Besides, the results of the paternity test for her and Zachery were out. What was there to be so surprised about?
Zachery was clearly excited. He rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Mommy, actually, back then when you..."
"Young Master, so this is where you were!" Chapman suddenly approached, holding a bundle of sheets. He said apologetically, "Young Master, the new maid is careless. She went into your room and soiled your bed, including the stuffed toy on it."
"It’s quite stained. I’m afraid it will be very difficult to get clean. Would you like to go upstairs and have a look?"
Christian’s face fell.
Seeing Chapman, Zachery stopped talking. He now realized something was amiss. "Young Master, is that stuffed toy really important?"
Christian’s lips tightened. After a few seconds, he replied, "Daddy gave it to me. I’m going to take a look."
Seeing this, Estelle followed him.
Zachery and Mia realized it wasn’t a good time to bring up the test results. Zachery pouted, while Mia shot Chapman a meaningful glance.
"Grandpa Chapman, you should stay indoors more these days. Judging by your features, it looks like you’re in for a streak of terrible luck."
Chapman knew Mia could tell fortunes, but he didn’t give it much thought and simply smiled at the two little ones.
Mia hmphed. ’Chapman’s face really does portend misfortune. His future, which should have been a peaceful and carefree old age, now looks impoverished and plagued by constant bad luck. Besides, Mia had a gut feeling about people, and she felt something about Chapman had changed.’
Zachery was still muttering under his breath, "What a shame. I guess we won’t be able to tell Mommy today..."
Mia was puzzled.
’So, did Grandpa Chapman do that on purpose to stop Zachery from revealing the truth about the paternity test? Or was it really just a coincidence?’
...
「The next day.」
Liam Sloan and Nathaniel Sloan had gone into the study early in the morning for a talk.
Estelle was standing outside the study, lost in thought.
Last night, when Christian saw that the stuffed toy was filthy and torn, his eyes had turned red, and he’d been downcast all evening.
So Estelle had decided to ask Nathaniel where he’d bought the toy. She wanted to get a new one for Christian.
But unexpectedly, the door to Nathaniel’s study remained closed.
...
「Inside the study.」
Love guru Liam Sloan was in the middle of his analysis. "Sister-in-law said it doesn’t matter whether she forgives you. What matters is whether the person she was back then is willing to forgive you."
"But Sister-in-law *is* that person from back then. For her to say that... it clearly means she hasn’t gotten over her hang-ups!"
Nathaniel Sloan’s brow furrowed, his expression practically screaming the three words, ’Isn’t that obvious?’
’If Estelle didn’t try to kill herself back then, why was there a suicide note? And that video... What on earth did she go through that she refuses to tell me about?’
Liam coughed twice. "Ahem. Bro, just listen to me."
"A person’s hang-ups can stem from trauma caused by their circumstances. For example, when the fire broke out five years ago, you didn’t get there in time. And after the fire, you couldn’t find her. So..."
BEEP BEEP BEEP.
Liam’s phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the screen—it was a client from his law firm. He made a hand gesture to Nathaniel.
"Bro, I gotta take this. Work call. Hello? Yes, this is he. Hello, Ms. Seymour. Please, go ahead."
Ms. Seymour snorted. "That’s right! To hell with that bastard, I’m done with him!"
"Ms. Sloan, tell me, what’s the point of a man like that? He’s out carousing and sleeping around, and he still has the gall to look down on me!"
Liam: "Ah..."
"You have no idea. Back when I was pregnant, my cousin was pregnant too. My mother-in-law was thrilled, acting as if my cousin was the one carrying her grandchild!"
"He didn’t care about me my entire pregnancy. When I went into labor, I was completely alone!"
"And where was he? By my cousin’s side the entire time! I mean, if he loved her so much, he should have just married her in the first place! He made me feel like a complete stranger!"
"I should have divorced him right after giving birth. I wouldn’t have suffered so much these past five years. There are plenty of fish in the sea; why was I so hung up on him?!"
"Ms. Sloan, tell me, wouldn’t it have been better if I’d just left five years ago? Isn’t faking your own death all the rage these days? I should have just done that, taken my kids, and disappeared. The scumbag, the bitch, the wicked mother-in-law—they could all have each other for all I care!"
"Damn it, I really lost out. Big time. The more I talk about it, the more I regret it. If I could go back five years, I would’ve left him in a heartbeat!"
"Ms. Sloan? Ms. Sloan? Are you going to say something?"
Liam: "..."
Liam slowly sank to his knees.
’Lady, how could you expect me to say anything at this point?’
He haltingly joined Ms. Seymour in bashing the "scumbag," comforted her as best he could, and then hung up. He wanted to tell his brother, ’The person Ms. Seymour was describing is her husband, Bro. It has nothing to do with you!’
But when he opened his mouth, what came out was:
"Bro... the man Ms. Seymour described is you. You were a terrible husband!"

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