Chapter 269 Caroline Still Has a Child
"But," Alexander smiled, "I have to thank you."
Carl looked up, confused.
"Your wife gave birth," Alexander said.
Carl's pupils contracted sharply.
"I made sure to check. The child has gray eyes."
Carl froze completely.
The most distinctive feature of the Hamilton family was their inherited blue eyes. No matter how many generations passed, as long as they carried Hamilton blood, the eyes were never an exception.
What gray eyes meant—Carl understood better than anyone.
His lips began to tremble violently, and the muscles in his face twitched uncontrollably.
A moment later, he suddenly screamed.
"That bitch!"
Carl clutched his head, his fingers digging deep into his disheveled hair, as if trying to tear something apart.
"She dared to betray me! She dared!"
Alexander watched his near-hysterical state and just chuckled softly.
After a long while, Carl's shouting gradually stopped.
Only then did Alexander continue.
"Honestly, your father-in-law really cared about you." His tone dripped with mockery.
"He's been trying to get you out, even wanted to kill me. What do you think—why would he go to all that trouble?"
Carl's sobbing paused for a moment.
"He wanted you alive so you could inherit the Hamilton family. So tell me, do you think you still have any chance of surviving?"
Carl seemed to be plunged into ice water, shaking even harder.
Alexander bent down, grabbed his chin, and forced him to look up.
Carl was forced to stare directly into those cold eyes.
"Not anymore, Carl. I won't let you live."
Alexander reached into his coat pocket and slowly pulled out a gun.
Carl's eyes nearly split open.
"No! Don't! Please don't kill me!"
Alexander's expression didn't change. He grabbed Carl's hair and pressed the cold barrel against his temple.
Carl's legs kicked wildly on the ground, desperately trying to pull back, but he was held tight and couldn't retreat at all.
Alexander's finger moved to the trigger.
"Wait! Wait! I know a secret!" Carl practically screamed his throat raw.
"It's about your wife! Please don't kill me! I know something you definitely want to know!"
Alexander's finger paused for a moment.
Carl immediately sensed that subtle change and lunged forward, clutching Alexander's sleeve desperately.
"It's true! I'm not lying! Caroline... actually has a child! That child is still alive!"
The cell fell silent.
The next second, Alexander suddenly bent down, grabbed his collar, dragged him up from the ground, and slammed him hard against the wall.
The back of his head hit the rough stone. Carl's vision went black from the pain, but he didn't even dare to cry out.
"What did you say?" Alexander said through gritted teeth. "Say that again."
Carl was being choked so hard he could barely breathe, forcing out his voice with difficulty.
"The child... Caroline has a child... still alive..."
"Bullshit!" Alexander roared.
His hand tightened suddenly.
"Caroline only had one child with me! And that child is gone! You dare make up lies about her just to save yourself? You dare—"
His voice suddenly cut off.
All his rage turned into pressure in his fingertips.
Carl was nearly strangled.
With his last bit of strength, he shook his head desperately.
"It's true... cough... it's true..." His voice came in broken fragments. "Not... not your child... it was before... when she was in Ashbourne..."
Alexander's hand stopped.
Carl felt the pressure ease slightly. He didn't dare stop, couldn't even catch his breath properly.
"When she was in graduate school in Ashbourne, through a charity organization... she adopted a child. Really! I'm not lying!"
Alexander's fingers released completely.
Carl slid straight to the ground, coughing violently, clutching his neck.
Alexander looked down at him coldly.
"Explain. Now."
"I... I don't know much..." Carl said in broken phrases. "I only heard my father mention it... He said Caroline did have a child with her during her studies. That child was adopted when it was just a month old... Later, after she married you, the child disappeared... He thought... Caroline sent the child away..."
Alexander's body swayed slightly.
"How would he know?"
"I don't know... I really don't know!" Carl shook his head frantically. "I only heard him say it once! He said Caroline wasn't as innocent as she seemed. He even wanted to use that child to make everyone think it was her illegitimate child, so the whole society would mock the Hamilton family... So he always kept this as leverage..."
"And then?!" Alexander demanded.
"He wanted to use this to enrage you... and then..."
Carl's voice grew quieter and quieter, finally almost mumbling.
"He said... he could tell you cared about Caroline. He wanted to provoke you into anger, then force you to get rid of her yourself... Once she was dead and you couldn't hold on anymore, he would... go pledge allegiance to Linus..."
"What did you say?!" Alexander's eyes widened.
Armando actually wanted to ally with Linus, the man he'd been fighting his whole life?
Alexander could hardly believe Carl's words.
"That's impossible! They hate each other to death. How could he pledge allegiance to Linus?! Once Linus gets control of the Hamilton family, the first person he'll go after is him!"
He'd never heard anything more absurd.
"I'm not lying! You have to believe me!" Carl was nearly in tears.
"He doesn't care about me as much as you think! You can see it too—the only things he's ever cared about in his life are money and power."
Carl smiled bitterly.
"And he has plenty of illegitimate children scattered around... You and I are just his pawns."