Chapter 73
"Money? What are you talking about?" Caroline asked, even more puzzled.
Nathan's eyes darkened. "Fifty million dollars," he said.
Caroline suddenly got it. He wanted to use money to cut her off from Ryan and Sophie.
Fifty million bucks was a ton of cash, more than most people see in a lifetime.
But that wasn't Nathan's real offer.
He figured Caroline had been scheming for years and was greedy, so he started low, waiting for her to haggle.
Caroline sneered.
Nathan's eyes narrowed. "Think it's too low? How much do you want?"
Caroline snorted, "Do you think I'm some baby factory? Ryan and Sophie are my kids, and I'm not selling them!"
Her attitude threw Nathan off. This wasn't what he expected at all.
Wasn't she supposed to negotiate? Why did she just flat-out refuse?
Maybe she said no, but she actually wanted more.
But Nathan wasn't falling for any tricks.
"Ryan and Sophie belong to the Kennedy Family," Nathan said coldly.
"Ryan and Sophie are mine!" Caroline shot back.
Nathan ignored her and kept going, "They need to be raised by the Kennedy Family."
His tone was so commanding and cold, it made Caroline squirm.
"Do you always get what you want?" Caroline yelled.
"Yes," Nathan replied calmly.
"Listen, Ryan and Sophie are my life. Anyone who tries to take them from me, I'll fight them to the end!" Caroline warned.
"You won't get the chance," Nathan said without a hint of emotion.
The power gap was obvious. Caroline knew fighting the Kennedy Family was a losing game from the start.
Her worst fear was coming true—she might lose custody of her kids.
Nathan was about to take Ryan and Sophie away.
The more she resisted, the faster she'd lose.
Caroline switched tactics, smiling brightly, "Let's talk this over slowly, okay?"
Nathan was caught off guard.
Caroline's sudden sweetness made Nathan suspicious.
"How do we talk?" Nathan asked.
"Ryan and Sophie are still young. They should stay with me. Kids need their mom's love for healthy growth," Caroline said.
Nathan agreed with that.
Even if he wanted custody, he didn't want Ryan and Sophie completely separated from Caroline.
Despite his disdain for her scheming, he knew he couldn't replace a mother's love.
Caroline watched his reaction, feeling anxious.
"You know, I'm still filming, and it's getting late. I need to go back and study my script," Caroline said, looking for a way out.
She didn't want to face Nathan head-on. Without a solid plan, she chose to avoid the fight.
Going up against Nathan, a powerful guy who could make people disappear, was just stupid.
For Ryan and Sophie, she had to endure.
Not dealing with it today meant the custody issue could be put off, giving her time to plan.
Nathan wasn't in a rush either. Since it involved Nick's kids, it made sense to wait and discuss it when Nick got back to the country.
"Alright," Nathan agreed briefly.
"Ryan and Sophie heard you are sick and really want to see you. Let them visit so they can feel better," Caroline suggested.
Nathan felt a slight tug at his heartstrings.
"Okay," he nodded.
This gesture reminded Caroline so much of Ryan; their mannerisms were exactly the same!
Nathan pressed the call button, and Jack quickly brought Ryan and Sophie over.
"Nathan!" Sophie scampered over to Nathan.
"Call me uncle; I'm your dad's brother," Nathan said gently.
Caroline was stunned again. It wasn't Nathan who did the test, but his brother?
Who was Nathan's brother? Why was this getting more complicated?
"You're my dad's brother?" Sophie blinked her big round eyes, trying to wrap her head around this new title.
"Yes, your dad is my younger brother, Nick. He's coming back from Stellaria soon, and we'll all be together," Nathan explained patiently.
Caroline noticed that the usually reserved Nathan was completely different with Ryan and Sophie.
He became gentle and attentive, his words warm and endless.
This transformation was truly incredible.
Sophie and Ryan exchanged a glance and then fell into an awkward silence. Everything seemed to be going off-script. They had planned to introduce the charming Nathan to Caroline as her boyfriend, but that plan just crumbled!
Seeing Ryan and Sophie suddenly go quiet, Nathan seemed a bit lost. He was puzzled about what he might have said to make their smiles disappear.
"What's wrong, sweethearts?" His voice had a hint of barely noticeable panic.
Sophie's little mouth quivered, and tears seemed ready to spill over. For a long time, she and Ryan had been planning to find a rich and handsome boyfriend for Caroline, and Nathan was perfect. Now it seemed impossible. Worse still, a "daddy" from faraway Stellaria was going to join the family! She insisted Nathan was the most handsome person, so her "daddy" couldn't possibly be as handsome as Nathan. This sudden change made Sophie feel unprecedented frustration and confusion, as her life seemed to become complicated and difficult overnight.
Nathan looked at Sophie's frustrated expression, his inner anxiety growing, and he asked softly again, "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"
"I don't want a daddy from Stellaria," Sophie said, tears already rolling down. Nathan's heart felt like it was being squeezed.
He quickly found a tissue to wipe her tears, asking with concern, "Why?"
Sophie stayed silent. Her disappointment and dismay were perhaps only understood by the equally silent Ryan. Ryan just frowned, saying nothing.
Caroline was also puzzled by Sophie's strong reaction. Why was Sophie so against acknowledging her father?
Caroline stepped forward, gently hugging Sophie, and comforted her softly, "Don't cry, sweetheart. You're the strongest, right?"
Nathan looked helpless. He turned to Caroline for answers, "What's going on?"
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