Chapter 303 How Could He Be Sarah's Father?
As the inebriated man's excitement grew, his words caused his shoulders to tremble uncontrollably. Sarah, on the other hand, was awash with skepticism. She bore a striking resemblance to her mother, and this man's character and demeanor were so far removed from her mother's that she found it difficult to believe her mother could have ever loved someone like him.
Yet, Sarah held back from making a rash judgment. She could only regard the man with a mixture of disbelief and doubt, asking, "Then why are you here?"
The man's expression faltered, a trace of reluctance creeping onto his face. He rushed to explain, "I didn't want to resort to such a despicable act. But ever since your mother and I parted ways, my life has been a downward spiral. Recently, I fell into a massive debt due to a failed business partnership.
"I'm penniless now. I had no choice but to stoop to such measures. Do you think I enjoy this?" He wiped his tears, glanced at Sarah, and then at the luxury car parked behind her. Suddenly, he rose from the ground and dropped to his knees with a thud.
"Child, have you ever considered that you might be the child Isabella was carrying when we parted ways? For Isabella's sake, could you lend me some money to clear my debts... I beg you!"
His plea was punctuated by his forehead striking the ground, a spectacle Sarah was unable to prevent. The scene drew the attention of passersby, creating a crowd. Sarah could bear it no longer.
Regardless of the nature of this man's relationship with her mother, he was at least an old acquaintance of hers...
Sarah furrowed her brows, instructing, "Get up first. Let's find a place to talk calmly. Crying won't solve anything. There's a noodle shop nearby. Let's go there."
Relieved by Sarah's softened stance, the man stood up, still sobbing, and followed her into the noodle shop. As soon as they were seated, the tears he had been barely holding back began to flow anew.
"For all these years, I never forgot Isabella. If I had known she gave birth to you, I would have moved heaven and earth to find her!
"Now that I think about it, I regret believing Isabella's words, thinking she had terminated the pregnancy. How has your mother been all these years?
"It's all your father's fault. Don't blame me. I've had a tough time too. I've been searching for Isabella all this while, but I haven't heard a single piece of news..."
Sarah was at a loss for words. How could this man insist that she was his daughter? Even if he had a past with her mother, it didn't automatically make her his daughter.
Sarah furrowed her brows, questioning, "When did you and my mother part ways?"
The drunkard paused, then replied, "Over twenty years ago. I can't recall the exact date, but it was probably in September. I remember the maple leaves were a fiery red. It was autumn."
Sarah was taken aback.
...September?
Conceived in September, born the following early summer.
The timeline coincided with Sarah's birthday...
A wave of confusion washed over Sarah.
Could it be...
Could the man before her be the father she had been searching for all her life? It was hard for her to believe. She trusted her mother's judgment and experiences; there was no way her mother would have been attracted to a man who scammed people on the streets.
"According to you, my mother left you because she had no other choice. So, what happened between you two that led my mother to make such a decision?"
Sarah knew her mother's character well. If it was true love, she wouldn't have just left, especially when she was pregnant. Unless something extremely serious occurred, her mother wouldn't have kept it a secret.
Upon hearing this, the drunken man burst into tears, as if the past was too painful to recount. Sarah sighed and gave him time to compose himself.
But before the man could stop crying, someone approached from behind.
It was Antonio.
"Who are you?"
Antonio stood next to Sarah, his gaze cold and stern as he scrutinized the middle-aged man before him. Sensing the smell of alcohol and noting his disheveled appearance, Antonio instinctively shielded Sarah.
He had been tied up at Jerretts Group all day, not even taking a break to eat. He had assumed Sarah was still at the office. However, he discovered when he was almost done with work that Sarah had left the company to attend an exhibition.
Jonathan returned to the office, but Sarah was not there. Upon learning that she had gone home alone, Antonio couldn't stay put. He immediately left his work and drove back, only to find Sarah's car parked in front of a noodle shop at the intersection. He had a gut feeling that something was amiss.
Sure enough, as soon as he entered, he saw the drunkard making a move on Sarah.
When Sarah saw Antonio, she didn't question how he found her. Instead, she took his hand and smiled, "This is... an acquaintance of my mother's. We happened to meet here today."
However, as soon as the drunkard saw Antonio, his demeanor changed instantly. A sycophantic smile spread across his face, and he extended his hand towards Antonio. "Mr. Valencia, hello! I never expected to see you here. It's truly an honor for me!"
Sarah furrowed her brows. Mr. Valencia? Did this man know Antonio?
Antonio's gaze turned icy. "What? Do you know me? Or was this all a setup?"
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