Chapter 550 Can I See Her?
The document plunged the office into immediate silence.
Chase held his breath, silently observing their reactions.
After what felt like an eternity, Sophia finally spoke.
"A medical professor is hosting tomorrow's party. Many prominent doctors are likely to attend, and Sabrina will probably be on the guest list as well."
Alaric's expression remained heavy, dark as ink. "Will Sabrina truly show up? Odette has escaped. He'll surely be doing everything in his power to find her."
After all the trouble Sabrina took to change her name and identity, she wouldn't risk exposing herself to danger.
Sophia gently shook her head. "I've spent more time with Sabrina. She's truly obsessed with medical research."
To be more specific, Sabrina had a strong interest in studying medications that have the potential to change human DNA.
Alaric and Benjamin grasped the link right away.
"I'll have my team get the news out," Benjamin stated with resolve. "We'll wait and see if she falls for it."
With the plans in place, Alaric instructed Chase to call the police.
Harmony City fell outside their usual sphere of influence, making it difficult for them to take matters into their own hands.
With the arrangements settled, Alaric took his leave of Benjamin and made his way back to the hotel to catch some sleep.
He spent the previous night by Odette's bedside at the hospital, staying awake until she finally opened her eyes and getting almost no rest.
It wasn't as if he felt any real concern for Odette; he was simply driven by a sense of curiosity.
Once he discovered that Emilio was his own flesh and blood, he couldn't stop questioning the identity of the boy's biological mother.
He took pride in how he'd conducted himself over the years, maintaining a clean reputation without any women in his life.
His personal life had been remarkably uncomplicated, which made the fact that Odette had successfully hidden his child from him all the more incredible.
Moments ago, discovering the extent of what Odette had endured because of Sabrina left him feeling genuinely uneasy.
Although there was no emotional connection between him and Odette, she had still belonged to him at one time.
Regardless of the motive, the way Sabrina had tormented her was absolutely horrific.
The moment he stepped back into his hotel suite, a small form lunged in his direction, colliding with his leg and wrapping their arms around him in a sudden hug.
Alaric lowered his gaze slowly to find Emilio looking back at him with a needy, wounded look in his eyes.
"Daddy, where were you? Where did you go?"
Alaric’s heart softened as he reached out and ruffled the boy's hair. "I went to see Sophia and Benjamin. Were you good here by yourself?"
"Yes, I was. I slept well and ate well," Emilio answered, his expression solemn and sincere.
"That's good." A faint smile touched Alaric's lips as they headed further into the suite together.
"Daddy, I want to see Sophia too."
After spending time together, Emilio had grown quite comfortable with Alaric. Initially, he had been nervous, fearing that Alaric might not take a liking to him.
But after spending more time together, he realized Alaric’s coldness was merely his personality; in truth, he was a very gentle person.
Consequently, he had grown increasingly bold in Alaric's presence.
"I'll take you to see them in a couple of days. They're busy with something right now."
The party tomorrow night held immense significance for them.
Before departing from the White Group branch office, Benjamin informed Alaric that he had also been conducting a clandestine investigation into Sabrina.
He mentioned that the group shadowing Sabrina consisted entirely of remnants from the GeneCipher Society. As for their employers, they were all prominent figures in the international medical community.
Those medical titans held significant international acclaim, placing them beyond reach for the time being.
But it was no matter; Sabrina was intimately linked to the GeneCipher Society. Securing her would be a decisive victory.
"Okay then." Emilio settled down obediently. He was consistently well-mannered, possessing no desire to cause trouble for anyone.
Perhaps due to his upbringing, he remained guarded with most people. Even when his own requests were denied, he felt no resentment; instead, he turned inward to reflect.
Alaric watched him for a long moment before slowly asking, "Emilio, do you miss your mother?"
Emilio froze, then slowly shook his head.
Alaric asked curiously, "You don't miss her?"
Emilio pressed his lips together and answered, "I've never seen my mom. I don't know what she's like."
Since he had never seen her, he did not dare to harbor any expectations.
Just as before, when his biological father’s identity remained a mystery, he believed both parents had abandoned him.
While he had felt the weight of sadness and wept in secret, he never dared to hope for a reunion with his parents.
If his mother had abandoned him out of dislike, he saw little reason to long for her affection.
Alaric pulled him onto his lap with a sympathetic embrace, selecting his words with care. "What if... just suppose, your mother had no choice but to give you up—would you forgive her?"
Emilio looked confused; he had never considered such a question.
"It's okay, take your time. You don't need to give me an answer right away."
Alaric didn't want to push him too hard.
"Daddy, did you find my mother?" Emilio blinked his eyes—a perfect reflection of Alaric's—and asked with curiosity.
Alaric was momentarily stunned, caught off guard by the boy's sharp intuition.
He cleared his throat and explained, "Your mother might not even know you're alive. She's suffered a great deal over the years."
Alaric felt he had no right to conceal this, and even less to prevent Emilio from meeting his biological mother.
As for whether to forgive Odette in the end, he would leave that choice to Emilio.
Emilio looked at Alaric nervously. "Can I meet her?"