Chapter 190: Secrets Can't Be Hidden Forever

Chapter 190: Secrets Can't Be Hidden Forever

Diana bit her lip as tears streamed down her face. She knew that this final secret could no longer be kept.

The dim yellow chandelier in the bar swayed violently, and Charles felt the words on the page dancing before his eyes. The latest paternity report struck him like a sledgehammer, shattering everything he thought he knew.

"Paternity confirmed."

He kept murmuring those words, his fingers gripping the paper so tightly it wrinkled. He suddenly looked up at Diana, his eyes filled with unprecedented shock and wild joy, even a hint of near-collapse.

"Diana... did you hear? They're mine. They're actually mine!" Charles suddenly burst into laughter, but it sounded more painful than crying. Tears rolled down his stern face in large drops. "I'm such a damn fool... I actually believed you. I actually thought you hated me enough to have another man's children."

Diana stood frozen, feeling all her strength drain away in that moment. Looking at the report, she realized the secret she thought she could keep forever had finally been discovered.

"Yes, they're your children." Diana closed her eyes, letting the scalding tears fall, her voice cold as ice. "So what? Besides your sperm, what have you ever given them? You never showed them any care or love. Now you think a piece of paper makes you their father?"

Charles staggered back as if struck by lightning, hitting the cold bar counter.

"I didn't know... Diana, I thought the baby had died in that accident..."

"You thought?" Diana's eyes snapped open, sharp as blades. "You've 'thought' too many things! You thought Laura was good, you thought I was scheming, you thought I faked my death to run off with someone. Charles, your assumptions destroyed all my fantasies about love and nearly cost those children their lives!"

Nathan stood aside, watching Charles get pinned down by Diana's blood-soaked accusations, his own heart aching. He said softly, "Ms. Johnson, Mr. Windsor has also had a hard time these past five years..."

"Nathan, this is between us." Diana cut him off coldly, then turned to Charles. "You have your report, you know the truth. But I'm telling you—Jason and Daisy will never acknowledge you as their father. If you dare use the Windsor family's power to fight me for custody, Charles, I swear you'll see my corpse. Just like five years ago, but this time, I'll make sure you never find me."

With that, Diana stormed out of the bar.

Charles tried to follow, but his legs gave out, and he collapsed among the broken glass on the floor. Glass sliced into his hands, blood pooling beneath him, but he didn't even notice. He just stared at Diana's retreating figure, a suppressed whimper escaping his throat.

"Mr. Windsor!" Nathan rushed forward in alarm.

"Don't..." Charles pushed him away, looking mockingly at his bloody hands. "This is what I deserve. Did you hear her, Nathan? She'd rather die than let me near them."

Dawn was breaking when Diana got home. Jason was waiting on the couch, laptop open.

"Mommy." Jason looked up, his eyes holding a maturity beyond his years.

Diana's heart clenched as she quickly wiped away her tears. "Jason, why are you up so early?"

Jason closed the laptop and walked over to Diana, his small hand gently touching her swollen eyes. "Nathan sent me a message. He said the bad man knows the truth now."

Diana froze. "Jason, you..."

"I told him to find out." Jason said calmly. "I know Mommy didn't want him to know, but I couldn't watch you secretly cry over photos every night, or see that man drinking himself senseless at bars. Daisy really likes him. Even though I hate him, if he's truly our biological father, he has the right to know—and the right to face our judgment."

Diana knelt down and hugged Jason tightly. "I'm sorry, baby. Mommy was scared..."

"Afraid he'd take us away?" Jason patted Diana's back, comforting her like an adult. "Don't worry, Mommy. Unless he can make you smile again, Daisy and I will never acknowledge him. We'll always be Mommy's babies."

Charles didn't sleep all night. He hadn't even treated the wounds on his hands, instead going straight to wait outside Diana's current apartment building.

After Diana left last night, he had someone follow to protect her—and of course, he wanted to know where she lived now.

Seeing Diana approach with both kids, his heart hammered against his ribs.

"Jason, Daisy..." Charles called out hoarsely, wanting to approach but stopping under Diana's icy stare.

Daisy's eyes lit up when she saw Charles, about to call out to him, but she felt her brother Jason tighten his grip on her hand.

Jason stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of his mother and Daisy. He tilted up his small face and looked coldly at Charles. "So you saw the test results?"

Looking at this face so similar to his own, Charles's eyes instantly reddened. "Jason, I'm your father... I'm sorry, Daddy came too late."

"Daddy?" Jason sneered. "I don't think you know what that word means. Daddies are supposed to protect Mommy. They don't make her cry. Since you found out, we need to talk."

Charles was stunned. He hadn't expected a five-year-old to have such presence.

"First—you can't try to take us away from Mommy."