Chapter 167 Ethan Goes for a Paternity Test
Preschool.
As one by one, all the other kids had left, the teacher asked, "Casey, your folks haven't come to pick you up yet?"
"Casey's dad doesn't want him anymore," a group of kids whispered among themselves, claiming that Casey's father had abandoned him.
"That's a bunch of bull!" Casey, dressed in his little overalls, puffed up with anger at the taunt. "Knock it off, my dad loves me."
The truth was, Casey had lied. His dad didn't care for him at all.
"You're the liar," the ringleader retorted, sticking out his tongue at Casey. "My mom said so. Casey is the kid no adult likes. Your dad doesn't like you or your mom."
"That's nonsense!" Tears welled up in Casey's eyes as he lunged to fight the other kids. However, being just a chubby little thing, Casey stood no chance in the scuffle against the taller kid.
"Casey, your dad dumped you! Nobody's coming for you," the bully jeered, mocking Casey for being abandoned.
"My mom is just... she's just running late..." Casey said as he was pushed to the ground, bursting into tears.
The ringleader picked up a rock from the ground, intending to throw it at Casey.
Terrified, Casey curled up, only to see Justin, who had been quietly molding clay figures in the corner, fling a clump of mud that hit the bully straight on the forehead.
The kid's face was smeared with mud, and he started to cry.
Casey watched the bully's comical plight through his tear and snot-covered face and couldn't help but laugh.
At that moment, Justin looked so cool in his eyes.
Justin, with a serious expression, looked at the kids who had been picking on Casey and said, "You're all so noisy."
"Justin, we're going to snitch on you, you fatherless freak!" shouted the ringleader as he ran off crying.
"Justin isn't weird; he's my uncle's son," Casey declared defiantly, hands on hips, staunchly defending Justin.
The other kids scattered, leaving only Casey and Justin in the classroom.
"Justin! Justin!" Casey ran over to him, calling out loud.
"You're really loud," Justin complained with a frown, putting down his clay.
Casey timidly stood in front of Justin. "You really look like my uncle when you're upset."
"Of course, I do. He's my dad," Justin said with pride.
Casey took a seat beside him. "How do you make those clay figures? Can you teach me?"
Justin didn't feel like dealing with Casey. "You're being loud."
Ever since Ethan had set him straight, Casey had stopped picking on Justin, knowing full well he couldn't beat Justin in a fight. But today, Justin had his back, and Casey liked him all the more for it.
Friendship between kids was just that simple.
"Justin, your dad is here to pick you up!" the teacher called out from the doorway.
Justin looked up, puzzled, wondering what the teacher meant by his dad. Perhaps she was referring to his grandfather.
Excitedly clutching the clay figurines he had made, Justin ran out, his creations representing his dad, mom, and himself.
"Slow down," someone urged.
At the school gate, Ethan reached out to Justin.
Justin happily dashed into Ethan's arms. "Daddy!"
Ethan lifted Justin, feeling a tinge of guilt. "Sorry I'm late, traffic was a nightmare."
It was getting late, and only Justin and Casey's parents hadn't shown up yet.
Justin, still cheerful, leaned on Ethan's shoulder, not upset at all. "Daddy, are we going home?"
"Yeah," Ethan muttered softly, his gaze shifting away. He was thinking about secretly taking some of Justin's hair for a paternity test.
Justin nodded with glee. "Yay!"
Then he glanced back at Casey, who was hiding behind the door, and fell quiet for a long moment. "Daddy, Casey's parents aren't here to pick him up."
Ethan stopped in his tracks and turned to see a timid little head peeping from behind the door.
His expression darkened for a moment as he checked the time. It was already this late, and if Lisa couldn't make it, Jordan and the house butler would be merely for show.
He called Lisa, but there was no answer.
Ethan, slightly irked, rang the Douglas family's butler.
"Mr. Ethan, Ms. Cheng is drunk. She had too much to drink..."
"And she's forgotten about her child?" Ethan's voice was deep with disapproval.
"Ah? Casey? Ms. Cheng had called her son-in-law to pick Casey. Didn't he pick him up?"
Ethan hung up the phone, infuriated. Nobody in their right mind would neglect their own child.
Justin stared at Ethan, absorbing the conversation, then instinctively glanced back at Casey. It appeared the bullies' words held truth; Casey's dad truly didn't seem to want him.
"Daddy, can I... bring him home with us?" Justin asked softly.
"Don't you dislike him?" Ethan ruffled Justin's hair, sneakily plucking a few strands.
Justin hissed but remained silent because it was his dad. He found it odd, though, as recently everyone seemed to want his hair.
"I don't dislike him, he's just naughty," Justin said as he cuddled against Ethan. "But if he behaves, I could forgive him."
Ethan glanced at Casey. "Casey, let's go. We're heading home."
Casey's eyes sparkled as he peeked outside, then dashed out eagerly.
"Uncle, are you going to take me to your house?" Casey whispered.
"I'd rather not," Ethan disdainfully retorted.
"Oh..." Casey's head drooped, a touch of disappointment in his voice.
"But Justin invited you," Ethan added.
Casey's eyes brightened again, fixing a burning gaze on Justin.
Justin handed a small clay figure to Casey. "I'll teach you how to make these."
"Okay."
The two kids happily clambered into the car.
Ethan nodded to the schoolteacher and took off with the youngsters.
As they reached home, his childhood friend, Mitchell, was already waiting.
"Justin, take Casey and go play in the Courtyard."
Justin took Casey by the hand, and the two children scampered away cheerfully.
"This is Justin's hair," Ethan handed his friend a hair sample. "It's imperative to keep this confidential, absolutely meticulous."
Mitchell nodded. "Gotcha."
"And this one's mine," Ethan passed over his own hair sample, stressing the importance. "It has to be a secret."
"Ethan, when did you start nagging so much? I'll do it personally. I will head to the lab now, and have results in three hours, okay?" Mitchell looked exasperated.
"Is your lab up to standards?" Ethan was on guard.
"Are you paranoid or something?" Mitchell was taken aback. "What’s so special about this kid?"
"Just make sure it stays under wraps," Ethan said distractedly.
"Ethan, this isn't like you. What are you afraid of?" Mitchell laughed, having known Ethan since childhood but never seeing him this way. "Are you for real? Which woman managed to secretly give you a son?"
"Your sister-in-law," Ethan said as he clapped his hand on Mitchell's forehead. "Hurry up, let's talk after you get the results."
"Wow, no way..." Mitchell was stunned, his words sounding distant and dazed. Ethan acknowledging a woman in his life was incredibly rare, prompting Mitchell to wonder what kind of woman she could be.
"It’s late already, you won’t lose time by feeding me, will your sister-in-law be back soon?" Mitchell spun around, intending to hang around, driven by intense curiosity.
"Beat it. I'm in a rush," Ethan warned Mitchell to hurry with the results.
"All right! Wait for my message."
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