Chapter 150 Charles Reveals Fannie's Identity to Martin
Samuel acknowledged that the Langley family was now Martin's domain and was overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness he had never experienced before.
"I'm doing this for the Langley family! I've met young Charles; he's bound to become a remarkable heir. I don't want to waste talent."
The intensity deepened in Martin’s gaze as he steadily looked at him, "I know, and there’s no need for your concern. Let’s consider this the only time, no precedent for the future."
Having said that, he started to walk away.
But after a few steps, he stopped without turning back, "Charles refuses to leave Patricia, and you don’t want him running away from home again, do you? Should anything happen, who would bear the consequences?"
With his final words uttered, Martin left.
Watching his figure disappear from view, Samuel collapsed onto the sofa inside his home—
After leaving the Langley Mansion, Martin sent a message to Patricia on his way back.
"I've settled things with him; he won't bother you anymore. Take good care of Charles, and if any issues or difficulties arise, come to me. I'm Charles’ father; it’s my duty to solve any trouble he faces."
The message went unanswered for a while.
Martin guessed that Patricia must have fallen asleep from exhaustion and put his phone back in his pocket.
…
The next day.
When Patricia received Martin's message, she was silent for a moment, with a multitude of things she wanted to say, yet not knowing where to start. In the end, all she said was, "Thank you!"
Martin looked at the short message, feeling a tightness in his chest.
He didn’t expect Patricia to be overly grateful with sentimental words, but to be dismissed with just a "thank you" felt far too perfunctory.
Pacing back and forth at home, Martin thought it over and, eventually taking his car keys, drove to the Riverside Apartments.
Patricia had just set breakfast on the table, and Jade, Fannie, and Charles were about to sit down when the doorbell rang.
Upon opening the door and seeing Martin, she paused in slight surprise.
To ease the awkwardness, Martin gave a light cough and conjured a very good excuse, "I was worried about Charles and wanted to check on him."
"Oh..." Patricia nodded and casually asked, "Have you eaten? I've just made breakfast, would you like to join us?"
Breakfast?
Made by Patricia herself?
A glint of something bright flickered in Martin's eyes.
Swallowing hard, his mouth watering despite himself, he feigned reluctance and agreed, "Sure, I haven't had breakfast yet, so I'll eat a little."
"…??"
Patricia welcomed him inside, motioning for him to take the seat of honor and went to the kitchen to serve him a bowl of beef noodles.
"The beef in these noodles is homemade by me, not spicy at all. Try it and see how it tastes."
Martin nodded solemnly, refraining from eating immediately. Instead, he inquired about Charles's well-being: "How are you feeling today? You were out in the cold wind for so long last night; are you feeling alright?"
"I'm fine, thank you for your concern, Dad," Charles felt a slight warmth at the bottom of his heart.
Initially, recognizing his father was a matter of necessity.
But as they spent more time together, Charles began to feel that even though his dad might not be a qualified husband, he was definitely a qualified father.
No father would set aside his work to spend days on end in the hospital with his child.
Neither would any man tolerate his eldest son's maternal loyalties, especially in a family as exceptional as the Langley family of Country Z.
With the air of an elder, Martin solemnly warned, "Don't do something like this again! Winter is approaching; it's not right to have everyone out in the cold looking for you."
Charles hung his head and sincerely apologized, "I'm sorry, I'll never do it again."
Martin nodded, and began eating his meal at a leisurely pace.
Fannie ate her noodles sullenly.
Watching her father and brother converse with great enthusiasm, not even sparing her a glance, she felt both jealousy and injustice.
Jade sat to the left of the head of the table, and as Patricia was about to sit on the other side of Jade, Jade stood up, giving up the seat to her and shot her a schadenfreude-filled glance.
Speechless, Patricia rolled her eyes and settled down on the initially intended seat.
Without showing any reaction, Martin watched their subtle interactions.
Patricia pushed a sandwich and chocolate milk across the table towards him, "The sandwich is store-bought; it's really tasty. Charles and Fannie both like it a lot."
"Thank you!" After expressing his gratitude, Martin took a sip of the milk, finding it indeed delicious.
Drinking along, he quickly finished the glass of milk.
Patricia promptly refilled it for him.
Once he finished his beef noodles, she served him another portion.
Watching Patricia bustle about to please him, Martin's vanity was greatly stroked, dissipating the unpleasantness of the morning.
After breakfast, Martin and Patricia took Fannie and Charles to kindergarten.
Martin held Charles's hand, while Patricia took Fannie's.
Fannie pouted the entire way, gazing at Martin with the mournful eyes of one forlorn.
Tenderly, Martin said to Charles, "What time do you get out of school? I'll come to pick you up. We can call Randy, and the four of us will go out to celebrate together! We haven't had a proper celebration since the recognition."
Clearly, the term "family of four" didn't include Fannie.
She was automatically excluded.
Fannie's eyes began to swirl with unshed tears, filled with grievance.
Charles furrowed his brow, dissatisfied, "It's a family of five, Fannie is my sister, if there's a family dinner, she has to go."
Martin pursed his lips begrudgingly, "She's not my daughter, is it even appropriate for her to go?"
That's just how petty he can be.
He might let go of the fact that Patricia once betrayed him.
But as for treating his rival's daughter like his own, that's impossible.
He's not that magnanimous. He can't do it.
Charles: "……??"
Patricia: "……??"
Fannie: "……??"
Seeing them silent, Martin added, "Jade could help look after her for now, if it really comes down to it, I can have Alan come over to help out."
All the grievances bubbled up.
Fannie's tears gushed out like a freshly sprung fountain.
Seeing her cry made Charles' heart ache. He got so angry that he threw off Martin's hand, hands on his hips, and said sternly, "Dad, you're going too far."
Martin, chin up high, didn't believe he was in the wrong.
Patricia gave him a reproachful glare, "You are indeed going too far, she's just a child!"
"I'm just stating the facts," Martin pouted, non-committal.
Charles was about to explode with anger. He couldn't bear to see his sister slighted and blurted out in a moment of anger, "Do you even realize that Fannie is not Mom's child with another..."
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