Chapter 199



Not all girls from rich families were weak, as nowadays many younger generations born into an influential family were versed in both academics and martial arts, as all parents wanted their daughters to be able to protect themselves.

Hayden gasped, telling herself that Joseph’s ex-girlfriend really came looking for trouble.

In addition to having a higher economic background than Hayden, she also knew martial arts. Plus, she could be sympathetic or overbearing. How could Hayden compare herself to her?

“Are you afraid?” Joseph looked at her weakly, “Don’t go if you’re afraid. I’ll help you settle this matter, and I can guarantee she won’t mess with you again.”

“No.” Hayden gave him a stern look, “I have to settle this matter on my own.”

If it was something to do with their relationship, of course, he would want Joseph to be the one to deal with it. However, the matter at hand was something about the relationship between Addison and the fire, and the question of whether she had an accomplice. Obviously, her accomplice wanted to kill her two children, so she would be uneasy until she found out the truth.

Seeing her clinging to her thoughts, Joseph said no more.

“I have always thought that this matter might be related to the person who has been trying to harm Noah.”

At her words, Joseph turned his head in the darkness, “The person who had been trying to harm Noah?”

“Yes.” Hayden nodded solemnly, “Don’t tell me you don’t know that yet, or that you haven’t realized that someone has been deliberately planning to kill Noah.”

During the six months Hayden spent with Noah, just the things that happened during that time were enough to stop Hayden’s heart from pounding for a moment. Besides, it was impossible for Joseph not to suspect why Noah had so many problems during those years.

As she expected, Joseph nodded, “I know.”

The light inside the car was very dim, and there was only a little moonlight coming in from the hole in the roof, this shone into the narrow space of the back seat, reflecting the cold look on Joseph’s face.

“But it may not be the same person who did all the things.”

From his words, Hayden understood what he meant. He trembled with fear, many people wanted to hurt Noah, not just one or two.

“A lot of things have happened to Noah, and I’m not so stupid that I can’t catch the person responsible. In fact, I’ve uncovered several over time, and all kinds of people were involved.”

The gardener who came to prune the garden once a week or the maid who had been taking care of Noah for two or three years, or even a distant relative of the family. All of these people had been on Joseph’s blacklist. They were all trying to harm Noah, no matter how close they were to him.

“Why?” He raised his eyebrows angrily, “What exactly do they want with Noah, are they crazy, why are they trying to do these things to a child who can’t talk?”

“Because Noah is my only son and he will be the only one to inherit the ST Group.”

Joseph looked a little helpless as he answered her question. She couldn’t read his mind. He seemed to sigh, lowering his head and saying softly.

“It’s also because I neglected Noah too much in the past, which made those people think that, if they kill Noah, Grandpa will have no one else to count on, and the power to run the ST Group would be given to someone else. That way, they’ll be able to take a piece of the pie.”

There had been rumors about Joseph’s sexual orientation, not to mention that, over the years, he had only one child. It seemed that he didn’t want to get married, and so now they were trying to hurt Noah.

“You mean the person who has been trying to harm Noah is someone related to your family?”

“Yes.”

So this was something very troubling.

Hayden frowned.

When he had gone to the Beckham Family home that day, Harrison had invited a large number of relatives close to him. These people alone had occupied two large round tables, not to mention those who were now settling in foreign countries, as well as some distant relatives who were not as close as these.

“Harrison told me last time that, if I had children, he would not pass the ST Group on to me, but to the one who excelled in the family.” Joseph’s tone showed a hint of helplessness, and after hesitating for a few seconds, he said in a deep voice, “That’s why Noah was conceived by a surrogate.”

“Agreed.” Hayden nodded. She was distracted and seemed to be thinking about something else.

“You don’t seem surprised at all.” Joseph looked at her suspiciously.

At his words, Hayden looked stunned, “Oh? Surrogacy? Is it in vitro fertilization?

She reacted extremely quickly.

The doubt in Joseph’s eyes gradually disappeared and he shook his head, “A little different, but also… almost similar.”

Hayden looked calm, but inwardly she was rolling her eyes.

What did you mean by almost similar? It’s very different, isn’t it? If what you did was in vitro fertilization, you didn’t need to have physical contact with any woman. But what you did six years ago was just rape me. Damn, you really were a brute.

“Why are you suddenly telling me this?”. Hayden contained his complex emotions inside his heart and continued to ask her.

After all, it was hard to get over the trauma back then. Now, when he asked her about the baby’s birth, it felt wrong; it was like looking at Joseph from God’s perspective.

“I don’t want there to be another misunderstanding between us. I hope we can be honest with each other.” Joseph looked at her seriously, “Noah only recognizes you as his mother, so you will be his only mother in the future. I know you will treat him the same as Stella, and I will too.”

She felt warm to hear his words and the dissatisfaction she had also gradually disappeared.

Hayden was touched, after all, it was really an amazing miracle that Joseph who was always cold said so many things that were completely different from his usual style.

“You are also Stella’s only father.”

When he heard these words, a complex expression shone in Joseph’s eyes. It was mixed with a hint of disappointment that could not be easily detected, but it was only a glimmer.

He didn’t know if he hadn’t tried hard enough to be honest with her, or if there was no way to change her, even if he tried.

“Get some sleep. We still have to find a way to leave tomorrow.”

His gravelly voice echoed in the car. Hayden said yes, then sat back on the cushion looking at Joseph’s back for a while and asked, “Aren’t you going to sleep?”

Joseph had his back to her and said, “I’m not sleepy, and there may be wild animals on the mountain. I should be awake.”

It was a good excuse.

“Okay.” Hayden didn’t think much of it either. He yawned and flopped down on the mat, saying vaguely, “Then wake me up when you’re sleepy, I can trade places with you.”

“Okay.”

After Hayden fell asleep, Joseph got out of the car and walked to the edge of the road, where there was a lot of brush. He looked at the sea in the distance and lit a cigarette.

He rarely smoked, but he smoked a lot when he started. In the blink of an eye, there were four or five butts scattered on the ground.

The trance-like atmosphere in the smoky haze was intoxicating. He pulled out his phone and looked at a photo in his gallery.

The woman in the photo was holding a child who was still a baby. She was leaning her whole back against the man behind her and snuggled sweetly in his arms, looking natural, as if they had been loving each other for years.

He said he would be honest with her, and even told her the secret about Noah’s birth. However, she still wouldn’t tell him the truth. He even told her that he was Stella’s only father.

How could he cover up such a flawed lie?

In the cold breeze, Joseph twitched the corner of his lips into a grimace of self-deprecation.

.

.

.