The IVF Secret That Shook a Dynasty novel Chapter 306

"I had a meeting this afternoon, but the client canceled last minute," Joseph explained slowly, his eyebrows arching elegantly. "I saw it was getting late and was going to ask if you wanted to grab lunch and head home together. You didn't reply to my message, so I figured you were still busy. I was just going to grab a coffee when I walked in and saw you."

He paused. "Wouldn't you say that's quite a coincidence?"

Vivica was surprised. It really was. Then she remembered his message. "You texted me? I didn't see it."

She pulled out her phone and saw that he had indeed messaged her on WhatsApp, asking if she was done with work and had eaten.

"Oh, I was putting Chaim to bed last night while texting Quintina and turned the volume all the way down so I wouldn't wake him. Then with Fletcher causing a scene, I didn't even look at my phone."

Vivica then looked up at him curiously. "Didn't you used to say you hated texting? You always called if you needed something. What changed?"

"It wasn't important enough for a call," Joseph replied with his signature coolness.

The real reason, of course, was that texts left a trail. Sometimes, he would open their chat and reread their conversations, reliving the emotions of that moment. But he would never admit to something so sentimental.

"Alright," Vivica said, looking at the distinguished man before her, a bit conflicted. "I still have a little work left. I was planning to finish up and head home, but then Fletcher showed up outside my department, so I had to come down."

"Do you need to go back and finish?" Joseph asked.

Vivica smiled sheepishly. "It should only take about half an hour. Maybe you could find a place to sit and wait for me?"

"Ms. Lynn, my time is billed by the minute, you know," Joseph said with a half-smile.

Her own smile became more placating. "In that case, why don't you calculate your fee for half an hour, and I'll pay you?"

Joseph was speechless for a moment. He was pleasantly surprised that she felt comfortable enough to joke with him like this. He looked at her feigned obsequiousness with cool disdain. "Forget it. I'm not interested in your money."

"Then I'll treat you to lunch," Vivica quickly offered.

Seeing no objection from him, Vivica smiled and waved. "I'm heading up. I'll be down in half an hour, I promise. Find a spot to wait, and I'll call you."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving the great Mr. Baird standing there.

Joseph's lips curved into a slight smile. He chuckled to himself at the thought of acting like a teenager in the throes of first love at his age.

"What do you mean?" Fletcher's face tensed as he stared at Joseph in shock. "What does Chaim have to do with the Baird family?"

"Take a guess," Joseph said, deciding to toy with him.

Fletcher's mind raced, considering the possibilities.

"Chaim looks a bit like you… Don't tell me he's actually your son?" Fletcher frowned, muttering to himself. "No, that's not right. I did some digging. Vivica only met you during the divorce proceedings. And the doctor who did the IVF said she was still a virgin."

He felt his conclusion was right, but the details didn't add up. "So there's no way you two could have slept together. But you said Chaim is connected to the Baird family…"

Joseph watched him muttering and pondering like a fortune teller and decided to give him a hint. "Have you forgotten how Chaim was conceived?"

Fletcher's head snapped up. He stared at Joseph for a few seconds, and then his eyes widened in horrified realization.

"Chaim was conceived through IVF with a sperm donor. The sample was from a sperm bank. He looks like you… Is Chaim your biological son?"