Chapter 197: Emergency

Chapter 197: Emergency

Charles released the rope. His palms were crisscrossed with angry red welts.

Diana noticed. Something softened inside her.

"Your hands..."

"It's nothing." Charles smiled. "This doesn't count as anything."

He turned to the two children. "Jason, Daisy—we're champions!"

Daisy threw herself into his arms. "You were amazing!"

Jason stood to the side, hesitating. Finally, he walked over and said quietly, "You... did well."

Charles froze for a moment, then smiled.

Jason still wouldn't call him Dad, but this was already huge progress.

Just then, the principal approached, holding a trophy.

"Congratulations to the Windsor family for winning this year's Sports Day championship!"

Applause erupted around them.

Charles accepted the trophy, then turned and held it out to Diana.

"Diana, this honor belongs to all of us—as a family."

Diana looked at him, emotions swirling inside her chest.

"Mommy, take it!" Daisy urged.

Diana reached out. The moment her fingertips brushed Charles's hand, her heartbeat skipped.

Suddenly, a man in a suit came running over, breathless.

"Mr. Windsor! We have a problem!"

Charles frowned. "What happened?"

"It's Windsor Manor!" The man gasped for air. "Brian showed up with several board members. They're forcing Victor to hand over company control!"

Charles's expression turned stone-cold.

Diana froze.

Brian. He'd been circling Windsor Group like a vulture for years, waiting for his chance to seize power.

"Why now?" Charles's voice was icy.

The man glanced at Diana, hesitating.

Charles understood immediately.

It had to be because of this morning—because he'd publicly acknowledged the children at the kindergarten. News traveled fast among the elite families who sent their kids to this school. Some of them probably had business ties to Brian.

"I need to go." Charles turned to Diana. "I'm sorry. I have to leave."

Diana nodded. "Go. Victor needs you right now."

Charles crouched down to meet the children's eyes. "Jason, Daisy—Daddy has to take care of something urgent. Be good and stay with Mommy, okay?"

Daisy wrapped her arms around his neck. "Be careful, Daddy."

Jason bit his lip. Finally, he said, "If you need help... you can call me."

Charles blinked, then smiled.

He ruffled Jason's hair. "Okay. I'll remember that."

With that, he strode away.

Diana watched him go, unease creeping through her chest.

"Mommy, will Daddy be in danger?" Daisy asked, worried.

Diana shook her head. "No. He'll handle it."

But even as she said it, she knew the truth. The Windsor family had been waiting for an opportunity to take Charles down.

And today—by publicly acknowledging the children—he'd handed them the perfect excuse.

 

When Charles's car pulled up to Windsor Manor, the butler was already waiting. He hurried forward as Charles stepped out. "Mr. Windsor, your grandfather is in the main hall."

"How many showed up?" Charles asked, striding toward the entrance without breaking pace.

"Seven," the butler said quietly. "Brian brought three board members and two family elders. And... Gilbert Simmons is here as well."

Charles's steps faltered for half a second.

Gilbert was the family attorney—the one who handled estates and shareholdings. Brian had come prepared.

The doors to the main hall stood open. Inside, voices murmured in forced restraint.

"Charles is too reckless." That was Brian's voice, dripping with feigned concern. "Those two children are five years old. They just appeared out of nowhere. There hasn't even been a paternity test. What if that woman—"

"Shut up."

Charles pushed the door open.

The room fell silent.

Victor sat in the head chair, leaning on his cane, his face ashen.

Brian stood across from him, flanked by several middle-aged men—some standing, some seated. All of them major shareholders in Windsor Group.

"Charles is back," Victor said, his voice steady, though tight.

Charles nodded. His gaze swept across every face in the room before landing on Brian. "What were you saying, Uncle Brian? I didn't catch that."

Brian shifted uncomfortably under Charles's stare, but quickly straightened his spine. "I said—those two children of yours are of questionable origin. To parade them around in public under the Windsor name is... inappropriate."

"Inappropriate?" Charles repeated the word slowly. "In what way?"

"Do I really need to spell it out?" Brian raised his voice. "Five years ago, Diana vanished without a trace. Now she suddenly reappears with two children in tow. Who knows what her real motives are? What if those kids aren't even yours? Where does that leave the Windsor family's reputation?"

"Uncle Brian," Charles took a step forward, "Jason and Daisy are my children. That is not something I need to prove to anyone."

"You say so, and that makes it true?" Brian sneered. "Where's your evidence? Have you done a paternity test?"

Charles stopped walking. He was now only two steps away from Brian, and because he was half a head taller, the effect when he looked down was naturally oppressive.

"Uncle Brian," he said quietly, "my children don't need to justify their identity to anyone. But you—"

He paused, shifting his gaze to the three shareholders. "The three of you came all the way here this late at night. Surely it wasn't just to listen to Uncle Brian air our family's private business?"

The three men exchanged uneasy glances.

One of them, Everett, cleared his throat. "Charles, we're concerned about the company. Photos from today's sports day are already all over the internet. The media is speculating about those children's identities. Windsor Group's stock price—"

"What about the stock price?" Charles cut him off. "It closed up three points today. What—not enough for you?"

Another shareholder, Doyle, tried to smooth things over. "That's not what we mean. It's just... this kind of situation is better handled discreetly. You suddenly having two children—people will talk."

"Talk about what?" Charles asked. "That I have children?"

The directness of the question made the room go tense.

Two family elders who had been silent until now exchanged a look. One of them finally spoke. "Charles, we understand your feelings. But the family has its rules. A child's legitimacy is a serious matter. It can't be handled carelessly."

"Carelessly?" Charles turned to face the two elderly men. His tone was respectful, but his words were steel. "Five years ago, I married Diana in a proper ceremony. She bore me twins. For five years, I failed them. Now I'm bringing them home and giving them the recognition they deserve. That's careless?"

He paused, his voice dropping lower. "Or are you saying that in your eyes, my children don't deserve the family's support?"