Chapter 76 Being a Father Is Indeed Not Easy

Chapter 76 Being a Father Is Indeed Not Easy

Sienna nodded—William had always been the most challenging of the three children. From the moment he could crawl, he'd been a little escape artist, constantly giving her heart attacks with his daredevil antics. Now Alexander was getting a taste of the chaos firsthand.

"I'll stay with you, okay, William?" Alexander murmured, adjusting his grip on the restless boy.

William's tears came harder. "Daddy, hungry... so hungry..."

For William, hunger was tantamount to torture—the worst possible suffering imaginable.

"I know it hurts, buddy, but you're a tough guy, right? If you can get through this, you'll never have to worry about food restrictions again. Doesn't that make this little challenge seem more manageable?" Alexander's voice was gentle but firm.

William gazed up at him with wide, uncertain eyes before nodding slowly. "Can I play games? Mommy says one hour a day."

Alexander nodded, gesturing for Sienna to bring the tablet. He held William steady while the boy played, and within minutes, exhaustion claimed the child again.

"You can put him down now," Sienna said softly, noting how Alexander had been holding him for hours.

Alexander shook his head. "I'm fine. Don't wake him. I've missed years of doing the simple things—holding him is nothing." His voice carried the weight of regret.

Sienna settled beside the bed, her fingers tracing William's small face. "He's always been the wildest one. Couldn't stand being away from me for even a minute, so I'd drag him to the lab with me. But he's also the most gifted—his mind works in ways that astound even me. By two, he was studying under professors directly. His pharmaceutical knowledge rivals mine, and his talent for creating... well, let's say he has a particular knack for toxicology. I have no idea where he gets that from."

Alexander's gaze darkened as he reached out to cup her chin. "You've lost too much weight, Sienna. Are you trying to kill me with worry? I can handle the children—you need to rest. We'll take shifts tomorrow."

Sienna nodded, curling up on the other side of the hospital bed. From the hallway, Amara watched with a knowing shake of her head.

When Ethan and James arrived and saw the scene, James bristled with indignation. "That bastard Alexander—he's got some nerve!"

James cracked his knuckles menacingly while Ethan observed with detached amusement. 

"Aren't you going to help me?" James demanded.

"Help you what? Start a brawl? When have I ever resorted to such crude tactics? Besides, if you beat up Alexander, do you think Sienna will worry less? You'd be handing him the perfect opportunity to play the victim, you fool." Ethan headed off to bed, leaving James scratching his head in confusion.

Only Amara remained, watching the family of three sleep together, a small smile playing on her lips.

William's recovery was remarkably swift—within three days, he was bouncing around again, though the dietary restrictions remained a constant source of torment. Henry's spirits lifted seeing his brother healthy, and he spent every day in the hospital room. Olivia clung to Sienna whenever she visited William, while Alexander maintained his vigil, juggling three children with surprising grace.

Once William's condition stabilized, Alexander finally called his assistant.

"Mr. Knight! Thank God—I was about to charter a flight to track you down!" The relief in his voice was palpable.

Alexander stood by the window, watching the fountain below. "What's the situation?"

"It's your mother, sir. Ms. Scott has been arrested for murder..."

"Murder?" Alexander's brow furrowed. "Who did she kill?"

"Vesper. When Ms. Scott learned about the poisoning, she'd been hunting her down. Vesper had fled to Harmony City initially, even hired assassins, but recently returned looking for Mr. Daniel Knight and Mrs. Aria Knight. When she couldn't find them, she started making a scene. Ms. Scott found her and... well, she stabbed her multiple times. Vesper's dead, sir."

Alexander's grip tightened on the phone as he drew a deep breath. "Get her the best legal representation money can buy. Whatever the court decides is out of my hands."

The Knight Group employed the country's most formidable legal team—Alexander could ensure top-tier defense, but justice would take its course.

"Ms. Scott is demanding to see you, sir. She calls daily, making quite the scene..."

Alexander's laugh was bitter. This pattern was all too familiar—Layla's mistakes, the Knight family's cleanup crew. Her widowhood had earned her decades of misguided sympathy and protection, enabling her increasingly reckless behavior.

"Tell her I won't see her, and I can't influence the court's decision. I'm not returning home anytime soon—William just had surgery, and my children need me here."

The assistant's concern was immediate. "How is William? Don't worry about the company, Mr. Knight—I'll handle everything."

Alexander ended the call and immediately dialed Daniel, who was equally distressed about William's surgery.

"That poor boy loves his food so much—this must be agony for him. Take care of the children, Alexander. Don't concern yourself with the mess here. Layla and Vesper both made their beds—now they can lie in them."

If Vesper hadn't poisoned the Knight family, Alexander reflected, none of this catastrophe would have befallen Sienna and the children. Daniel's anger was mounting with each passing moment.

"Stay put and focus on the family. Once William's recovered, I'll arrange for everyone to come here for medical checkups. I've purchased property here—still under renovation. Don't worry about family business, Grandpa. The Knight Group needs time to heal, but our operations won't suffer. I guarantee it."

Daniel's approval was evident in his tone. "Take good care of Sienna. Since she's found her birth parents, we should pay our respects as proper in-laws. Your grandmother and I are preparing a gift—we'd like to visit the Smith Villa to discuss your wedding plans."

After hanging up, Alexander powered off his phone entirely. Company matters could wait—the Knight Group had emerged stronger from recent upheavals, with expanded territories and impressive profits.

He sought out Henry, finding the boy reading quietly. 

"I've found you a school. Would you like to start formal education?"

Henry considered the question carefully. "Will William and Olivia come with me?"

"Of course. It's the most prestigious academy in the area. You'll be taking university-level courses, Olivia will start kindergarten, and William will need testing to determine his appropriate level."

Henry nodded thoughtfully. "Okay, but I choose my own major."

Alexander ruffled his hair affectionately. "Absolutely. From now on, you make your own decisions. But I have one request—keep using the surname Blake publicly until you turn eighteen. Only then can you change your surname to Knight."

Henry's frown was immediate. "You don't want to claim us?"

Alexander smiled, shaking his head. "Daddy just wants you to focus on your studies without any trouble. Using the name Blake is safer for you."