Chapter 575 Testing
George squinted slightly, scrutinizing the woman who had suddenly appeared. He could sense Celeste's protectiveness over Michael and her closeness to Emma, but as a father, he wasn't about to hand over his kids to a stranger without a second thought.
"Hey, Lucas, Seraphine," George crouched down to meet Lucas and Seraphine at eye level, "How about we hit the playground?"
Seraphine immediately cheered, "Yes, yes!" She turned and grabbed Celeste's hand, "Sister, come with us!"
The hospital's playground was tucked away behind the inpatient building, with colorful rubber flooring and various play equipment gleaming brightly in the sunlight. As soon as Seraphine saw the slide and swings, she excitedly broke free from George's hand and ran towards the play area like a joyful little butterfly. Lucas, however, stayed cautious, sticking close to George.
Celeste quickly followed Seraphine, carefully adjusting her dress. "Which one do you want to play on first, little princess?"
"The slide!" Seraphine pointed to the rainbow-colored spiral slide, her eyes sparkling.
George watched Seraphine's interaction with Celeste, his brow furrowing slightly. He turned to Lucas, "You can go play too. I'll be right here watching you."
Lucas shook his head, "I'll stay with you." His gaze never left Celeste, like a little animal guarding its territory.
Celeste held Seraphine's hand as they walked towards the slide, turning back to give George a meaningful smile, "Mr. Russell, you haven't fully recovered yet, have you? Why not sit down and rest? I'll take good care of the kids."
George slowly walked to a bench by the playground and sat down. Though his face was pale, his eyes were sharp as an eagle's. "Ms. Phillips, you seem pretty experienced with kids?"
Celeste helped Seraphine climb the slide, her voice light and cheerful, "I volunteered at an orphanage in Sunterra, taking care of many children. Especially those who lost their parents' love, they need extra care."
George's fingers tapped lightly on his knee, "Did Emma often visit the orphanage when she was in Sunterra?"
"Emma," Celeste's smile deepened, "She adored the children, always bringing gifts to visit them. Michael always accompanied her. They were inseparable during that time."
George's eyes darkened slightly, but he remained calm. "Michael has always been passionate about charity."
Celeste gently pushed Seraphine down the slide, her tone casual, "Mr. Russell, you seem very concerned about Emma. After all these years, your feelings haven't changed?"
"Blood ties can't be severed," George responded coolly, his gaze following the laughing Seraphine.
Celeste keenly noticed the tenderness in his eyes and made a judgment. She shifted the conversation, "Michael has done a lot for Emma over the years. During her toughest times in Sunterra, he was always by her side."
George's fingertips turned slightly white. "Emma has always been independent, not used to relying on others."
"But everyone has moments of vulnerability," Celeste said meaningfully, "Especially when they're sick, having a reliable shoulder to lean on is so important."
As their verbal sparring continued, George suddenly turned pale, sweat beading on his forehead. He tried to stand but was overcome by dizziness and sat back down.
"Dad!" Lucas was the first to notice something was wrong and immediately ran to his side, clutching his sleeve anxiously.
Seraphine slid down the slide and ran to George. "Daddy, are you not feeling well?"
George forced a smile, "Daddy's fine, you two keep playing."
Celeste quickly walked over and handed him a bottle of water from her bag, "Mr. Russell, don't push yourself too hard. You need proper rest after such a serious injury."
George didn't take the water, instead gently patting Lucas and Seraphine's heads, "Daddy's a bit tired. How about we come back another day?"
"Okay!" Seraphine nodded immediately, placing her small hand on George's forehead, "Daddy, go home and sleep."
Lucas, already mature for his age, supported George's arm, "I'll help Daddy back."
Celeste watched the scene, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. She crouched down and said to the children, "How about I take you to Grandma's house? Let Daddy rest properly."
George wanted to refuse, but a wave of pain forced him to admit he wasn't in a condition to care for the kids. He took a deep breath, "Alright, please take them home."
Lucas looked at Celeste warily, "I want to go home with Dad."
George gently squeezed his son's hand, "Lucas, be good. Daddy needs to rest alone. You and Seraphine go to Grandma's, and I'll pick you up tomorrow."
Seraphine had already taken Celeste's hand, "Celeste, let's go. Uncle George needs his medicine."
Celeste nodded to George, "Mr. Russell, don't worry. I'll get them home safely."
As they said their goodbyes, George discreetly pulled a strand of hair from Seraphine's head. She only touched her head in confusion, not noticing anything.
"Goodbye, Daddy. Get well soon," Seraphine waved her little hand.
Lucas gave George a reluctant look, then glared at Celeste before following his sister.
Back in his hospital room, George immediately contacted his private doctor. He carefully placed Seraphine's hair in a sealed bag, his voice low, "Run a DNA test as soon as possible."
The private doctor took the bag with a serious nod, "Don't worry, Mr. Russell. I'll handle it personally and have the results within 24 hours."
The night outside was deep, but George couldn't sleep. He stood by the window, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his phone. Though he was almost certain, the DNA report would confirm the blood connection between him and Seraphine.
In the lab, the doctor, wearing sterile gloves, carefully placed Seraphine's hair sample into the centrifuge. The gene sequencer hummed softly, data scrolling rapidly on the screen. When the two DNA profiles matched perfectly, the doctor took a deep breath, the match was 99.99%.
The next morning, the doctor personally delivered the report to George's room. George's hand trembled slightly as he took the folder. When he saw the conclusion, "Confirmed biological father-daughter relationship," his deep eyes glistened with moisture.
"Seraphine is really my daughter," George murmured, his thumb gently brushing over the photo in the report, showing Seraphine's innocent, joyful smile.
From that moment on, George began to note every candy Seraphine liked, going out of his way to buy her favorite strawberry cake from a popular bakery. Whenever Seraphine played in the playground, his eyes never left her small figure, filled with tenderness.
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