Chapter 546 The Hearst family sees Natalia
"An hour ago."
Damian was in the living room reading some documents when he heard a noise outside. Before he could ask, he saw Bryan's imposing figure.
Bryan's face was stern, his gaze cold and sharp as it swept over Damian. His broad coat, carrying the chill of the outdoors, wrapped around his chest filled with anger, making him seem like he was about to be bombarded by ice and fire.
In stark contrast, Damian was calm and composed. He simply put down the documents and sat there serenely, "Dad, what brings you here suddenly? Is there something you need?"
The bond between them seemed like a distant memory now, leaving only a cold blood relation with no warmth, even some resistance.
Bryan sat down with a cold face, "Can your leg still get better?"
His tone was impatient.
Damian replied, "Not sure, we'll see."
Bryan didn't ask further. His hopes for Damian's recovery were already faint, almost abandoned. Fortunately, Damian had always preferred to stay out of the public eye, so he could continue to manage KM discreetly, and the outside world wouldn't know about his disability.
But it was still a far cry from his former glory. What a pity, such a pity!
After the opening remarks, Bryan glanced around the room, seeing no one else, then spoke bluntly, "What do you mean by this? Investigating your own father's private life, is that something you should be doing?!"
His words were threatening, filled with indignation.
Damian didn't refute or avoid, "Your private life has already caused serious consequences, potentially leading to the downfall of KM and the Hearst family. I had to find out the truth."
"Nonsense! Don't use scare tactics on me. And even if you had to investigate, you should have told me, not secretly snooping around. You're being utterly disrespectful!"
Bryan was exposed by Damian, with many past events laid bare before his son. As a man of high status, he couldn't accept it, let alone condone it.
His pride, dignity, and status wouldn't allow it!
Damian didn't want things to escalate to this point. Otherwise, he could have asked directly instead of investigating secretly. Since Bryan had already found out through his own channels, there was no harm in explaining, "Dad, who are you so angry about? Among your many lovers, who is worth this much concern?"
Bryan gritted his teeth. He was always calm and elegant, wearing a flawless mask, but Damian could easily break his facade, as if he were his nemesis, "Watch your tone. I am your father."
Seeing he wouldn't answer directly, Damian calmly took out his phone, turned to a page, and showed it to his father, "Is it her?"
In the photo, a young Bryan stood under a cherry blossom tree with a girl, looking very close.
It was the same photo he had received on his phone.
Bryan's face darkened, "Was it you who sent this to me?"
Damian frowned, "So you received it?"
Bryan's face grew even darker. Since it wasn't his son, it meant more people were involved. "What else did you find out?"
After receiving the photo, he had people investigate thoroughly but found nothing.
And there had been no further reaction from the sender, as if the matter had ended there.
But the photo alone had caused him several sleepless nights.
Damian said, "When you parted ways, she was pregnant."
"What? Are you sure?" Bryan was caught off guard, his cold gaze filled with confusion and shock, unable to accept what he heard.
How could it be?
Why didn't she mention it?
If he had known she was pregnant, he would have found a way to take responsibility, at least help her terminate the pregnancy and provide a generous compensation.
After so many years, this was undoubtedly a bombshell.
Damian said in a deep voice, "She gave birth to a son. Your son grew up tough, and before he was twenty, he obtained startup capital through special channels and founded a tech company in Sylvania. In just a few years, its market value reached billions. Not only that, he boldly collaborated with illegal forces and was involved in a seamless kidnapping case over a decade ago, where the kidnapped girl is still missing."
Hearing this, Bryan's expression was like a withered eggplant hit by frost, completely dried up and twisted.
He tightly gripped the sofa armrest, the veins on his well-maintained hand bulging, his lips trembling for a moment before he managed to say, "Do you know who he is?"
Was he eager to acknowledge his son or ready to punish him?
Damian continued calmly, "Your son perfectly inherited the outstanding genes of the Hearst family. He has many more achievements. Don't you want to hear them all?"
Bryan let out a heavy grunt.
"The explosion at the KM Tower construction site was also orchestrated by him. Unfortunately, he went too far, catching our attention. But he will soon make a comeback, targeting KM. Have you guessed who it is, Dad?"
Bryan struggled to maintain his composure, his cheek muscles twitching slightly with agitation. He tried hard not to show his emotions, but they were all written on his face. "Are you talking about Volcano?"
"That's right, the founder of that company, the mysterious creator that the outside world has been speculating about. He has never appeared in public, leaving endless imagination for the outside world. In this regard, he is quite like a brother to me."
The last sentence was extremely sarcastic.
Bryan's emotions became incredibly complex.
Back then, he had genuine feelings, true emotions, and among many women, she was the one he missed the most.
But in the end, he hurt her.
He never expected that a mistaken relationship would lead to such immense hatred.
Controlling his chaotic emotions, Bryan asked, "Can you contact him?"
"Dad wants to talk to him?" Damian asked expressionlessly.
If talking could solve the problem, why would Chad go to such extremes?
Clearly, he didn't want to resolve the feud with the Hearst family in a civilized manner; he wanted the Hearst family to be buried with him.
Bryan's lifelong dignity and decorum were now teetering. Reluctantly, he said, "No matter what, I am his father. Perhaps meeting with his mother could change the situation."
Damian said, "You're oversimplifying. If you go to see him, the outcome might be just one: being used as a target for his anger, with your body left in pieces."
"Are you cursing me? Do you not want to see me well?" Bryan was extremely dissatisfied with his son's attitude.
Damian said, "I'm just reminding you to be mentally prepared. If one day we have to take extreme measures, will you completely abandon him or offer KM as compensation? Also, if you really want to try a peaceful negotiation, I can provide you with an opportunity."
"KM is the result of generations of the Hearst family's hard work. It must not be handed over to an outsider," Bryan said without hesitation.
Damian said, "Strictly speaking, he's not an outsider."
His tone was somewhat sarcastic.
Bryan's face darkened, "You said he kidnapped someone. Who was it?"
"Selene. Two years ago, I discovered Selene's whereabouts. After tracing the clues layer by layer, I finally found out that the mastermind was your son. My leg was injured in a car accident while searching for Ashley. Do you still fantasize that one conversation can change his mind? Even if you are willing, I may not be."
Bryan's blood was boiling, his hands clenched tightly, and he looked at his son's legs with a pained expression. For a moment, he felt heartache, anger, regret, and shock, all at once, almost tearing him apart from the inside out.
After a long time, he finally spoke, "What do you want to do?"
Damian said, "Destroy Volcano, crush his means of attacking KM, and completely shatter his plans. As for him, since he is your son, I can leave his fate to you."
The implication was that if you don't handle it well, I will still intervene.
Bryan was about to speak when he suddenly heard a shout, "Uncle! Jasper!"
Natalia's voice, compared to the treacherous conversation in the living room, was like a light piercing through the thick darkness, making it hard to continue conspiring in the shadows.
Damian's brow tightened. He had overlooked Natalia, forgetting that she hadn't come to take her medicine today.
After a brief adjustment, he said, "Dad, how should I explain today's events to Mom?"
Bryan's deep thoughts were instantly pulled back by Damian, "What do you mean?"
Damian was threatening him! To tell Nicole about all this?
Damian calmly said, "I can refrain from mentioning a word to Mom, but likewise, I don't want her to know anything that happens in this room."
Natalia was caught off guard, her big eyes fluttering, looking particularly pitiful.
Bryan was visibly shaken by the child's gaze.
He snorted coldly, "You don't dare let her know? She is your..."
Before he could finish, he suddenly saw a tall, slender figure walking out from the door, "Ashley?"
Ashley didn't expect to encounter Bryan, and quickly looked at Damian.
Damian said, "She brought her niece to see Mr. Collins for treatment. The child is not in good health."
Bryan admitted that when he first saw Natalia, his heart skipped a beat, thinking she was Damian and Ashley's daughter. Hearing she was a niece, he relaxed a bit, "Is that so?"
Ashley nodded, holding Natalia's small hand, "I'll take her to the backyard, so we won't disturb your conversation."
As she turned to leave, Bryan said, "Wait a moment."
Ashley's fingers unintentionally tightened, causing Natalia pain. She looked up in fear, "Auntie, loosen your grip, my hand hurts."
Damian, worried that Bryan might harm her, spoke up to protect her, "Natalia hasn't taken her medicine yet. If you have something to say, say it later."
Bryan, provoked by Damian, became even angrier, "Why are you in such a hurry? Do you think I would harm her?"
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