Chapter 364 Catherine, Out of Nowhere, a Kid?!
Only Catherine would still be worrying about not making things harder for Faye after what she'd just seen.
Juniper still couldn't get over the image of Faye hefting a chair and swinging it without hesitation. Who in their right mind would dare mess with her after that?
Her phone buzzed. Alkaid's name lit up the screen.
"Ms. Windsor, I hear you have a child now!"
Catherine's brows drew together. "Try again."
"In preparation for the upcoming research summit, I was going through your paperwork. Imagine my surprise when I found you listed as the legal parent of a little girl named Lika. She's three years old."
As Alkaid spoke, a file pinged onto Catherine's phone. It was an official record linking her to a child — her supposed daughter.
The Galactic Aurora Collective chat group was already losing its mind.
"Ms. Windsor, you weren't even of legal age three years ago. How exactly did you manage that?"
"You checked this out?"
Alkaid's tone was amused. "Of course. Turns out Lika's parents had their eye on one of your properties in a prime school district. They registered her under your name so she could attend the school tied to that address."
"Which property? I have too many to keep track."
Alkaid groaned. It was pure flex. The Windsor family had given Catherine so many houses that even she couldn't remember them all. Brandon bought properties for the kids when he was in a good mood… and when he wasn't.
"It's the apartment in the city. We reached out to the parents, but they refuse to change the registration."
Juniper, catching Catherine's expression, asked what was going on. When she heard the story, she nearly choked.
People would do anything for a school spot these days. But Catherine wasn't even married — and now she apparently had a child?
Juniper bolted off to find Brandon and Aurora. If this rumor spread, it would be a PR nightmare.
Catherine pressed her fingers to her temple.
"Ms. Windsor, what should we do? The child's parents are asking to meet you as well!"
"Meet them. And while we're at it, I want to stop by the Quinn Couture factory. It's on the way."
"I'll make the arrangements."
When the Windsor family heard, jaws dropped. Philip caught Catherine heading for the door and immediately grabbed his coat.
"No way you're going to face those people alone. You're bringing your lawyer."
"Alright."
Aurora smacked Brandon on the head. "This is your fault. I told you to keep the kids' personal information locked down. Now look — you've got yourself a granddaughter."
Brandon could only take the hit in silence.
The café's door chimed as the wind caught the bell. Autumn air curled in around the tall girl in a tan trench coat, brown leather shoes clicking against the floor, posture regal as a princess. Behind her strolled a man in a loud floral shirt, heart-shaped sunglasses, and a gothic chain hanging from his belt.
The couple in the booth visibly relaxed. Young, clueless, probably loaded — just what they'd hoped for.
Philip took one look and arched a brow. "Well, isn't this interesting. That woman happens to be the mistress of Gabriella's father. Quite the portfolio."
The mistress didn't seem to recognize Philip without his usual sharp suit. She certainly didn't connect the eccentric man in front of her to the high-profile attorney she'd seen in the news.
Catherine slid into the seat opposite them, her face unreadable. "You're Lika's parents? She's registered under my property. You'll remove her from it."
The couple exchanged a glance, clearly convinced they were dealing with naive rich kids. "We're just trying to get our daughter into a good school. You're not even living there. Let her use the address."
"Exactly," the woman chimed in. "You don't have children. You have no idea how hard it is. Or you could sell us the place. Give us a break on the price."
Catherine's brow lifted. The audacity was almost impressive. They'd hijacked her address, dumped a child in her records, and now wanted to buy the property on the cheap?
Philip leaned in. "We can sell. But at market value. Not a cent less."
Market value for that district was well over ten million dollars.
The man chuckled. "Prices are down. We'll give you five million."
Five million wouldn't even buy the living room.
"If you don't want to sell, fine. But we're not changing the registration."
Philip's smile was slow. "Mind showing us your marriage certificate? We need to confirm you're the legal guardians."
The woman handed it over. "We've been married for years."
Philip recorded the document on his phone, then removed his sunglasses. The woman's eyes went wide.
"Mr. Windsor?!"
"That's me. And as for you — you've been married for years, yet you're still after Mr. Gray's estate? The child you claimed was his… that would be Lika, wouldn't it?"
The man turned on her, fury snapping in his voice. "You never even left Ash? Whose kid is Lika, then? You lying—"
Caught between her husband's rage and Philip's questions, the woman's composure cracked. She'd only wanted some money. Was that so wrong?
"I… the child…"
No answer would save her now.
Catherine's voice was almost playful. "What are you talking about? Lika isn't my daughter?"
She turned to Philip. "I've decided. If the registration says she's mine, then she's mine. Let's call the police and report these two for kidnapping my child. Disgusting."
Philip's eyes lit up. The couple blanched.
Catherine rose, smoothing her coat. "Since you're traffickers, you'll have no further contact with Lika. She's mine now. And I'll be pressing charges."
Just like that, the girl's own parents had been recast as criminals.
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