Chapter 565



With that, the entire room went silent.

Amos and Heather were stunned. They both looked at Ian at the same time. “Ian, what do you mean?”

Joel looked at Ian in confusion.

Ian lowered his gaze and said slowly, “Back then, when I ceded the position of head of the family to Joel, I hesitated to formally adopt Joel under my own name. Come to think of it, it would have been better to adopt him. That way, at least, I would have shut their stupid mouths. Not just anyone can make fun of my successor.”

His domineering attitude stunned Amos and Heather.

In the past, when Ian had raised Joel at their side, they had both worried that Ian would not accept Joel. They had already filed for adoption, but Ian said he was just a nephew.

They were all members of the Smith family. Whether they went through with the adoption or not was just a formality.

However, the two didn’t expect Ian to change his mind now.

Joel was also stunned as he looked at Ian in a daze.

Ian stared at him. “Joel, would you like to be my son?”

Joel’s eyes turned red.

After so many years, he had gained a lot of knowledge from Ian and had learned how to manage the company. You could say he was personally taught by Ian.

When he was young, everyone told him that Ian was just teasing him by bringing him along. If not, why wouldn’t he pursue adoption?

He had asked Ian that, too.

However, Ian said, “Because I don’t need a child. I raised you only because the Smiths lack a successor.”

Joel understood at that moment that Ian had never thought of him as a son. He was only doing his duty to the family.

Ian had always had a distant attitude toward him.

Joel treated him as his father in his heart, and he knew that Ian had never wanted to leave any cares in this world.

He never expected Ian to make such a suggestion so many years after Joel inherited the Smiths.

Joel could maintain his composure in the face of company business, but at this moment he was a bit shaken. His voice trembled as he said, “Of course I am, Uncle Ian.”

Ian smiled, “You still call me Uncle Ian?”

Joel’s mouth twitched. He looked embarrassed that he had said that word.

However, Tanya, who was standing next to him, suddenly said, “Dad, Nora will be my cousin from now on!”

Her words woke Joel up.

Joel’s lips quivered again as he said, “Daddy.”

It had been over twenty years since he had called Ian Dad.

“Yes, son.”

Ian replied and looked at the surprised Amos and Heather. “I’ll have the lawyers handle all the formalities. I expect the two of you to keep your distance from Joel in the future. After all, you have to avoid arousing suspicion! Got it? If I ever find out again that you two are doing something like calling each other Joel’s parents, don’t blame me for being rude!”

Her tone was filled with dense murderous intent.

Both Amos and Heather were startled. The two didn’t dare say anything else. They stood up and said, “Okay.”

Ian left out another sentence. “I’ll see to it that they go abroad. Don’t come back again.”

The two: “…”

They hadn’t expected that not only would they fail to fool Ian, they would even lose what they already had!

After this annoying couple left, Joel quickly contained his emotions and looked at Nora. He asked, “Nora, Karl…. What about Karl?”

Nora clicked her tongue.

This brother was really smart. From what he had said earlier, she deduced that Karl might have a plan.

Not to worry Tanya, Nora said, “I asked Uncle Karl today. He’s actually an informant. I’ve already found and asked his contact to come out. If nothing goes wrong, he can be released the day after tomorrow.”

This sentence surprised Tanya. “What?”

Joel was also a bit stunned and found it unbelievable. “The head of the Assassin’s Alliance… is a police informant? Why does it sound so hard to believe?”

The corners of Nora’s lips tightened.

She too had found it hard to believe when she first heard Karl’s words.

Other than that, however, there didn’t seem to be any other explanation.

She nodded silently to Joel and Tanya.

Tanya: “…”

She suddenly felt like laughing and crying. After a while, she just sighed deeply.

However, Nora didn’t have time to chat with them here. She looked at her phone and realized that it was already past four o’clock. She hurriedly said, “I have an appointment. I’ll get going then.”

Seeing that Nora was about to walk up the stairs instead of out the door, Tanya asked, “I thought you had to leave for the appointment, why are you going upstairs?”

Nora kept walking without turning around as she replied, “…. To change my clothes.”

Tanya: “?”

Joel: “???”

Ian’s head which was still bent down suddenly lifted up. He looked at Nora’s back and an angry expression instantly appeared on his face.

Tanya and Joel hurriedly looked in opposite directions and pretended not to have seen Ian’s current appearance.

After changing clothes, Nora again fixed her hair in the mirror before heading downstairs. She walked out into the street in high spirits.

She didn’t notice that the eyes of the elderly father behind her were full of sadness and concern.

Joel came to Ian’s side and sighed. “Dad, actually, Justin’s not so bad. At least in front of Nora, he’s very obedient.”

“And what do you know?”

Ian was silent for a moment before suddenly sighing. “His identity… it’s too mysterious. Nora definitely can’t have the upper hand over someone like him. She’ll be fooled by him.”

Joel frowned.

He was guessing in his heart, though. What was Justin’s identity? Could he really make Ian so attentive?

He frowned and asked, “He’s…”

Ian was silent for a moment before suddenly saying, “Here’s my guess. In short, you should make sure you never offend Justin.”

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