Chapter 299 As Long as She Was Willing
Joe didn't hold back and warned sternly, "Don't mess with my sister, got it? Don't make me say it twice."
Patrick stood there, hands on his hips, feeling helpless. After knowing Joe for so long, it was the first time he realized Joe was such an overprotective brother, even meddling in Aurelia's love life! Could he control her forever?
"Alright," Patrick agreed out loud, but in his heart, he thought, 'If Aurelia ever falls for me, your brotherly authority won't mean a thing. I'll still end up being your brother-in-law.' With that, he cheerfully headed to the kitchen to prep vegetables.
Aurelia's dishes were plentiful. She was a great cook, having learned during her three years with Nathaniel. Even though she hadn't cooked in a while, her muscle memory kicked in, and the dishes she made were a feast for the senses, with perfect color, aroma, and taste.
Patrick couldn't stop praising her. After the meal, he even volunteered to wash all the pots and pans.
Once the kitchen was clean, Joe grabbed his suitcase, ready to leave with Patrick. Staying here wasn't very convenient.
Joe carried the suitcase in one hand and dragged Patrick out the door with the other. Patrick looked back every few steps, reluctant to be shoved into the passenger seat.
The villa finally quieted down. All this really exhausted Aurelia. After tidying up Jacob's room and seeing him asleep, Aurelia went back to her room and fell asleep immediately.
While she slept soundly, it wasn't so easy for Nathaniel to fall asleep. Nathaniel tossed and turned in bed, his mind filled with the "Mommy" he heard from Aurelia's phone call that afternoon.
Zack had sent over the information he found. Aurelia's residence in Coral Bay was actually Emerald Lake Villa.
He clearly remembered sending little Dorothy home to her dad, and that address was Emerald Lake Villa, which was Joe's house.
Nathaniel now had a headache. He had a bold guess: could Joe be the Samuel she often called out to in her sleep?
Four years ago, after the car accident, she was sent to the hospital by a mysterious person, who mobilized Imperick's top medical team and even blocked the news. Eventually, she disappeared from the hospital completely, leaving him with only the answer that she was dead.
Nathaniel had used all his connections but couldn't find any clues. He never guessed who was behind her disappearance. Now, connecting it to Joe, it all made sense. Four years ago, Joe took her away and hid her. Joe was the kind of person who would do such a thing.
Nathaniel recalled the times Joe had secretly sabotaged him. In hindsight, it was all with a purpose: to prevent him from contacting Aurelia.
Nathaniel couldn't sleep. He remembered he had Joe's daughter's Facebook, so he sent a message to confirm the truth: [Dorothy, I have a question for you. Do you know Aurelia?]
On the other end, Dorothy was lying in bed, missing her mommy and brother, unable to sleep. When she saw her smartwatch light up, she opened it to find a message from the handsome uncle. She excitedly replied: [You know my mommy?]
Nathaniel's heart clenched when he saw Dorothy's reply. Indeed, Aurelia had been with Joe for the past four years. He was insanely jealous.
Nathaniel, dressed in dark cotton pajamas, stood by the window, staring at the night sky. The room was dark, and he seemed to blend into the pitch-black night, just like the uncertain future between him and Aurelia.
With Zack on vacation, the large house felt empty and lonely. He reached for a pack of cigarettes on the coffee table, only to find it empty. He looked outside, trying to calm his mind and review the situation, but something felt off.
Dorothy's age didn't seem to match the timeline of when Aurelia moved into Joe's house. The child seemed more like... he was startled by his own thoughts.
Dorothy had mentioned that Joe was her deadbeat dad and how she asked him for money for her mom, speaking so logically. A four-year-old shouldn't be lying. Was Dorothy really Aurelia and Joe's child? He wasn't sure anymore.
He couldn't rest until he figured this out. He sent another message to Dorothy: [Dorothy, is Joe your dad?]
After sending the message, he anxiously checked for a reply but ultimately didn't get one from Dorothy.
The next day, Nathaniel went to the office with dark circles under his eyes. His body hadn't fully recovered, but there were a ton of things waiting for him at the company. If he didn't go, the documents on his desk would pile up.
Zack came in to report, saying, "Mr. Heilbronn, Joe came to Imperick, probably for his project."
Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. He wasn't in the habit of provoking others, but Joe had repeatedly made things difficult for him, so he had to retaliate. This time, sabotaging Joe's project was an example.
Nathaniel said, "Joe's project can't proceed without that permit. It's his own fault for breaking the rules, not anyone else's."
Zack agreed and added, "Mr. Heilbronn, should we still obstruct him if he goes to get the permit?"
"Go with the flow. If his paperwork is in order, there's no reason to stop him."
Nathaniel noticed Zack hesitating, as if he had more to say. "Just say it."
Zack boldly reported what he had been holding back, saying, "Mr. Heilbronn, Joe went to Aurelia's villa yesterday. He brought Patrick and a little boy."
Nathaniel's hand holding the pen froze, accidentally drawing a long line on the paper.
Although Aurelia had never invited Nathaniel to her mother's villa, Joe went straight there after getting off the plane. That little boy must be the one who called her mommy on the phone! The three of them were reunited as a family.
Nathaniel felt suffocated. He opened the Facebook chat with Dorothy. The conversation was still on yesterday's message, with his last question to Dorothy unanswered.
Nathaniel's mind was filled with doubts. Could Dorothy be Joe's daughter with his ex-wife, calling Aurelia stepmom? He couldn't think of any other answer.
"Go buy some high-end toys that boys like," Nathaniel instructed Zack. He decided to visit after work. He had to figure this out. Otherwise, he wouldn't be at peace.
He had previously checked, and Aurelia's information showed she was unmarried. Even if they had a child together, so what? Joe wasn't willing to give her a legitimate marriage, but he could.
Nathaniel had been struggling with this for a day and a night. One thing was certain: he didn't want to give up so early. Raising Joe's child was fine as long as she was willing!
*************************
（I highly recommend a captivating book that I couldn't put down for three days and nights. It's incredibly engaging and a must-read. The title of the book is "Breakup to Bliss" You can find it by searching for it in the search bar.
Here is the synopsis of the book:
Do you know what true despair feels like? Let me tell you.
At my engagement party, a fire broke out. My fiancé heroically dashed into the flames. But he wasn't coming to save me—he was saving another woman.
In that moment, my world shattered.）
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