Chapter 60 Fatherhood
Robert was lost in thought.
Magnus elbowed him. "Has Juniper rendered you speechless again? She's gone."
Regaining his composure, Robert glanced at Juniper's receding figure before suddenly grabbing Magnus's wrist.
"Magnus..."
Magnus's gaze fell to Robert's grip on his wrist, a slight frown etching his features as he showed a hint of disdain, "Worried we're not making enough headlines with our 'scandal'?"
"What? No, listen, I need to talk to you about something serious..."
The man shook off Robert's hand and strode towards Building One without looking back.
Rumors were circulating at Sycamore Group because Magnus and Robert frequently worked together on projects. The close relationship and frequent collaboration between two handsome, top-tier executives inevitably led to wild speculation.
It was whispered that Magnus was Robert's first love.
But since Magnus was unequivocally straight, their friendship flourished over many years, with Robert supposedly attempting to sway Magnus's orientation with no success.
Thus, a heartbroken Robert, his affections unrequited, settled for a suitable match with the heiress of the Perez family, resigning himself to silently watch over Magnus. The rumors were as outrageous as they come.
Employees at Sycamore Group couldn't help but feel sorry for Ophelia Perez, sympathizing with her over the seemingly troublesome marriage to Robert.
In reality, Ophelia herself, as one of the parties involved, would hide under the covers late at night, secretly logging onto the Sycamore Group's forum to read the discussions about her.
...
Back in his office, Robert's mind was racing. He revisited every detail of that day, his brow furrowing with stress. That child couldn't possibly be Ophelia's; with her slightly upturned eyes, she had the classic look of someone alluring. The tender face of the child overlapped in his mind with Juniper's—it shared at least a fifty percent resemblance!
Grabbing his car keys, Robert sprang to his feet and strode towards the elevator door.
...
At Star Magazine's publishing office.
"Damn, there's a Cullinan downstairs! So sleek!" one exclaimed.
"I saw the guy inside just now, tall with a stunning face!" another chimed in.
"Some male celebrity?"
"Never seen him before! Must be someone not that famous."
"What a shame, being that good-looking."
A group huddled by the window, gazing at the spectacle below.
Ophelia was about to join the commotion, eager for some gossip, when her phone rang.
Caller ID—Robert.
She didn't pick up immediately, instead staring at the screen, stunned for a few seconds. Knowing how arrogant Robert could be, was he really calling her after that huge fight about divorce?
Was this an offer of peace?
Ophelia cleared her throat and answered nonchalantly, "Hello? What do you want? Are you regretting asking for a di..." Before she could finish, Robert cut her off.
"I'm at your magazine's building. Come down; I need to talk to you."
What? He came to her workplace!
"You're not here to drag me to sign divorce papers, are you?" she asked tentatively.
"No."
For some reason, Ophelia felt relieved it wasn't about the divorce. The thought of actually going through it, of facing her parents and the financial issues of the Perez family, was daunting.
Three minutes later, Ophelia was downstairs.
Robert was there, standing next to his eye-catching Cullinan, as handsome as his ride was ostentatious.
Ophelia pulled him aside into a corner, "Don't tell me you came all this way just to show off your car in front of my magazine's office as if it's some model?"
"Whose child is it, really?" he demanded.
"I told you, it's mine and..."
Robert's face hardened as he interrupted her, "Still lying? Juniper already spilled the beans; that kid isn't yours!"
Ophelia's eyes widened in shock, her voice almost a whisper, "Juniper came to you? Please, don't let this get out. I'm begging you. If Magnus finds out, he'll definitely take custody!"
A muscle twitched in Robert's brow. "So, the child really is Juniper's?"
Ophelia clapped her hand over her mouth, but it was too late.
"Robert, you conniving bastard!" she hissed.
Robert's stance was firm, "The child's six, right?"
Ophelia's world turned chaotic, "What's the point of asking if you already know? Robert, I've never asked you for anything, can you keep this to yourself for now?"
His gaze was heavy, "Why should I cover for you?" he challenged.
Juniper was no friend of his, quite the opposite; Magnus was like a brother to him.
He had always been self-interested, favoring his inner circle over others.
With gritted teeth, Ophelia made a bold offer, "I could wear lingerie."
Robert was unmoved.
She went all in, "No limits."
A sly smile played on his lips, "Deal."
Ophelia walked back to the magazine office, her spirits defeated.
Indeed, two years into their marriage, they had never been intimate!
Her love for Juniper was absolute.
She would sacrifice anything for Juniper!
Ophelia clutched her forehead, plagued by a headache…
During the afternoon executive meeting, Robert was distracted.
Magnus tapped his pen on the table several times, "Robert, your thoughts on the tourism project in X City?"
Robert snapped back to reality, "The site has historical significance, making it a candidate for tourism. But we need to consider the costs carefully—the ROI may require further assessment."
After the meeting ended, and the executives had dispersed,
Magnus eyed Robert, "What's up with you?"
"Nothing," Robert shrugged off the question.
Nothing? Magnus had tapped the table at least three times to get his attention.
With a teasing lift of his eyebrow, Magnus said, "This trouble over divorcing Ophelia's really got you. I say don't divorce. And as for playing daddy to the kid, that wouldn't kill you. You're not planning to have your own, anyway."
When the subject of the kid came up...
In his mind, Robert couldn't help but think: I'm not the dad here, you are!
Keeping a secret is like wearing an itchy shirt.
And this isn't just any secret—it's a colossal one!
Casting a sidelong glance at him, Robert decided to probe, "What about you? Do you like kids?"
Magnus was momentarily taken aback.
The mention of children suddenly brought Jennifer to his mind.
He had been ready to assert his dislike, even disdain, for children, but with Jennifer's little one on his mind, he dismissed the thought with an ambivalent, "They're alright."
"'They're alright'? Does that mean you like them or not? Do you prefer sons or daughters?"
Robert trailed behind Magnus as they left the conference room.
Magnus stopped in his tracks, throwing a cold retort over his shoulder, "What, you planning to have a daughter for me to raise?"
Left speechless by the comeback, Robert couldn't help but smile. "I can't bear children. If I could, I'd have given you a whole brood."
"...Thanks, but no thanks."
Robert steered the conversation back on track, "Seriously though, have you ever thought about it, having a kid of your own?"
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