Chapter 954 Phoebe Knew
Theodore opened his mouth, about to speak, when Phoebe's phone rang.
He looked at her and said, "You should get that."
The call was from Mary, letting her know the final cut of the variety show was ready.
There'd be a screening event at Todi Stadium tomorrow night at 7:30, and they were looking for sponsors.
She invited Phoebe to attend.
They chatted for a while, covering everything from the variety show to movies.
By the time Phoebe hung up, the car had already stopped in front of her house.
Phoebe turned to look at the brightly lit mansion and sighed in relief.
She opened the car door, letting the cold wind rush in.
Just as she was about to step out, Theodore grabbed her wrist.
She turned to look at him. "What's up?"
Theodore stared at her intently. "Phoebe, can we find some time to sit down and talk? Talk about these past three years?"
Phoebe was taken aback.
Was he planning to lay everything out in the open, once and for all?
She pressed her lips together, the cold wind clearing her mind.
She heard herself say, "Sure, I don't think I have time tomorrow. How about the night after?"
Theodore let out a short, self-deprecating laugh. "Alright."
He used to be the one who was always busy, but now Phoebe seemed to be the one with a packed schedule.
That night, Theodore tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He checked his phone several times, only to find that mere minutes had passed.
Eventually, he gave up on lying in bed.
He grabbed a pack of cigarettes, threw on a jacket, and went out to the terrace to smoke.
Before he knew it, he had smoked half the pack.
He stubbed out the last cigarette, feeling like a snowman from the cold wind, and went back inside to lie down again.
He finally managed to get a little sleep as dawn broke.
When he woke up, his head felt heavy, and his eyelids were so heavy he could barely open them.
He heard someone talking nearby.
Instinctively, he turned his head and saw Phoebe sitting next to him.
Her voice sounded distant, as if coming through a layer of water.
"Keith said you went to the terrace to smoke late at night. What were you thinking?" Phoebe said as she applied a fever patch to his forehead. "Your fever's up to 102 degrees."
Theodore wanted to say he was fine, but his voice startled even himself. Was that his voice?
Phoebe sighed. "Just be quiet. You hurt your back the day before yesterday, and now you're running a high fever. It's just not your year, is it?"
She wanted to ask him what was bothering him so much that he went out to smoke in the cold night. What was troubling him that he couldn't resolve?
But seeing his flushed, feverish face, she held back.
Maybe it had something to do with finding Hubert, Boris, and Noomi's biological father.
Who was this person who caused him so much distress?
Theodore's eyes hurt. He looked at Phoebe for a while, but the pain was too much, and he closed his eyes.
His hand, however, continued to search the air, seemingly looking for hers.
"What are you looking for?" Phoebe grabbed his wandering hand, intending to tuck it back under the blanket, but he held onto her.
His fingers intertwined with hers, his palm gripping hers tightly, as if holding on would bring him peace.
Phoebe felt a pang of sadness. "Get some sleep. I called the family doctor; they'll be here soon to give you a shot."
"Stay with me," Theodore's voice was hoarse.
Phoebe sighed. "Alright, I'll stay."
Theodore closed his eyes, feeling groggy.
Just before he fell asleep, he felt like he was forgetting something important. But before he could remember, he was already asleep.
Phoebe sat by the bed, listening to his steady breathing. She tried to pull her hand away, but he held on tightly. Any movement would wake him.
She had no choice but to grab a pillow to support her back.
They said sick people become extra clingy, especially those who usually keep others at a distance. Theodore was a perfect example.
As she was thinking this, her phone screen lit up.
She picked it up and saw that Lawton was calling.
Worried that Lawton might have urgent news for Theodore, she glanced at the sleeping Theodore and answered the call.
Before she could speak, Lawton said, "Mr. Reynolds, the paternity test results are in. You and Hubert have no biological relationship."
Phoebe's eyes widened in shock.
She was so stunned that she didn't even notice her phone slipping from her hand until she heard Lawton's anxious voice.
"Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Reynolds, are you listening?"
Lawton hadn't heard Theodore's response and feared he was too shocked to speak.
He continued, "I went crazy when I got the report. It just doesn't make sense. Mr. Reynolds, I stayed at the testing center the whole time, except for bathroom breaks and picking up food. There's no way the results could be wrong."
"Theodore is asleep. This is Phoebe," Phoebe said, picking up the phone and putting it back to her ear. "Mr. Brown, did I hear correctly? Theodore took Hubert's hair..."
"Ms. Ziegler," Lawton interrupted, wishing he could take back his words.
Now Phoebe knew Theodore had taken the kids' hair for a paternity test.
Lawton felt like he had made the biggest mistake of his life.
He quickly said, "Ms. Ziegler, you didn't hear anything. I didn't say anything."
Phoebe frowned. "I already heard."
Lawton felt like he was suffocating.
Phoebe calmed her voice. "So the test results show that Theodore has no biological relationship with Hubert, Boris, or Noomi, right?"
Lawton was on the verge of tears.
If he had just asked how Theodore was doing first, none of this would have happened.
Now, how was he supposed to explain this?
He could already see himself being kicked out of the Reynolds Group, carrying a box of his belongings.
"Yes, that's what the report says. But I think there must be a mistake somewhere. You and Mr. Reynolds..."
Phoebe cut him off. "Mr. Brown, I'm hanging up now."
Lawton wanted to explain further, but the call had already ended.
He was so frustrated that he started hitting his head, crumpling the test report in his hand.
He had meant well.
But now it seemed his good intentions had backfired.
He couldn't bear to think about what would happen between Theodore and Phoebe.
He wished he could go back a few minutes and keep his mouth shut.
Phoebe put her phone back on the pillow and turned to look at the sleeping Theodore.
His face was twisted in pain, likely from his illness.
She had thought Theodore took Hubert's hair for a paternity test because he had found the kids' biological father.
But now it seemed he suspected Hubert, Boris, and Noomi might be his children.
With the test results proving otherwise, what would he do next?
She had always thought Theodore had accepted that Hubert, Boris, and Noomi weren't his biological children.
But now she realized he cared deeply.
She had been too naive.
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