Chapter 471 Cooling Off the Heat
As evening approached, a blog post of Darwin and Chicago spotted downtown at noon had unexpectedly gone viral. The reason for the sensation was that quite a few people recognized Darwin in the comment section, and someone posted a photo of the outfit Darwin had worn to work that day, perfectly matching the clothes of the man pictured.
Claims had also emerged from individuals purporting to be internal employees of Solomon, asserting that indeed, Darwin's wife and child had visited the company today.
Following that, more people shared photos and videos as proof that Darwin was indeed out with his child at a well-known Western restaurant downtown at noon. Beyond the pictures of them crossing the street, the most circulated piece was a short video of Darwin, looking affectionate and attentive as he stood by Chicago washing her hands, the two deeply engaged in conversation.
The caption under the video read, "I was having lunch at Genci and saw this handsome guy in a suit, really dashing, and his little girl was adorable too. Snapped it without much thought, turned out to be the latest social media sensation."
The comment section beneath the video was inundated with a stream of remarks.
[I suddenly got Mr. Darwin's appeal, the perfect fatherly charm!]
[Those kids are so adorable, washing their hands so diligently. Makes me want to sneak up with a burlap sack and kidnap them!]
[Count me in for the kidnap plan +1.]
[How did Mr. Darwin get so lucky to have such a cute daughter?]
[Looking at Mr. Darwin, he seems to have 'ecstatically happy' written all over his face!]
[Oh my God, the moment he squats down to wipe his daughter’s hands with a warm towel, who gets it? I'm totally in love!]
[I once read this ridiculous rumor, saying Mr. Darwin hasn't set foot in the office since getting married, busy at home playing daddy. The tycoon sister is the one hustling every day. I didn't believe it then, but after this video, could it actually be true?]
[LOL, a visit from one of Solomon's employees. And yep, Mr. Darwin has rarely been seen in the office since getting hitched—save me, could he be so glued to the kids that he'll sell Solomon?]
Under this comment, it's all laughter.
The top-liked comment read, "So tragic for gawkers, happily snacking away, and suddenly jobless!"
The second most liked read, "No way he'd sell, his boss lady would step in. Mr. Darwin, the domestic hubby, and the heiress CEO – I'm loving this twist!"
Of course, alongside the harmony, there were those who wanted to crucify Fiona on the cross of traditional shame.
[While everyone's laughing, am I the only one worried? Where's the mom? Is she really so irresponsible to dump the kids on her husband?]
[Exactly, you can't go for women raised in a cocoon. What use are they if they can't even look after their children?]
[Not to be rude, but in our town, no one would touch a woman like Fiona.]
Just as the mocking voices got louder, someone else stepped up and posted a video with caption, "However, what if, what if the tycoon sister was also in the restaurant with Charles?"
The video displayed the familiar crosswalk scene; a poised woman sporting a cap led the way, trailed by a young boy and a towering man designated as a "Bodyguard" in the subtitles.
Below the video, the tone of the comments took a sharper turn, with trolls unleashing even more vitriol.
[What's the point of this video? To prove she's really an unfit mom, leaving little Charles with a bodyguard!]
[She looks so cold; does she really care for her kids? I worry for Mr. Darwin's Charles and Chicago.]
When the comments were nearly drowned by such posts, the blogger responded by reposting a video from the most upvoted person. "Well, what about this?"
The video showed Fiona carrying the boy out of the restaurant.
The boy seemed a bit listless.
In contrast to the happy little girl.
She dashed out first to press the elevator button, then sprinted back to her mom.
In the footage, the deep bond between the children and their mother was evident. Yet, both videos were swiftly taken down by the website's administrators. Fiona felt a sense of powerlessness at being captured on camera simply while dining out. Their frequent appearances in the trending lists had become a concern, especially for the leisure time of Charles and Chicago. Fiona promptly contacted the public relations department, instructing them to remove any search references to her and Darwin. She recognized the challenge of preventing random encounters from being captured in the age of the internet but hoped to fade from the public spotlight soon.
Before dinner, Fiona received an unexpected call from Kenny.
"Something up?" Fiona answered.
Kenny got straight to the point. "Did Thalassa call you about the Shaw family matter in the past few days?"
After thinking for a moment, Fiona asked, "Why bring this up all of a sudden?"
"So, has the Shaw family reached out to her?" Kenny asked, somewhat gravely.
Fiona sighed, "She should speak with you about that, not me. It's nothing serious. Thalassa’s mother texted her asking for alimony."
Kenny scoffed on the other end.
"Thalassa won’t be entertaining it..." Fiona knew the Shaw family weren't after alimony; they had other motives. She hesitated briefly before asking, "Is there something wrong with the Shaw family?"
"Justin recently funded a project, and they were short on paying the second installment, but suddenly, they’ve paid it all up in full," Kenny explained.
Fiona was taken aback, then asked seriously, "How much?"
"Six million," Kenny said.
Fiona's frown deepened. "I see. Don't rush back. Thalassa wouldn’t want his issues to trouble or burden you. Come back when you’ve wrapped up your work."
Kenny was silent for a moment before asking, "Is that what she told you? That she doesn't want to trouble me or add to my burdens?"
"Yeah," Fiona confirmed. "Don't take it personally. She's like this with anyone she cares about. She settles things herself if she can."
Kenny let out a soft sigh.
Then he said, "Before I get back, please take care of her."
"I will."
As the call concluded, Fiona couldn't shake off her frustration. The Shaw family's sudden financial turnaround hinted at ulterior motives, likely involving Thalassa's mother. Fiona's thoughts raced, recognizing Thalassa's newfound resentment toward her family. She dialed a number with a determined resolve, her mind consumed with the troubling developments surrounding the Shaw family.
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