Chapter 296 Someone Called Her Mommy on the Phone
Aurelia thought it over for a while and decided to keep it under wraps for now. She couldn't let him find out about the kids just yet.
She needed to see if he could be a good dad before even thinking about telling him. Plus, she had to gauge how the kids would react to suddenly having a dad in the picture.
Aurelia said, "Put it away. I can't be showing off a big box of treasures on the street. I'd be a prime target for kidnapping."
Speaking of kidnapping, Nathaniel remembered the Coral Bay incident and still felt uneasy as he said, "Alright, I'll store it for now and add to it bit by bit. Once it's full, I'll send it to you."
He thought to himself that once the box was full, he'd give it to her as a gift. But he didn't dare say that out loud, worried it might make her mad again.
At Oakmont Manor, Marcus and Patrick were locked in a fierce battle for many rounds, and Marcus finally won with a last shot.
Patrick wasn't having it. He'd been honing his skills for years and had never lost before. This was the first time he'd faced such a tough opponent. He wasn't ready to accept defeat. Patrick said, "Let's go again, best two out of three!"
Marcus couldn't be bothered. He glanced back at the pavilion, looking for Aurelia but not seeing her. He adjusted his glasses and walked back with his club.
At the pavilion, only Gabriel was there. Seeing Marcus approach, Gabriel quickly opened a new towel and grabbed a bottle of water, handing them over.
Marcus didn't take what Gabriel offered. Instead, he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Gabriel noticed Marcus's unpredictable look and smiled awkwardly, putting the items back on the table. Gabriel said, "Mr. Heilbronn, you must be tired. I booked a private room at The Silver Spoon for lunch. Let's take a break and grab a few drinks together."
Marcus wiped his forehead and then his hands, ignoring Gabriel for a while. If it weren't for Aurelia being here, he wouldn't have had any interaction with Gabriel at all. They were not on the same level.
He guessed that Aurelia must have slipped away while he wasn't paying attention, and he asked, "Where did Ms. Semona go?"
Gabriel didn't know the relationship between Marcus and Nathaniel, only that they were uncle and nephew and people not to be messed with in Imperick. He admitted, "While you and Mr. Prescott were playing, Nathaniel came and sat for a few minutes. After a brief chat, Ms. Semona left with Nathaniel."
Marcus's face darkened. He had thought she had just slipped away, but he didn't expect Nathaniel to take her. Just this morning, Nathaniel had been lying in bed like a half-dead man, and now he was up causing trouble?
Marcus's face was stern as he threw the handkerchief he had just used to wipe his forehead into the trash. At that moment, Patrick slowly walked into the pavilion with his golf club. He had taken a few extra minutes because he saw a message from Aurelia and replied to it.
Unlike Marcus, Patrick was relieved she had left. Otherwise, she would have seen him lose, and losing to someone who looked weak would have been a blow to his image. Patrick walked in and blocked Marcus's way out.
When Patrick walked in, Gabriel quickly handed him the towel and the freshly opened bottle of water. Patrick raised an eyebrow and said, "I don't like using things that others have used."
Gabriel's hand froze, feeling a bit wronged. Now he couldn't give away the towel. With Aurelia gone, neither of the big bosses looked happy, and they didn't even want to talk to him.
But thinking about the project for which he needed investment, he steeled himself and asked, "Mr. Prescott, Mr. Heilbronn, I booked a private room at The Silver Spoon, not far from here. Shall we drive over now?"Marcus walked out, not planning to stay a second longer. Patrick coldly replied, "I don't have time." With that, he grabbed his coat and walked out, leaving Gabriel standing there, looking dejected.
Aurelia had spent the entire noon at Nathaniel's place and was now feeling sleepy. Reed usually took an afternoon nap, so she suggested going home first. Reed didn't insist on her staying and suggested Nathaniel give her a ride.
Nathaniel was more than happy to. Even though he wasn't feeling great, the chance to spend time with Aurelia was worth it.
They sat in the back seat, silent the whole way. As they were almost home, Aurelia's phone rang. Seeing 'Jacob' on the screen, she got nervous and accidentally pressed the answer button.
"Mommy, are you busy right now?" Jacob's voice came through.
Aurelia quickly covered the phone, but in her fluster, it fell into the seat gap. The child's voice came through again. "Mommy, are you listening? Why aren't you saying anything?"
Aurelia looked up nervously and met Nathaniel's eyes. The atmosphere in the car became tense.
The voice even made Zack, who was driving, shiver. Although Aurelia's phone wasn't on speaker, the car had been so quiet that everyone heard it.
When Jacob called the first time, Nathaniel thought he might have misheard. But the second time, he clearly heard someone calling Aurelia "Mommy" on the phone. He was stunned, feeling a bit lost. There was a boy calling her "Mommy"!
Coming back to his senses, he felt his heart sink. During the four years they had been apart, she had a baby. He wondered which lucky man got to be with her.
Thinking about this, Nathaniel felt a bit suffocated. She had a new relationship, a child with another man, and possibly a happy family, all without him knowing. He instantly felt that his chances of winning her back were even slimmer. He might have lost her for good this time.
Nathaniel rubbed his temples, feeling a sharp pain. Not just his head, his whole body hurt. He felt like he was falling apart.
Zack also sensed the tense atmosphere in the car and rolled down the window halfway to let in some fresh air.
Aurelia calmed down and bent down to find her phone. The call was still connected, and Jacob asked again, "Mommy, are you having signal issues over there?"
Aurelia finally fished out her phone. Luckily, Jacob thought there was no signal and hung up. She tightly gripped her phone, and the car fell silent.
Zack parked the car outside Aurelia's house, "Mr. Heilbronn, Mrs. Heilbronn, we're here." Zack unbuckled his seatbelt and got out, leaving space for the two of them.
Aurelia was about to get out when Nathaniel grabbed her arm. "Aurelia," he choked out her name.
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