Chapter 405 Antonio's Tumult of Emotions
Alex feigned confusion, his voice laced with uncertainty. "What... what are you implying? Sarah called me, her voice strained with anxiety, so I rushed over."
He made a move to leave, adding, "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave. Don't hesitate to call if you need anything."
However, just as Alex was on the brink of escape, Antonio's firm grip held him back.
"What did you just call him? Allen?" Antonio's fist clenched tightly, his emotions too tangled to put into words.
So, the elusive CEO he had been relentlessly pursuing turned out to be his own flesh and blood!
His son, who was merely five years old this year, right?
Sensing the escalating tension, Brian stepped in, ready to shoulder the responsibility for his actions.
He sighed deeply, a comforting hand on Antonio's back. "Yes, that's correct. I am the Allen you've been searching for. This has nothing to do with Uncle Alex. I orchestrated everything, so if you have any grievances or queries, direct them at me."
Antonio, somewhat pacified, took a moment to reflect on the recent events.
The revelation was akin to when Sarah first discovered their son was the CEO...
Firstly, Alex had made an appearance during Ethan's birthday, and Brian, the CEO of Alex's company, had returned to China concurrently with Alex.
In retrospect, Ethan's behavior had been increasingly peculiar since then.
It wasn't just Ethan; Harper and Ryan too seemed to be concealing something every day.
The trio insisted on having four beds, and their nursery was perpetually locked...
Ethan's transformation was even more conspicuous.
Antonio had noticed that Ethan, who was frequently in his presence, seemed to have two distinct personalities.
Initially, he had suspected Ethan of having schizophrenia and had sought medical advice.
But now, it was evident that it wasn't schizophrenia at all. It was Brian who had been masquerading as Ethan all along.
Brian was the CEO of the company, which explained Alex's frequent visits under the guise of discussing company matters.
This also accounted for Antonio overhearing discussions about contracts and company decisions outside the study.
Later, a massive argument with Sarah had led to her moving out of their shared home and into this mansion, a generous gift from Allen worth billions.
Antonio had always been puzzled by Sarah's fondness for this man named Allen.
But now, everything fell into place.
No wonder Sarah became so emotional whenever Allen's matters were brought up.
He had misinterpreted everything.
There was, in fact, nothing to worry about!
What a crafty CEO with a single, clever, and intelligent eldest son! At this juncture, Ryan emerged to find the entire family gathered outside.
"Dad, Sarah, you're back," Ryan greeted.
He noticed their dust-covered appearances and the bandages wrapped around Antonio. In his rush, he momentarily forgot about Brian's predicament.
"What happened to you all? Brian, weren't you at the amusement park? How did you return injured? Harper, are you alright? Did you get hurt?"
Ryan's worried gaze flitted between Harper and the others until he saw Harper shake her head. Only then did he sense that something was amiss.
Hold on... Dad was here, and so was Brian. They've been found out!
Swallowing nervously, Ryan cautiously addressed Antonio. "Dad, how's your injury? What exactly transpired?"
"I'm fine, let's discuss this inside," Antonio responded, leading the way into the villa.
"Let's go," Brian said nonchalantly. He had nothing left to hide. If Antonio couldn't come to terms with this incident, he would apologize. He would do whatever it took to ensure that Mommy, his siblings, and Uncle Alex weren't blamed.
At this point, Sarah remained silent. If it was discovered, so be it. Antonio was bound to find out sooner or later.
Alex slapped his forehead in exasperation. This was clearly a family affair, so why on earth had he gotten entangled in it?
As the family retreated into the villa, a heavy atmosphere hung in the air. Antonio sank into the main couch, relieved that the knot in his heart had been untied, but new complications had arisen.
Every member of the family, Century Garden included, was acutely aware of Brian's existence. Even Alex, a stranger to their inner circle, was informed. Yet, Brian himself was left in the shadows.
For what felt like an eternity, Brian had been tormented by this incident. His life had become a whirlwind of tracking and relocating residences, rendering him unable to focus on any other task. He had even dispatched individuals overseas to await the return of a man named Allen.
The shocking revelation was that Allen was his own son, who had been residing by his side all along!
Was this a conspiracy orchestrated by his own family? Wasn't this an unbearable burden?
Brian found himself perched on the edge of a couch, refraining from immediately revealing his identity as Allen to Antonio.
"Uncle Alex," he began, "we were abducted today. Our captor was Jason Alan, the proprietor of the Evergreen Chess Club. Rest assured, he is now in police custody."
"The true puppeteer behind this is not Jason, but a man named Victor. He purports to be our mother's father, our grandfather. We need to ascertain his location as soon as possible."
With his identity laid bare, Brian saw no need for further subterfuge. He issued a direct command to Alex to address the day's events.
At Brian's words, Alex's countenance hardened...
The kidnapping had thrown their hearts into chaos. In such a brief span of time, an overwhelming number of events had unfolded, all quite unexpectedly.
"Understood, I'll attend to it immediately."
As Alex was about to pivot and exit, he was halted by Antonio's stern reprimand, "Hold your ground!"
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