Chapter 642 Estrangement Between Father and Daughter
"Kaleb couldn't listen to a word, his mind filled with one thing only.
""Tell me, was Margaret's child a boy when she gave birth? What about the child? When did you find them? Where are they now? Is Margaret still alive?""
Joe originally didn't want to tell Kaleb about this. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to handle it, so he planned to keep it from him for now. Unexpectedly, in a moment of panic, he blurted it out. Now facing Kaleb's questions, he didn't know how to evade them.
After decades of brotherhood, Kaleb knew Joe too well. Anything could be conveyed by a single expression or glance. He felt the tension.
""Is something wrong? Tell me quickly, or our years of friendship will come to an end,"" Kaleb urged.
Joe said hesitantly , ""It's complicated. If I tell you, don't get angry. Your health is more important.""
Kaleb raised his voice, growling, ""Just say it!""
Finally, Joe stuttered, ""Margaret and her child were in a car accident not long ago, and both of them passed away.""
He feared Kaleb would blame himself, so he deliberately omitted the timing of the accident.
It was truly shocking.
Kaleb felt his vision darken, his body weaken, and he collapsed to the floor.
""Kaleb!"" Joe exclaimed, immediately assisting him onto the couch, performing CPR and continuously speaking to him. ""Please wake up . If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have told you.""
Slowly regaining consciousness, Kaleb opened his eyes.
""Charles, how do you feel? Are you okay? Do we need to call an ambulance?"" Joe asked, concerned.
Grasping Joe's arm tightly, Kaleb inquired, ""You said Margaret and her child died in a car accident? When did you find them? Why didn't you tell me earlier?""
Joe reproached himself, ""It's not that I didn't want to tell you earlier, but when I found them, they were already gone, and their remains had been cremated.""
As he handed a photo to Kaleb, Joe explained, ""For years, I've been helping you search for Margaret. I've felt guilty for not stopping you from leaving back then, leading to the tragedy. Billy recently found Margaret and her child. By the time his men arrived, they were already cremated.""
He believed that Charles' current state of affairs was somehow linked to him. So he tried hard to make amends.
Handing over the photo found in Margaret's rented home , Joe said, ""I've known Margaret for so long, I wouldn't mistake her appearance.""
Trembling, Kaleb took the photo. The woman in the picture held a toddler of about two years, smiling sweetly at the camera in a flower bed. The woman in the photo was the woman he had yearned for. The child in her arms was undoubtedly their son.
Placing a hand on Kaleb's shoulder, Joe gently patted him. ""Charles, I know this truth is cruel for you. But I'd rather be a bit cruel now than see you hurt by Patricia in the future.""
Pausing, he added, ""You've known Patricia for so long, have you ever heard her mention her mother? Or seen a photo of her mother? No, right?""
Kaleb fell silent. Indeed, he hadn't. Patricia didn't mention it, and when he occasionally did, she avoided the topic. He had thought Patricia was still resentful of him, so he stopped bringing it up.
It turned out she wasn't resentful; she simply wasn't his biological daughter. That explained why she never called him father. He felt a surge of anger.
Continuing, Kaleb said, ""I believe Margaret wouldn't marry another man. Patricia has a father, Gavin Watson.""
Kaleb fell silent. The question he had avoided for so long was now directly in front of him. He had never wanted to think about confirming the father-daughter relationship with Patricia. He couldn't accept the idea of Margaret marrying another man. Though he never blamed her, he couldn't accept it either.
Placing both hands on Kaleb's shoulders, Joe said, ""I've told you what you need to know. The rest is your private matter, and I won't interfere.""
Suddenly feeling the timing was off, Kaleb asked sternly, ""When did Margaret and her child have the accident?""
Joe's eyes flickered guiltily. ""Why do you ask?""
Being straightforward, Kaleb said, ""The timing is crucial for me! I fear it's because of that curse.""
Joe, unable to deceive him, admitted, ""You're too smart.""
Not catching his words clearly, Kaleb asked, ""What did you say?""
Joe, knowing he couldn't deceive him, confessed, ""It was shortly after you and Patricia confirmed your relationship.""
Fearing he might jump to conclusions, Joe added, ""Perhaps it's just a coincidence; we should believe in science, not superstition.""
Upon hearing the timing of Margaret and her child's passing, Kaleb's mind went blank. Everything seemed to freeze, and his eyes reddened. It happened shortly after he and Patricia confirmed their relationship. Wasn't this the curse coming true? Without finding Margaret and their biological child, he broke his promise and saved Martin. The curse then struck Margaret and their child. It was him. All him. He believed in that paternity test, in Patricia being his daughter, overlooking other details, leading to Margaret's and their child's demise.
""Kaleb, this isn't your fault. You don't want to end up like this. There might be misunderstandings; you don't have to—""
Joe tried to comfort him but was cut off by Kaleb.
""Leave. I want to be alone for a while.""
Joe was worried. ""How can I leave when you're like this? I'll stay here with you.""
In case something happened, he could call an ambulance promptly.
Pushing him gently, Kaleb insisted, ""I'm fine! I need some time alone to think.""
Joe, still concerned, asked, ""Are you sure you're okay?""
Kaleb nodded. ""I'm fine! I'm only sixty, not an old man.""
Reluctantly, Joe left, instructing the butler to check on Kaleb in a few minutes. Worried about his well-being, he wanted to be informed immediately if anything happened.
Joe departed.
Alone in the study, Kaleb sat quietly on the couch. Eyes closed, his right hand rested on his thigh with the cane, index finger and thumb pressed against his forehead, trying to sort out his thoughts. Recent events had left him perplexed.
After an unknown period, there was a knock on the study door .
Patricia's voice came from outside. ""Are you still in there? I found the medicine; I'm taking it to the hospital first.""
The use of "" you"" in her address hit him like a match in an oil barrel. Kaleb felt his anger rising. After all this time, she still wouldn't call him ""father."" It wasn't that she couldn't say it; it was because she was a fraud and didn't want to acknowledge it."
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