Chapter 60 Let Him Keep Them
"Where to, Boss?" Jose asked as he sat in the passenger seat.
Xander had already sat in the back seat.
"To the mansion."
"Okay."
The car drove away from the Watson Group's premises.
.
Linda helped Ariadne stand and led her to the couch. She brought her a glass of water.
"Drink it, Madam."
Ariadne took the glass and drank the water. Her phone began to ring on the desk. Linda brought the phone for her. Ariadne noticed it was a call from Mary.
"Hello." she answered the call.
"Aria, the kids are not in school." Mary's worried voice came from the other side.
"What?" Ariadne stiffened.
She checked the time and realized it was time for school to end.
"When I asked the teacher, they told me that someone from the family came and took them a few hours ago." Mary informed. "I'm scared, Aria."
Ariadne fell silent. Someone picked them up from school. It must be Xander. She didn't expect him to act so quickly. Sweat had covered her face.
"What happened, Aria?" Mary asked, worried.
"Xander has learned the truth about the children." Ariadne said.
Mary gasped in shock.
"I think he's the one who took them from school." she added. "Mama Mary, wait a minute." she said before hanging up the phone and calling Xander.
However, he didn't answer her call. She then called Jose.
"Did you take the kids from school?" she asked as soon as Jose answered the call.
"Yes, Miss. They're safe. Don't worry about them." Jose replied, hearing her worried voice.
"Why did you do that?"
Before Jose could answer, Xander snatched the phone from him and disconnected the call. When Ariadne saw that the call had been disconnected, she realized it was Xander's doing. She put her hands on her head. She panicked and started crying. She had no idea what to do. Tiara was also not in the city. She hurriedly called her.
"Don't worry. You need to remain calm. Go meet with old Mr. Blake. Tell him everything and let me know what he said." Tiara said after hearing everything.
"Okay." Ariadne took a deep breath.
.........
"He has finally discovered the truth, then." William stated.
Ariadne immediately went to meet William after talking with Tiara. She told Mary to return to their apartment as they didn't know where Xander had taken the children. Ariadne had calmed down slightly. She realized that panicking wouldn't help her. She wanted to tell Xander about the children herself. Since he discovered it on his own, she must act wisely. She would fight him if he kept acting like an asshole.
"Let them stay with him for now."
As William spoke, she was brought back to reality.
"What?" her eyes widened as she processed William's words.
"If you fight with him, he will act stubbornly. We must act calmly."
"But grandpa..."
"He will never be able to take them away from you. I promise you. I know he will never do this. He's just angry and acting on impulse." he said.
Ariadne appeared hesitant. William sighed, noting her expression.
"Give the kids some time to spend with their father. I think the kids need this too."
"I've no problem with the kids spending time with him. I want it too, as long as he behaves well with them. But I'm worried about the other people. Xander always listened to them." she expressed her concern.
William nodded in understanding. He didn't need to be told about the other people Ariadne was referring to.
"That's why I'm telling you. It's important for them to spend some time together. Only then will we know what kind of father he will be for them."
Ariadne fell silent as she considered his words. Even though they were divorced and Xander was engaged to another woman, he would remain their father. She kept them hidden from him, because she was afraid he would mistreat them. However, now that the truth had been revealed, the children would want to spend time with their father. It would be good for the kids if they formed any kind of affection with him. She would decide whether the children could see their father in the future based on how he treated them now.
"What if he mistreats them. He was never fond of kids."
"Haha.. they're his kids... Anyway... I'm here.. no one will be able to mistreat my great-grandchildren." he assured her.
Ariadne left the old mansion full of confidence and determination.
.....
The children were causing havoc at the mansion. All of the maids tried to calm them down. Adrian was more furious than Autumn.
"Who are you? We don't know you. We don't want to stay here. We want to go home." he said to the maids.
Xander had instructed Jose to take the kids to the mansion where Ariadne used to live. One of the maids called Jose and explained the situation. Jose instructed her to handle the children until they arrived. However, the children were too difficult to handle. Adrian was arguing with them like an adult, while Autumn was screaming and crying nonstop. Jose lied to them, saying William wanted to meet with them, so they went with him. However, when they arrived at the mansion, there was no sign of William. It was a different place with new people. Jose told them to stay there until he returned with others. After a few hours, there was still no sign of Jose. The kids had grown impatient.
A maid came running.
"Mr. Blake is here." she informed.
The maids sighed with relief. After a while, Xander and Jose arrived in the living area. Xander felt nostalgic as he looked around the place. He had set foot in this mansion after five long years.
"Where's great-grandpa?" Adrian asked as soon as he saw Jose.
"Umm... kids... great-grandpa will not come today. But look who has come to see you." Jose exclaimed, pointing at Xander.
However, the kids frowned.
"So, you lied to us." Adrian glared at Jose.
Jose's face turned pale and he looked at Xander for help. Xander cleared his throat.
"I told him to bring you both here. I've something to tell you." he stated.
Everyone looked at him with anticipation. However, he was at a loss for words because he didn't know how to tell them he was their father.
"Tell them." he said, looking at Jose.
"What, Boss?" Jose was clueless.
Xander glared at him.
"Oh, I got it. Sorry... Kids... he's your father." he blurted out.
Everyone fell silent, and the maids gasped in shock. They had no idea who these kids were. Xander shook his head, frustrated. Even though he didn't know how to interact with children, still he could tell it wasn't the right way to tell them he was their father. He missed Toby.
"I don't want to know anything." Autumn said with a pout, breaking the silence.
"I want mommy, I want mommy, I want mommy." she yelled, crossing her arms and stomping her foot on the floor.
She said it three times to ensure no one missed it. Xander frowned as his head began to ache. This wasn't what he had expected from them. The little girl completely ignored the fact that he was their father. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He realized it wasn't easy to make them understand that he was their father. Adrian, on the other hand, stared at him sharply.
"We want to speak with Mommy." he said after a while, drawing Xander's attention.
Xander wanted to deny it, but he couldn't dare, noticing their sharp gaze on him.
"Okay." he looked at Jose.
Jose immediately called Ariadne.
"Hello, Mommy." Adrian said.
"Hello, baby. Are you two alright?"
"Yes, Mommy."
"Let me talk to Mommy."
Autumn stepped forward and snatched the phone from him, making him frown. She put the phone on speaker.
"I miss you, Mommy. Come get us." Autumn said.
"I miss you, too, my babies. But I'm busy right now."
Xander frowned when he heard Ariadne's voice.
"Kids, listen to me carefully." she added.
"Stay there for a few days."
"But why, Mommy?" Adrian asked with a frown.
"Because mommy is currently too busy to take care of you two. Alex needs me more right now. I'll stay with him."
"I'll send Grandma Mary. She's going to stay with you. You don't need to be afraid." she added.
"What about you, Mommy?"
"I'll come to see you both."
"Okay."
"Good. Now, could you pass the phone to Mr. Blake?" Adrian looked at Xander.
"Okay, Mommy."
He approached and handed him the phone. Xander took the phone hesitantly.
"Hello." he said, turning off the speaker.
"I'm sending Mama Mary." Ariadne said from the other side.
"There's no need."
"They're kids. They will never stay if they don't have a familiar person with them. Don't act like a dumbass."
"What did you call me?" Xander frowned.
"You took them on your own responsibility. Now, treat them well. I'm letting them stay with you because you're their father. But if you treat them badly, I'll ensure that you never see them again."
"You're in no position to grant me permission to meet my own kids. I...."
Ariadne hang up the call before he could finish.
"You.." Xander's nostrils flared with rage.
After a while Mary came. The children calmed down after seeing her. Xander sighed in relief.
"Who's their mother, Sir?" Cathy asked as she approached Xander.
"Ariadne." he replied.
Cathy was shocked.
"I am leaving them to you, Cathy. Please take care of them."
"Don't worry, Sir. I'll take better care of them than their mother," she assured him.
She had no idea what was going on. She made a mental note to ask Margaret and Crystal about the entire situation.
After a while, Xander and Jose left the mansion, leaving everything to Cathy to manage.
.....
Xander was on his way to the penthouse when he received a call from William.
"What do you think you're doing?" William's angry voice came as soon as he answered the call.
"Did you know this all the time?" Xander asked instead of answering his question.
Silence fell. Xander clenched his jaw, assuming William had known about the kids for years.
"No. She told me after she returned." William replied after a while.
Xander sighed, relieved.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"It's Ariadne's right to tell you."
"But she didn't." Xander said, gritting his teeth.
"Then ask her why she didn't tell you."
Xander fell silent.
"Have you even asked her? You simply did what you felt like doing!" William shook his head in disappointment.
"Xander...Whatever you do... remember that they're kids... And you're their father. A father always does the best for his kids." he said before hanging up.
Lost in thought, Xander slipped the phone into his pocket. He was furious that Ariadne had kept the kids' identities from him. However, what bothered him the most was that he still didn't know how she became pregnant with his child. He sighed and leaned against the seat, closing his eyes.