Chapter 24 Trending
"How do we make it disappear?" Emma asked, her eyes puffy from crying.
"By replacing it with new news," Jasper pulled up the private school interview video Elodie had recorded during their Joyful Jamboree visit last week. "We need to shift attention away from Mom."
That afternoon, "Elite Private School Interview: Behind the Scenes" shot to the top of trending topics.
The video featured Ethan in his little suit, confidently tackling the headmaster's questions. His analysis of urban traffic solutions showed remarkable clarity, his sharp gaze mirroring Charles perfectly. Emma appeared next, quickly sketching a starry night while explaining sweetly, "This is what Mom calls cosmic romance."
They only shared Emma and Ethan's footage since Charles hadn't met Jasper yet.
The internet went wild for the stunning twins and their exceptional talents.
[This kid is analyzing traffic patterns at FIVE? Mind blown!]
[Emma's artwork is incredible! Dream daughter material!]
[Wait... is it just me or does Ethan look exactly like someone...?]
Sharp-eyed users quickly connected the dots—Ethan's expressions and jawline matched Charles's perfectly.
[Just compared with Windsor's summit speech—they're identical!]
[Secrets of the Elite! Who's the mother of Windsor's hidden kids?]
[Definitely not Clara, or she'd have locked down that marriage years ago.]
Just like that, public focus shifted from Emily to speculation about Charles and his possible secret family.
Talent scouts scrambled for contact information. Joyful Jamboree's phones wouldn't stop ringing. The Windsor Group's stock even jumped two points from the publicity.
Clara stared at #Charles Windsor's Secret Children trending on her phone and hurled her tablet across the room.
Her carefully orchestrated smear campaign against Emily had been completely derailed by two children with a single video, which now had everyone focused on Charles!
If Charles saw potential in these children, all her manipulation would be for nothing. She knew how disinterested Charles was in romantic entanglements. If the Windsor family adopted these children as heirs, what value would she have?
Even if she managed to have children, they would always come second.
And how could she even have Charles's children when he wouldn't touch her?
What troubled her most was the surname connection—Ethan Johnson, Emma Johnson, Emily Johnson.
Could they be...?
No, the children had said Emily wasn't their mother, and kids that young didn't lie. She hadn't heard of any family in Emerald City that had such a pair of twins.
Their ordinary clothing brands suggested they weren't from high society.
But what if their mother was using them to get to Charles?
Clara's suspicions deepened. She wouldn't let these children threaten her position.
She dialed a number. "I need everything on those trending kids—Ethan and Emma. Full background, daily routines, and especially their mysterious 'mother.'"
After hanging up, Clara stared into the darkness outside her window, a cold smile playing on her lips. Just children. As if they could challenge her.
Meanwhile, Charles had also seen the speculation about his "secret children."
He studied Ethan's mannerisms in the video, identical to his own, and Emma's vibrant personality. His heart skipped a beat.
These children, could they be connected to him?
He called Nathan. "Find everything on Ethan and Emma. Guardian, background, everything."
"Right away, sir."
After hanging up, Charles's gaze returned to Emily's photo on his screen.
Johnson. All three shared the same last name. Coincidence?
He recalled Emily's words, 'Six years ago, she tried to ruin me, but inadvertently made my life better.'
Six years ago... Emily... twins who would be about five now...
Meanwhile, Emily watched the viral video with mixed anger and anxiety. These little rascals had gone behind her back!
"Do you realize how dangerous this is? The whole city is watching you now. What if someone targets you?"
Emma's lip trembled. "We just wanted to stop people from being mean to you..."
"We didn't think it would blow up like this," Ethan added, head down. "Sorry, Mom."
Jasper frowned. "We can't undo it now. We need a plan. Charles will definitely investigate us."
Seeing their worried faces, Emily's anger faded.
"I know you meant well," she sighed, stroking Emma's hair. "But don't do this again. I'll handle everything."
Her phone rang—unknown number. After hesitating, she answered.
"Hello, Ms. Garcia? I'm Jonathan Morris from Starwave Entertainment, Windsor Group. I'm calling about Ethan and Emma."
Emily paused. Right—she'd listed Elodie as their guardian on school forms, with her own number as contact.
"What do you want?"
"We've seen their Joyful Jamboree interview. They're extraordinary—their looks, talents, camera presence—everything about them is special."
His tone grew eager. "We'd like to offer them a contract. We'll create a plan that won't affect their education while giving them premium opportunities. Our protection measures for child talents are industry-leading."
Emily's heart sank. This was exactly what she'd feared would happen.
"I'm sorry, but no. They're far too young for the entertainment industry. I won't expose them to publicity and the judgment that comes with it."