This was unbelievable!
If she didn't suspect Henry was her brother, she wouldn't even consider him, and her father agreed?
It doesn't make sense!
Absolutely impossible!
Ella stared at her father, hoping to see something else in his eyes.
Cole said seriously, "Don't look at me like you're interrogating a criminal. Do you think I'm acting?
How about this: this afternoon, invite him out, and the three of us will have a meal.
If that's not enough, I'll call your mother and have her cook at home. You can bring Henry over.
How about that?"
Saying this, Cole got up to get his phone.
"Wait," Ella said, "I have one more question. I heard Convent was your investment, and the women there..."
Cole continued, "Are all my lovers. Bryan told you that, right? Do you believe everything he says?
You know his mind. He comes to work for a few days, hears something, and you think he's worried about me having mistresses, ruining my relationship with your mother, even causing our family to break up?
He's worried I have illegitimate children who will come for the family inheritance, so he fights with me.
Did he say even your mother doesn't know about this?
Why are you so simple-minded? Convent is a large place. Over 20 years, I've invested nearly 20 million. How could your mother not know?
If our company is big now, I might spend a million without her knowing, but back then, we didn't have that much money."
Ella asked, "Dad, why would you fund a Convent?"
Cole sighed, "Child, you were born with a silver spoon, thinking parents are naturally wealthy. Don't you know your mother and I are from the countryside?
It wasn't easy for us to build what we have today!
You and Bryan have grown up, and we should tell you more, but you both are so rebellious and stubborn.
Bryan sleeps in our villa but doesn't visit us for a year.
You don't even live in the villa we bought, staying in the dorm instead.
We wanted to tell you about our struggles, but you never gave us a chance or wanted to listen."
Ella felt guilty, her eyes reddening.
"Dad," Ella said, "I just want to understand what Convent is about."
"It's simple," Cole said. "When your mother and I were struggling in Harbor Springs, we met a man named Sebastian and his wife Willow.
I know you've had issues with me because you've heard that some old ruffians are my brothers, hurting your self-esteem from a young age.
But now I tell you, when we were struggling in Harbor Springs, Sebastian was our big brother. Wyatt, Tristan, Samuel, and I were his brothers!"
Ella finally understood that her parents, who built their fortune from scratch, were likely like Henry today—people caught in the tides of the underworld.
Cole continued, "Do you know why your mother and I didn't like Erick but wanted you to marry him?
Because his uncle Kevin was the top official in Harbor Springs and helped our company significantly.
That's why some people said your mother had an affair with him.
If I'm not mistaken, Bryan probably told you that too?"
Ella said nothing.
Cole sighed, "People say many private business owners get their first pot of gold through shady means. That's not far from the truth.
Following Sebastian, we did break the law.
Individually, those acts weren't much, but together, they were significant.
Later, he was arrested and sentenced to death.
You're in the police department. If you're interested, you can look up his case files.
After he died, Willow was heartbroken and wanted to leave the city to become a nun.
Your mother and I discussed it and decided to build a Convent for her in the suburbs and support her for life.
We've funded it for years. Recently, it's become more popular, so we stopped funding it."
So that's it!
Ella sighed in relief, hesitated, and thought: Since we've come this far, I should clear up the biggest doubt.
"Dad," Ella said, "one more question..."
Cole interrupted, "Henry, right? Child, I'm glad you listened to me today, so I won't hide anything.
Yes, 24 years ago, your mother did give a child away, and that child is Sebastian and Willow's son, Henry!"
At that moment, the hospital called, telling her the DNA test showed no maternal relationship.
Cole stood up, walked to the window, looked out for a while, and then turned to Ella, "Child, I've told you everything. Don't blame me for being selfish, as if agreeing to your relationship with Henry is to repay Sebastian and Willow.
I see you genuinely like Henry, and given our history with his parents, your mother and I decided to support you instead of opposing."
Ella frowned, "So Henry's mother is still alive. Should we..."
Cole waved his hand, "Don't think that way. If you really want to, take Henry to Convent and see if his mother recognizes him."
"Why?" Ella asked.
Cole sighed, "If you check the case files, you'll find that Henry's father was exposed by his mother.
She didn't expect him to be sentenced to death and has regretted it ever since.
She personally handed Henry to your mother to take to the orphanage.
She has never asked about Henry's whereabouts."
Ella's doubts were finally cleared, and she felt full of guilt towards her parents.
But she didn't know that Cole's words were a mix of truth and lies, making it hard to distinguish.
Cole told Ella everything and supported her marrying Henry for another reason.
He was digging a pit for Henry!
Whether it would trap his daughter, only time would tell.
Compared to the family's life and wealth, sacrificing his daughter's happiness was worth it.
Unaware of the truth, Ella now had to consider how to face Henry.
Should she tell Henry that his mother was still alive?