. “Miss Anderson, if I’ve done anything wrong, you may point it out.”
Nicole looked at the man before her, who was as clingy as a fly, with a slight frown. Did I not make myself clear enough? “I find you revolting,” she said bluntly while raising her black eyes, staring fixedly at him.
Joseph didn’t expect Nicole to straightforwardly express her distaste for him without sparing his feelings. For a moment, he didn’t come to his senses.
Nicole looked at the dazed person before her, who had obviously come here well-prepared. Although he wasn’t wearing a suit and a pair of leather shoes, he was exquisitely dressed, and he had a barely perceptible scent on him. Curling her lips into a smirk, she continued, “Whatever the reason, you spoke ill of my son, so there’s no way I’d like you.”
Upon hearing her clear and resounding words, Joseph finally came to his senses. He hurriedly composed his features and said, “Miss Anderson, allow me to apologize again for my previous remarks, but I said those things for a reason. After all – “
Nicole frowned as she listened to the man’s slightly loud voice. She interrupted him, saying, “So what do you want this time?” People like him were common in the business field. He had previously spoken rudely to her because she was nothing but Nicole. On the contrary, he was able to humble himself right now because she was now Lisa. The world didn’t lack such opportunists, but Nicole didn’t like them. This time, Joseph groomed himself carefully and came here to approach her because he wanted to work with F&M Apparel.
Carrying himself with greater modesty, Joseph darted his gaze to Hayden before turning his gaze back to Nicole. “Miss Anderson, I’d like to treat you to lunch and discuss some matters while we’re at it. Do you have time for that?”
Nicole’s lips curled into a sneer. She refused him outright, saying, “No.”
Joseph quickly replied, “Miss Anderson, it’s not working with F&M Apparel that I want to talk about. I’d like to talk to you about what happened five years ago.” After saying that, he stared fixedly at Nicole.
Even though Nicole had pretended to be calm, she looked slightly dumbfounded for a moment when Joseph mentioned the words “five years ago.” Clenching her son’s hand, she wanted to turn Joseph down, but her words were stuck in her throat. A chill came over her. How did Joseph learn about it?
Even though Nicole was good at maintaining her composure, Joseph noticed a slight change in her expression. He immediately stepped forward, saying, “How about it, Miss Anderson? Let’s go for lunch together and sit down to have a nice chat. Some matters have to be talked out so that they won’t be spread around.”
Nicole didn’t want her son to have anything to do with Joseph, but the man before her seemed to have learned something. Even though he didn’t make himself clear at this moment, there was a hint of threat in his words. Furthermore, when she looked at the man, she saw the visible smile on his face. Clenching her fists, she slowly uttered from her dry throat, “Okay.”
Joseph’s taut expression finally eased when he heard that Nicole accepted his invitation. He was only sounding Nicole out in the first place. After all, he couldn’t trust Queenie fully at the moment. However, judging from how Nicole had agreed to his suggestion now, it seemed that he might get what he wished for.
Joseph was very attentive to Nicole, so much so that he went out of his way to reserve a luxurious private room at a hotel for her. After Nicole seated herself, he respectfully handed her the menu with both hands and asked with a grin, “Please take a look, Miss Anderson. Is there anything you’d like to eat?”
Despite having followed Joseph into the room, Nicole didn’t really want to have lunch with him here. Looking up at his face, she said unhurriedly, “If you want to say something, just spill it. I’m not in the mood to beat around the bush with you here.” She feigned a look of composure, but she unconsciously tightened her grip on Hayden’s hand.
Hayden seemed to have sensed something. Holding his mother’s hand in response, he said forcefully in a childlike voice, “Don’t be afraid, Mom. I’m here.” With his words, he labeled Joseph as a bad guy right away.
The smile on Joseph’s face became even more apparent. Gazing at Nicole’s face with his dark eyes, he contemplated what he was going to say before asking, “Miss Anderson, did we meet each other five years ago?”
As soon as Joseph asked the question, Nicole answered resolutely, “No.” However, the faster she denied that, the more it proved that she had a guilty conscience.
Looking at Nicole’s calm expression, Joseph continued with a smile, “Miss Anderson, why don’t you think about it carefully? We met five years ago at the hotel.” His words weren’t explicit, and he had a confident smile on his face.
Nicole’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at the man, and her eyes lowered with a flicker of mixed emotions in them. Pursing her lips with a frown, she said firmly, “What do you mean by saying that, Mr. Mann? My mother was critically ill five years ago, and I spent every single day caring for her by her sickbed. After she passed away, I went abroad, so I had never been to a hotel.” She steadied herself, thinking, I mustn’t let Joseph know that Hayden was born after I had a one-night stand with him five years ago!
“In that case, why would you agree to have lunch with me when I mentioned what had happened five years ago?” Joseph seized upon this; he didn’t believe there was nothing fishy about it.
Nicole had given herself away a little at the graveyard, but she was now able to think very clearly. When she looked up to meet Joseph’s gaze, her eyes looked calm and imperturbable. Curling her lips into a sneer, she stared fixedly at the man without averting her eyes. “I didn’t want to be seen having physical contact with a man outside at the graveyard. You looked like you’d keep pestering me if I didn’t agree to have lunch with you, so I followed you here to clear things up,” she said. Then, before Joseph could say a word, she continued, “Just say what you want to say. I don’t have time to beat around the bush with you.”
Joseph’s words died on his lips as he looked at the woman before him. He had at least trusted Queenie before F&M Apparel’s annual dinner, but now, he could only doubt her. However, recalling how he had offended Nicole thoroughly at F&M Apparel’s annual dinner, he decided to go ahead anyway. In any case, there was no way Nicole would work with the Mann Family, but if Nicole’s son was really his, he would be able to make her obey him.
“Someone told me that your son was born after we slept together five years ago. Although I doubted it, the person talked as if she had evidence to back what she said. So, Miss Nicole, may I take the liberty of asking you who your son’s father is?” he said quickly while fixing his eyes on Nicole, searching her face for any possible clues.
Nicole’s heart jumped when she heard Joseph’s words. However, having worked in the business field for years, she had gone through many ups and downs, so she kept her countenance in check without giving herself away.
Silence filled the air when Joseph finished his sentence. He stared fixedly at Nicole, wanting to see how she would respond.
Nicole fell silent for a moment before a smile suddenly appeared on her face. At first, she was smiling faintly; after that, though, she laughed right away while wiping the tears off the corner of her eye, as though she had heard an outrageous joke.
After laughing for a while, she finally put on a stern expression. Taking out her phone, she glanced at its screen with amusement all over her face before looking at the man before her, saying, “Mr. Mann, today is not April Fool’s Day, but the mid-winter holiday. Don’t tell me you’ve only come up with such a way to draw my attention after so many days.” As she spoke, the smile on her face slowly disappeared, and her voice took on a grim tone. “We never met until we talked about our possible collaboration last time. What’s your motive in making such an outrageous claim right now?” She stared at him with a layer of frost in her beautiful eyes. “How could you resort to such a dirty trick to get to work with F&M Apparel?”
Nicole’s voice sounded increasingly grim as it turned colder and colder, sending a chill down Joseph’s spine. Looking at Nicole, who was already seething with anger before him, he inwardly regretted what he had just said. Judging from how Nicole looks, what Queenie said is most probably a lie. I must’ve been out of my mind to keep believing that woman’s words! But now that I’ve offended her to such an extent, if I chicken out right now, I’ll be embarrassing myself. Gritting his teeth, he put on a tough front, saying, “Whatever the truth is, Miss Nicole, please let your son do a paternity test with me. If what the person said was a lie, I’ll personally bring the rumormonger to apologize to you. However, if what the person said is true, please let me claim my right as the kid’s father.”
Rumormonger? A number of people crossed Nicole’s mind before she quickly figured out it was Queenie. After all, only Queenie and she knew what had happened between her and Joseph five years ago. Furthermore, it made sense when Nicole recalled what had happened at F&M Apparel’s annual dinner. I never expected her to be so despicable, she thought. Blinking her eyes with a frosty expression, she uttered coldly through her lips, “You wish!”
Seeing that Nicole was unwilling to have Hayden do a paternity test with him, Joseph quickly continued, “Miss Anderson, no matter what the person said is true or not, we’ll find out once we do the test. Also, doing the test would dispel our doubts. Wouldn’t that be killing two birds with one stone? And besides, if what the person said is false, you can be on guard against the rumormonger earlier, right?”
Upon listening to how the man before her kept urging her to have the paternity test done as though he would never stop until he reached his goal, Nicole frowned with a hint of impatience on her face, and she spoke with a note of reproach. “If everyone approaches me with such an excuse like you do, do I have to let my son do the test with all of them? Mr. Mann, let’s end our conversation here. If you keep on using such an excuse to pester me next time, don’t blame me for being unpleasant with you.”
At the moment, she could only put on a tough front with a hint of frigidity in her eyes. Just as she took Hayden’s hand and stood up to leave, she seemed to recall something; after pausing in her tracks, she turned around and said to Joseph, “My mother preferred not to be disturbed while she was still alive, so don’t disturb her peace anymore.” With that, she opened the door and left quickly.
Gazing at Nicole’s receding figure from behind, Joseph unclenched his fist, revealing several strands of fine, short hair in his hand. He had plucked them just now when Hayden walked past him. Right now, he could only take a gamble. If the test results showed that Hayden was indeed his son, there was no doubt that the Mann Family would definitely rise in status in the future with the backing of Nicole and F&M Apparel.
Hayden looked up at his mother, whose face looked somewhat pale. He shook her arm and comforted her, saying, “Mom, what are you worried about? Joseph isn’t my dad, anyway.”
His voice snapped Nicole out of her thoughts. Looking down at her son’s tender cheeks, she swept him up in her arms and pinched his cheek gently with her fingers as her lips curled into a forced smile. “I was just angry because I thought someone’s trying to snatch you away from me.”
“Don’t be angry, Mom. I’m yours; no one can snatch me away from you,” Hayden replied in all seriousness while hugging Nicole.
Thanks to Hayden’s words, Nicole’s gloomy expression finally eased somewhat. Walking on with her son in her arms, her tone turned jolly, and she said, “You’re right, Hayden. Let’s go home. I’ll make something delicious for you to eat.”
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