The boy suddenly raised his eyebrows, and Joel fell silent. He casually picked up the cola, took a sip, and immediately frowned. What was this stuff? He moved the cup far away in annoyance before letting out a long sigh.
“I want to forget her, but I can’t. I’ve even tried to replace her with other women, but she’s always been entrenched in my heart. Nobody could have predicted that my success in my career would be the result of all my efforts to drive her out of my mind. It’s ridiculous. So many women dream of me, yet I’ve let a woman who deceived me control my life, unable to escape her torment…” He paused, then growled, “Damn it! I really need a drink.” Joel closed his eyes, taking a long time to barely suppress the pain of his wounded heart being reopened.
“I understand that I can never let go of my love for her, nor can I sever my longing for her. Her shadow will follow me for the rest of my life, which is why I decided not to get married. Unless it is her, my marriage partner will always be missing.”
The boy nodded seriously. "I think I understand. Even if you find her, don't let her off too easily. You have to teach her a lesson, no, a good lesson!" he advised very earnestly.
Joel was stunned for a moment. "Huh?"
“She’s an idiot woman!” the boy continued his harsh criticism.
Joel was even more confused. "Really?" What does this have to do with the boy? Why should the boy tell him what to do?
“Yes! I think she was probably tricked into leaving you. There was a woman named Helen…” The boy glanced at Joel. “Was she your ex-fiancée?”
"Helen?" Joel was a little confused. How did this involve Helen again? And how did this boy know about Helen?
"Yes! Helen said you were already planning your wedding and were going to get married, so she told her to leave you quickly, and she stupidly ran away! But she still keeps your photos and memories of that summer, and the 'souvenirs' you left her... to this day."
Joel was even more surprised as he listened, and immediately asked, "How did you know?"
The boy seemed not to hear his question and said to himself, "As for why she lied to you, that's more complicated. It's best to let her tell you herself."
Joel stared at him for a long time, then suddenly grabbed him, lifted his chin with his left hand, and carefully studied the blue eyes that resembled his own. The boy just smiled and let Joel examine him. Then, with some hesitation, Joel took off the boy's baseball cap, and a head of long hair, tied with a headband just like his own, fell down.
The boy glanced at Joel's hand with amusement. "You're shaking."
Joel looked at his hands. Yes, they were trembling. Why? Was it because of that almost impossible hope buried deep in his heart? He remembered the boy's words about his parents when they first met, and the instant warmth and familiarity that flowed between them. Was it possible? After years of torment in purgatory, could heaven possibly return everything to him, with interest and… a keepsake?
Thinking of this, Joel immediately ripped off his mask with trembling hands, followed by a series of gasps as the mask fell to the ground.
The boy winked mischievously. "Hi, Daddy, nice to meet you. My name is Du Yunhao, I'm nine years old. My mommy calls me Haohao, and my mommy's name is Du Sisi. You might have guessed it, she's the big liar who tricked you!" As he finished speaking, a gloating smile spread across his little face.
"Tsk tsk, I never thought someone as smart as you would be completely taken in by a woman as stupid as her. How embarrassing!"
Joel was terrified. "You...you really are my...my...uh, my...son?"
Du Yunhao tilted his head and asked, "What do you think?"
Is there even a question? Although they are different sizes, they look exactly like they were made from the same mold.
“God! Oh God!” Joel murmured incredulously, his hands trembling as he stroked his son’s cheeks, nose, and eyes, his eyes growing increasingly wet. Then, suddenly, he pulled his son’s thin body into his arms and hugged him tightly, oblivious to the surging crowd around them.
"Oh my god! I have a son!"
Du Yunhao suddenly felt a warm, wet sensation flowing into the back of his neck, and he couldn't help but push his father away, feeling both amused and exasperated.
"Hey, hey, Daddy, you're a public figure, don't do this, or the media will be in for a big fuss tomorrow."
Joel hugged him tighter. "To hell with being a public figure! To hell with the media!"
"Daddy, don't swear in front of your son..." He pushed him again, but there was still no sign of him moving. Du Yunhao couldn't help but shout, "I can't breathe!"
Joel gasped and quickly loosened his grip. "I'm sorry, I was just so excited! Are you alright?"
Du Yunhao patted his back. "It's okay, Daddy. I think we can go back to your office now. Maybe you'll want to know how Mommy has been these past ten years."
"Yuxi, coffee, my coffee!"
"XiXi, where's my son's homework?"
"Youxi, the business manager wants you to go see him right away."
"Xixi, sort and bind these documents first, we'll need them for the meeting later."
“XiXi…”
Busy as a headless fly, Sisi cursed inwardly, "Xixi, Xixi, I'm changing my name tomorrow! They're all bastards! Treating me like a maid, and they didn't even say thank you!"
"Xixi, what are you still standing here for? Everyone's busy as bees, and you're just going to watch? Hurry up and help! Let me tell you, we only let you study because we think highly of you. Otherwise, what would someone like you, who got in through connections and backdoors, want..."
Tina, the most flamboyant girl in the office, was nitpicking and ranting in a high-pitched, affected voice.
That's enough! Today, once she's finished packing, she'll go upstairs and bombard that bastard CEO with a few nuclear bombs, then leave. I'm quitting, okay?
Having made up her mind, Sisi quickly finished what needed to be done and then stepped into the CEO's private elevator. When the elevator reached the sixtieth floor, she involuntarily swallowed hard and stepped out with a forced smile. Having come this far, why should she be intimidated?
When she saw the sixty-story building, her eyes widened in surprise. Good heavens! This is an office? It's a five-star hotel! Sisi's head darted around, and she couldn't help but marvel.
Great! The secretary isn't here, thank goodness! But... which door leads to the CEO's office? This one? Let's try! She carefully turned the doorknob and cautiously peeked her head inside...
"Why can't we tell Mom?" David didn't understand. This was good news. If Mom knew, she would be so happy she would jump for joy. Even he himself found it incredible. If he hadn't seen the little guy who was a spitting image of his older brother, he would have thought his older brother had been fooled!
“For now, just for now. Let me get everything sorted out first.” Joel sat in a high-backed chair, his back to the door, gazing at the view outside the glass curtain wall.
Life is truly unpredictable; in the blink of an eye, the whole world turns upside down. Everything that was once so bleak and bitter instantly becomes so radiant and full of hope—it's truly...so beautiful!
David plopped down on the desk, figuring Joel wouldn't see or scold him since he wasn't watching. "But Mom keeps nagging me to persuade you to go back and find a wife to marry. I can't stop her anymore!"
“Give me a few more days. My son said he’ll arrange things with his mother as soon as possible, I just need to wait.” But he was still incredibly anxious. What if something went wrong again? Although his son swore that everything would be fine if he left it all to him, could he really handle his mother? It was really worrying. What was that kid up to? Joel pondered with concern.
"Really? Your son is quite the oddball genius, actually suggesting to mess with his mother. I wonder if this is considered filial piety towards you, or disrespect towards his mother?" David said with amusement.
“He’s my son, please don’t call him a freak.” Joel’s tone was not very happy.
"Sorry, but you shouldn't keep calling him 'son, son,' you should give him an English name."
“I’ve thought about it, Jay. What do you think of my grandfather’s name?” David nodded.