Chapter 550 Not a Coincidence
Phoenix fell silent under the scolding, cursing Nathaniel silently in his mind.
Dominic busied himself serving Aurelia and the children, stealing glances at her throughout the meal. Several times he seemed on the verge of speaking, but ultimately held back.
He had another important reason for coming to Coral Bay—to visit Brenda's grave and have a quiet word with her.
He knew Aurelia had moved the grave here, but couldn't bring himself to ask about it.
They were from different generations with different sensibilities, and he worried such a question might seem inappropriate. He could have his assistant look up the location, but feared it would make him appear like some doddering old fool in Aurelia's eyes.
After dinner, Aurelia left the gift for Madeline and lingered a while before suggesting they head home. Dominic threw on a casual jacket and walked the three of them downstairs, watching their car disappear into the night. He stood in the parking lot for a long moment, lost in thought.
When he returned upstairs, Phoenix was playing with the dog in the living room. Dominic shot him a withering look—he'd held his tongue during dinner out of courtesy to Aurelia, but now the gloves were off. "Get your act together and find yourself a proper girlfriend. Stop bringing home those trashy women."
Phoenix felt utterly wronged, screaming internally, 'Dad, I'm still a virgin!'
What did he mean by bringing home trashy women? No women had ever set foot in this place! But considering his masculine pride, he kept those thoughts to himself.
"Dad, instead of lecturing me, when are you going to find me a stepmother?"
Dominic raised his hand as if to slap him, then remembered Phoenix was grown now—such methods were no longer appropriate.
"You little bastard, why are you so obsessed with getting a stepmother?"
Phoenix wore his usual devil-may-care expression, but inside he cared desperately. He truly had no idea what having a mother felt like.
It hadn't bothered him as a small child, but in elementary school when the teacher assigned an essay titled "My Mother," he couldn't write a single word.
When classmates discovered he was motherless, the bullying began—even during PE they'd taunt him: "Why's that motherless kid running so fast?"
Back then he'd thought even a stepmother would be better than nothing. At least there should be a woman in the house, right?
But Dominic had proven to be a veritable monk. Phoenix had secretly observed him, even followed him—his business dinners were strictly business, contracts signed and straight home, never once visiting those seedy establishments.
This had led Phoenix to wonder if Dominic might have performance issues that drove women away, and he'd adopted Phoenix to save face.
He'd even secretly gotten a paternity test—they were definitely blood-related!
Seeing Phoenix's silence, Dominic grew tired of lecturing. The two men stared at each other across the living room. "Stop hoping for the impossible. Where's a man in his twenties going to find a mother? We're destined to be bachelors, you and I. You'd better hurry up and find a wife, have a couple of kids to liven up this place."
Phoenix felt irritated—every time he asked Dominic for a mother, this was the response. "Why don't you give me a little brother or sister to liven things up?"
Dominic's eyes flashed dangerously, and Phoenix quickly bolted upstairs before a slipper could come flying his way.
Aurelia spent two anxious days waiting before Joe's call came on Sunday. "Aurelia, I've got the information, but it's complicated."
Her heart clenched. "Who is it?"
"Dominic Sawyer, CEO of Future Group."
Aurelia was stunned, slowly processing this shocking news. This couldn't be a coincidence.
Joe continued over the phone, "I had someone check Dominic's whereabouts—he's been in Coral Bay these past few days."
After a long pause, Aurelia managed to say, "Joe, I need to see him."
Aurelia composed herself and dialed Dominic's number, but his assistant answered, explaining he was busy and couldn't see anyone without an appointment. She tried Phoenix's number next, but he wasn't answering either—unusual for someone who typically loved to chat.
Aurelia left the children with Dahlia, grabbed a knit sweater, and headed out. Not knowing where Dominic worked, she could only wait outside his home. Watching the night scenery blur past her window, her mind was a tangled mess.
Her car stopped outside Phoenix's residential complex. She tried calling again—still no answer. Staring at the traffic ahead, countless scenarios raced through Aurelia's mind.
She wasn't sure if Dominic would acknowledge her as his daughter, assuming he truly was her father. After all, he had substantial assets, and legally she'd be entitled to a significant portion of Phoenix's inheritance. Twenty-eight years had passed with neither knowing of the other's existence—there was no father-daughter bond to speak of.
She also wondered how to broach such a delicate subject if they weren't related.
A man of his status wanted for nothing. Wealthy people were obsessed with their health—would he agree to donate bone marrow to a complete stranger?
Moreover, the blood test information had come through Joe's unofficial channels, which was itself a violation of privacy.
Aurelia stood at the intersection as the autumn wind whipped through her hair, feeling desolate.
She'd waited from dawn to dusk, watching neon signs flicker to life, feeling as though she'd sprung from a crack in the rocks—utterly alone. After all this time, she still couldn't find the right words to begin such a conversation.
Meanwhile, Dominic had just concluded a business deal. The obligatory dinner drinks had left him with a light buzz, and his partners were inviting him to continue the evening elsewhere.
Dominic waved them off with a smile. "Mr. Nguyen, you gentlemen enjoy yourselves. I've got a son at home to worry about."
"A son? How old is he?"
For a moment, Dominic forgot Phoenix was already in his twenties and hardly needed supervision. This excuse had served him well for years in avoiding such gatherings.
Dominic remained silent, and his companion didn't press further—everyone in their circle knew he avoided those kinds of venues.
Dominic headed downstairs with his driver. "Take me home."
He genuinely wanted to check on what Phoenix was up to—whether he was getting involved in inappropriate relationships. The entertainment industry had a reputation for moral corruption, and despite his strong objections to Phoenix's career choice, his son remained stubbornly defiant.
As their car approached the residential complex and was about to enter the underground garage, the driver slowed down. "Mr. Sawyer, isn't that Ms. Semona?"
Dominic peered through the window into the cool night air. There stood Aurelia's slender figure in the darkness, her eyes vacant and lost, her thin knit sweater billowing in the wind.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
