Chapter 58 DNA Test
Toby took the lift to the second floor. When he arrived at room 18, he was surprised to see two bodyguards outside. They weren't ordinary guards. They were the Blake family's bodyguards. They worked for William.
"What are you doing here?" he asked them.
"We're here on duty, Sir." one of the bodyguards stated.
"What duty?"
"To protect the child inside the room."
"Did old Mr. Blake send you?"
"Yes, Sir."
Toby frowned, unsure why William would want to protect Ariadne's child. "Okay. Is the child inside?"
"Yes. But, there's an order that no outsiders be allowed in the room." the guard informed him.
Toby became more confused.
"I'm not an outsider and this's Mr. Blake's order." he said.
As Xander's most trusted men, Toby and Jose had authority over the other employees. Others obeyed their orders.
"Okay, Sir."
Toby entered the room, closing the door behind him. However, when his gaze landed on the child in the bed, he stiffened.
...
Xander arrived at the construction site. He became irritated when he saw the large crowd.
The media questioned the construction manager.
"How did this incident occur? Are you using cheap materials for the hospital?"
"This's a Blake Corporation project. They verified the quality and provided the best materials. Everyone is aware of this. It's just an accident. Please don't make a fuss over this. We have taken care of the matter." Mr. Wings, the construction manager, answered.
"Mr. Blake is here."
Someone said and the reporters rushed to question him. The construction manager sighed in relief.
When Xander approached the location, the journalists surrounded him. The bodyguards kept them a safe distance away from him.
"What's your take on the accident, Mr. Blake? It's going to be a hospital. Why did the building collapse like this? Are the materials used cheap? What would have happened if it had been completed?"
They bombarded him with questions.
"First, I need to see what has happened and take control of the situation. Only after that will I answer all of your questions. Please don't overcrowd the place. The injured people need to be taken to the hospital." he said before heading inside.
He went straight to the area where the injured were given aid. A manager approached him immediately. Xander looked around the place. He was surprised when he saw Ariadne tend to the injured people.
"What's she doing here? Is she alright?" he asked, concerned.
"Yes, Sir, she's perfectly fine. She arrived immediately after learning about the accident." the manager said.
Xander noded. Several medical personnel were also present to check on the injured. Those who sustained saviour injuries were immediately taken to the hospital. The situation appeared to be under control. He took one last look at Ariadne before heading to the scene of the incident. Mr. Wings joined him.
"How did this happen?" Xander asked, looking at the collapsed wall.
"We're not quite sure. But we will figure it out." Mr. Wings replied.
"Find out as soon as possible. I don't want a similar accident to happen again. We are using high-quality materials and highly skilled workers. It shouldn't have happened."
"Don't worry, Sir. We will take care of it."
"Construction work will be put on hold for the time being. First, clean up the mess." Xander ordered.
"Ok, Sir." Mr. Wings nodded.
After a while, Xander returned to the scene where Ariadne was tending to the injured. She sat on a chair, tired, after all of the injured patients had been treated and the situation had been stabilized. He looked at her, while she was focused on the injured, ready to help anyone in need. She looked concerned for them. Xander's thoughts returned to Alex and his illness. He felt guilty but had no idea why. He couldn't help but admire Ariadne for being such a strong woman and mother. She was taking care of her kids while working extremely hard. She never complained about anything. Despite having one of her kids seriously ill, she continued to do her work with a smile. He was impressed by her mental strength.
"Everything is now under control." Xander said as he approached her.
Ariadne looked at him. For a moment, Xander considered asking her about Alex and what had happened to him, but he decided against it in the end. It wasn't an appropriate time to ask that question. He felt sympathy for her.
"You should go home. I'll take care of things here." he said, noticing her tiredness.
Ariadne agreed as she had other things to do and left shortly after.
.
Xander remained on the construction site, inspecting the area carefully. He dismissed the media. Workers were also dismissed as there would be no work. Only a few, including the guards, remained on the scene. The chaos had subsided.
Xander sat with Jose in the tent, deep in thought. He doubted that the incident had been staged to tarnish his reputation. It wasn't easy being the most successful person. He had enemies everywhere, willing to do anything to bring him down. His phone began to ring, jolting him out of his thoughts. He frowned as he saw the name on the screen.
"Did you get to meet the child?" he asked as soon as he answered the call.
It had been hours since his arrival at the construction site.
"Yes." Toby replied.
"What happened to the child and how is he doing now?"
"You need to come here and see."
"I'm busy right now. I'll pay a visit later."
"Xander?" Toby paused as he said his name.
"Yes.. I am listening."
"Is there any possibility that the children could be yours?"
"What nonsense? Are you crazy?" Xander frowned, baffled.
"Answer my question."
"No, that's not possible. I've never touched her."
"I think you should come here right now." Toby said seriously.
"Toby... An accident has happened here."
"Yes, I know. Tell Jose to handle things there... Believe me, this is more important."
Xander fell silent. "Is there a serious problem with the child?"
"Yes, very serious. Get here fast."
Xander became agitated as Toby's voice sounded urgent. "Ok, I'm coming."
...
Xander and Jose arrived at the hospital. Jose didn't stay behind because the situation at the construction site was under control. There was no need to stay. The team would inspect the things and inform them later.
They hurriedly approached room 18. The bodyguards standing outside the room bowed to Xander.
"Is Toby inside?" he asked.
"Yes, Sir. He's waiting for you." one of the men replied.
Xander nodded. He was anxious, having no idea what awaited him inside. He sighed and pushed open the door. He heard laughter as soon as he walked into the room. He frowned, surprised by the scene in front of him. Toby sat on the edge of the bed, holding his phone and showing something to the child beside him. The child sat, leaning against the headboard. The first thing Xander noticed were his bandaged legs. Jose closed the door as he entered. The sound of the door drew the attention of the two people who were laughing.
"What happened to his legs?" Xander asked, approaching the bed in quick strides.
"They performed surgery on my legs, so they are bandaged." Alex answered before Toby could say anything.
Xander looked at his face. He was similar in age to his siblings, but he looked different. He frowned as he felt something strange.
"Surprised?...that he looks exactly like you?" Toby said, reading his thoughts.
Xander was speechless.
"Yes, Boss. You two look so much alike." Jose said from behind, looking at Alex.
Alex, on the other hand, looked at them with curiosity. As he heard them, he looked at Xander and studied his features.
"Yes, they are correct. You look exactly like me." he declared as he finished his assessment, taking Xander off guard.
"Are you my relative? Who are you?" he asked, knowing that only relatives resembled one another.
The three men looked at each other, unsure what to say. While Xander and Jose looked confused, Toby wasn't.
"What's going on here? Why did you ask me to come immediately?" Xander asked Toby.
The boy appeared to be fine and not in serious condition.
"Let's go outside." Toby said.
"Are you going to discuss any secrets?" Alex blurted out as he stared at them intently.
"It's nothing like that." Toby replied softly.
"Why are you going outside to talk, then? Why can't you talk in front of me?" he narrowed his eyes at him.
Xander and Jose were stunned.
Toby began to laugh. "You're a naughty kid."
"You're changing the subject." he pouted, crossing his arms, which made Toby laugh even more.
Xander and Jose looked at the child in dismay. Within this short period of time, they realized he wasn't like his siblings. They exchanged glances. Xander never liked children due to their mischievous nature. Nevertheless, he had recently began to warm up to Adrian and Autumn. He saw them as adorable and disciplined. However, he couldn't say the same thing for Alex. He had already identified the little boy as a troublemaker.
"We will just have an adult conversation. You don't need to hear that. It's not an exciting one." Toby said with a bored expression. "But I'll tell you a real secret later." he added with a wink.
"Really." Alex asked, excitedly.
"Yes. I'll be back soon. Be a good boy." Toby ruffled his hair affectionately. Alex nodded, smiling. Toby, as a father, knew how to handle children.
...
"They are triplets." Toby said.
The three men left Alex's room and went to another room for the discussion. Xander, as the owner, had no trouble finding an empty room.
"He was born crippled. He underwent surgery a few weeks ago, and it was successful. Walking therapy will begin after a few days. The doctors are confident he'll be able to walk. Apparently, Ariadne and her entire family have come here for the surgery." Toby told them everything he had learned.
"Now, comes the real deal."
Xander and Jose listened to him in silence.
"He looks like you...and considering all the things I've doubt that he's your son."
Xander stiffened as he heard that. However he was equally confused. He shook his head after a while. "That's not possible...I"
"I've heard that countless times." Toby cut him off. "But I still have doubts... and to be sure we will conduct a DNA test."
"DNA test?" Xander was agitated.
"I already have the boy's samples." Toby took a glass tube containing a blood sample and some strands of hair from his pocket.
Xander and Jose were impressed by his thoughtfulness. However, Xander still looked uncertain.
"It will not hurt you. We're doing it to be sure. You can't deny how similar you two look." Toby said.
Xander sighed and nodded. They went for the testing.