Chapter 13 My Dad Died Early
Harper shot him a look, rolling her eyes like she couldn't be more annoyed.
Antonio's face went dark. Did she really think staying quiet would keep him in the dark?
Just then, the maid came back with a glass of milk, eyeing Antonio's stormy face before handing the milk to Harper without a word.
Harper lazily lifted a finger to touch the glass, then snorted. She was making a point. "Cold milk? Seriously? I want it hot!"
Antonio's face stayed hard, but he wasn't mad. He knew she was just trying to get under his skin, but she wouldn't keep it up for long.
He turned and made a call. Ten minutes later, his family doctor showed up.
Karen Jackson looked surprised to see Harper but didn't dare ask questions when he saw Antonio's mood.
Antonio sat back in a single chair, legs crossed, and said coldly, "Take her sample. I want a paternity test."
He was sure he hadn't been with anyone else, but he needed to be sure.
Harper freaked out!
Antonio was such a jerk. No way could he find out she was his kid, or he'd take her away, and she'd never see Sarah again.
"I don't want to!" She stood tall, and when Karen came closer, she jumped off the sofa and hid, yelling, "You bullies! I'll call the cops!"
Karen moved slowly, trying to calm her down. "Don't worry. Just need a few hairs. It won't hurt."
"No! Stay back, or I'll... I'll jump out the window!"
She ran to the big window, opened it, and stuck one foot out, pretending to jump.
But it was just the first floor.
Karen was at a loss but didn't dare move closer. He looked at Antonio, desperate. "Mr. Valencia, what should we do..."
Antonio rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. After a moment, he waved his hand, annoyed. "Forget it for today."
Karen nodded quickly and got out of there.
With the test and the recent news, Karen got the picture. But as a doctor, he didn't want to get involved in rich people's drama.
The villa went quiet again. Antonio stared at Harper by the window, his eyes cold.
They locked eyes, neither saying a word, the tension thick in the air.
Until someone showed up, breaking the silence.
"Antonio!" Lisa's flirty voice came from outside. Antonio squinted, clearly not in the mood for visitors.
Lisa was dressed conservatively today, with a scarf around her neck, hiding the marks from a rough night. She was mad about what happened at the hotel but had to suck it up.
She wanted to see Antonio and talk about their marriage again. But as soon as she walked in, she spotted Harper.
One look, and she knew Harper was the kid who messed up the wedding!
Lisa's face cracked under her makeup!
Harper saw Lisa and frowned. Ugh, why was she here?
Was this her and Antonio's place?
Harper's eyes lit up with a plan. She ignored Lisa's glare, ran to Antonio, and switched to a sweet smile. "Daddy."
Antonio looked down, seeing Harper with big eyes and open arms. "Daddy, hug me!"
When Antonio didn't move, Harper pouted and whined. "Daddy, hug me. Harper wants a hug."
Harper?
So that was her name. Antonio didn't know why, but hearing Harper call him "daddy" didn't make him feel weird. In fact, seeing her smile, his heart kinda melted.
He bent down and scooped her up. Harper wrapped her arms around his neck, grinning. "I'm hungry. I want to eat the food Daddy makes."
Antonio was a bit taken aback, not sure how many sides this kid had. He didn't even notice his once-stern face had softened up a lot.
The maid watching all this was totally floored. She'd never seen Antonio like this. In all these years, he'd never shown a gentle side.
Lisa, on the other hand, was fuming, her face twisted in rage!
Did she hear that right? What did Harper just call him? And Antonio didn't deny it? And now Harper wanted to eat his cooking?
He'd never cooked for Ryan. Why should this illegitimate kid get such special treatment?
"Antonio, what's the deal with this kid? Is she really your daughter? I need answers!"
Lisa couldn't hold back anymore. She wasn't about to let Harper steal the status and affection that belonged to Ryan!
Antonio felt nothing but irritation at Lisa's outburst. He didn't even look at her, his voice cold and dismissive. "It's none of your business. I don't owe you an explanation. Remember, you're just Ryan's mother."
Those words hit Lisa like a cold slap in the face.
She didn't want to back down, but Antonio's attitude left her no choice. With a face full of fake sorrow, she lamented, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pried. Antonio, Ryan hasn't seen you in ages. He misses you every day and he's been sick lately. His health is fragile. If anything happens to him, I don't know what I'll do."
She covered her face in fake sorrow, but her eyes shot daggers at Harper clinging to Antonio. Harper ignored her, turning her back to Lisa and hugging Antonio tighter, giving Lisa the cold shoulder.
"I'll see him tomorrow. It's late. You can leave now."
Before Lisa could say another word, Antonio cut her off, dismissing her coldly.
He put Harper down, took her small hand, and led her to the dining room. "What do you want to eat?"
His voice was unusually gentle, and even he was surprised by it.
Harper looked up at him with a sweet smile. "Anything Daddy makes, I like."
As she spoke, she took advantage of Antonio's distraction to stick her tongue out at the frozen Lisa.
Her deliberate provocation made Lisa even angrier. If she weren't afraid of Antonio, she would've lunged at Harper!
All these years, she'd kept a close watch but hadn't found out he had another woman and a kid as old as Harper!
Seeing Antonio's attitude towards Harper, Lisa felt not just anger but also deep unease. She feared Antonio's heart would fully turn towards Harper, pushing Ryan aside.
She gritted her teeth, trembling with rage, a murderous glint in her eyes. She had to find a way to get rid of Harper!
The moment Lisa stormed out, Harper's expression changed.
She shook off Antonio's hand, put some distance between them, crossed her arms, and snorted, "Your taste is awful. She's nowhere near as pretty as Mom!"
The warmth in Antonio's hand vanished. He looked at Harper, knowing she'd been putting on an act.
Of course, he was willing to play along, just to avoid more drama with Lisa. But for a moment, he had hoped Harper was...
Antonio pushed those thoughts away, his eyes meeting Harper's disdainful gaze, the softness in his eyes fading.
He realized Harper had mentioned "Mommy." He lowered his voice and asked, "Where are your parents? Do they just let you hang out with strangers?"
Harper stared at Antonio, her voice steady. "My dad died a long time ago."
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