Chapter 311 His Daughter
Darwin held Chicago's hand, fighting to keep it steady, but his hand trembled slightly.
Looking at her, it dawned on him—the intense emotions he'd felt towards Chicago from their first encounter stemmed from a deep-seated blood bond.
After arriving at the hospital that afternoon, Darwin had never left. Unable to find any information about Fiona's child, let alone Fiona herself, he settled in the parking garage by her car. Parked nearby was a familiar black nanny van, the same model that always came to pick up Chicago.
Darwin, increasingly dependent on painkillers to ease his throbbing headache, waited in his car for hours until Fiona finally appeared. But the heavens had more surprises in store for him. Just as he was about to exit the vehicle, Dagwood came into view with a familiar child in her arms, laughing as she followed Fiona.
Frozen, he was struck as if by lightning, sitting rigid in the car, watching through the window as Dagwood set Chicago down and she ran to Fiona. Fiona squatted down, displaying a tenderness he had never before seen on her face.
Fragmented memories slowly started piecing together. Chicago had mentioned having a twin brother, and Fiona's children were also twins. Today, Chicago had spoken of her brother's severe illness, which mirrored the suspected leukemia in Fiona's child—even though Fiona had only mentioned a daughter.
Indeed, she often referred to her child as 'the kid' in her presence, rather than explicitly saying 'my daughter" And there were times... I remember when Chicago had come by the office, the people in the executive suite mentioned they thought Chicago resembled him. He'd caught whispers here and there, rumors that Chicago was his and Lilian's love child. Why would such rumors exist? Because, plainly put, Chicago didn't just resemble him; she also resembled Lilian. And why Lilian? Because Lilian and Fiona could've been sisters!
Darwin's heart felt like it was about to explode. By the time he had regained his composure, Fiona, Janna, and Dagwood had already gotten into the nanny van and taken off. Chicago stood there, her eyes filled with reluctance, watching them leave. Darwin's heart shattered. Chicago was his daughter, his...
The thought echoed in his mind as he stepped out of the car.
Pain and a bitter sting filled his chest when Chicago ran toward him. A mix of unprecedented anger and relief violently clashed in his heart. He couldn't wait a second longer and wrapped his arms around her, completely unaware of the magnitude of what was unfolding.
Oblivious Wendy, after chatting with Stuart, greeted Darwin, "Mr. Solomon, what brings you here? Feeling under the weather?"
Without even glancing at Wendy, Darwin responded, "I'm here for my child." His words were directed at Stuart, whose expression and reaction suggested he was in on the deceit. One of the liars.
Darwin lowered his gaze to hide the fierce determination in his eyes. He couldn't let Chicago sense his anger - he kept reminding himself of that.
"Dad, are you sick?" Chicago's tension was palpable.
Why does everyone seem to be getting sick?!
"Darwin, I'm only going to warn you once," Stuart said through gritted teeth, his patience frayed to its limit. His hand inched toward his lower back where it seemed he might be ready to pull something out at any moment.
"Wendy, what are you doing?" Wendy gasped, "I told you, he's not a bad guy!"
"Uncle Stuart, it's Darwin," Chicago said with a hint of surprise but without showing fear. Her tone grew firm, "Uncle Stuart, you can't be rude. Chicago will get mad!"
Darwin felt a surge of pride in how his daughter stood up for him. He finally looked straight at Stuart. "Yeah, mister, can you show some manners in front of the kid?"
Stuart said nothing, but his clenched jaw spoke volumes.
She slowly retracted her hand and mustered a strained smile at Chicago. "Miss, we still have to return to... to..."
Stuart hesitated, with the name 'Charles' on the tip of his tongue, yet unspoken.
Yet Darwin filled in smoothly, " Chicago, shall we go see how your brother Charles is doing now?"
Stuart's world crumbled.
It was all over.
Darwin knew everything.
"Mommy..." Chicago voiced her hesitation.
Darwin replied with a tender smile, "Mommy won't ever object to our meetings anymore."
Listening to Darwin's soothing words, Stuart felt a chill run down his spine.
"Really?" Chicago beamed with pure joy.
Darwin nodded firmly, "I've promised you before, I'll never lie to you."
"That's awesome!" Chicago didn't harbor a single doubt about Darwin's assurance.
Seeing her so happy and recalling her tearful phone call earlier in the day, Darwin felt a tightness in his chest.
"Chicago, do you want to press the elevator button? Dad... Darwin needs to speak with Uncle Stuart for a moment."
"Okay!" she nodded vigorously.
Chicago happily bounced toward the elevator lobby, but then paused, looking back worriedly at Stuart and then at Darwin. "You guys better not fight or Chicago will get really upset!"
"Don't worry, we won't. Off you go," Darwin assured her with a smile.
Yet Chicago stayed put, eyeing Stuart.
Stuart said nothing. In his mind, he had already considered, more than a dozen times, ways to eliminate Darwin without the miss ever finding out.
"I won't either," Stuart replied stiffly.
Upon hearing the promises, Chicago cheerfully took Wendy by the hand and left.
"Stuart," Darwin approached him slowly, "what do you think you can still struggle against? What can you still prevent?"
Stuart clenched his fists tightly. "Mr. Solomon, I don't follow what you're saying."
"I will take Charles and Chicago," Darwin said with intentionality in his voice, "and I will punish everyone who has tried to keep us apart."
Stuart was a brute—but also Chelsea's fiercely loyal guardian. The mere idea of Darwin taking Chicago set him off. "On what grounds? Charles and Chicago are Chelsea's legacy, born out of her fight for life, aren't they? You discarded your own family long ago, didn't you? Don't be presumptuous, Darwin. Did you really think the Rhoads family would just let you control them?"
Darwin curled the corner of his mouth, "In other places, I might struggle a bit, but... this is Armie Country. Around here, what Darwin says goes, and you'll all understand that soon enough!"
Stuart's mind was made up in an instant.
Even if it meant trading life for life, today Darwin had to die here.
He couldn't allow Charles and Chicago to be taken away from Chelsea and the old lady!
In a split second, Stuart reached to draw his gun from behind his back.
But Darwin was quicker, landing a brutal kick to Stuart's gut.
Then, seven or eight bodyguards swarmed from nearby cars, pinning Stuart down before he could even get up."
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