Chapter 156
"Can we talk about this later, okay?"
William looked at Emily, his eyes full of disappointment.
After a long while, he finally gave in.
"Fine, then I'll assign you some bodyguards."
William tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "I really can't feel at ease without bodyguards protecting you."
"If you won't come back to the Brown family with me, I’ll have to find another way. Does that make you feel better now?"
Emily nodded. At this point, this was all they could do.
She knew she had hurt William's heart, and perhaps he was very disappointed in her.
But Emily knew that once she agreed to William and went back to the Brown family with him, she wouldn't be able to control what would happen next.
Before knowing the Brown family's attitude, it was better not to act rashly. At least the kids were all with William, they were safe, and that was enough.
"Thank you."
Emily said softly, her voice laced with genuine gratitude.
William didn't respond, just restarted the car.
The car grew quiet again, but this time the silence wasn’t heavy—it carried something softer, something hard to name.
The car drove smoothly along. When they were almost at Emily's place, William suddenly spoke, his tone deliberately gentle, with a hint of careful probing.
"The kids have been asking about you these past few days. They want to have dinner with you. Are you free tomorrow evening? Come have a simple meal at the Brown family, just to spend time with the kids."
He deliberately used the children as an excuse, afraid Emily would refuse again, though a flicker of hope still showed in his eyes.
Emily paused, thinking of those soft and adorable little ones. Her heart was instantly touched, and her hesitation and concerns faded a bit. She immediately nodded.
"Okay, I'll come over tomorrow evening."
After getting a positive answer, the disappointment in William's eyes instantly disappeared, replaced by a barely noticeable smile.
His grip on the steering wheel also loosened.
Even though William framed it as just dinner with the kids, his mind was already racing with plans.
This was the first time Emily had agreed to go to the Brown family. Whether it was using the kids as an excuse or something else, this was a good opportunity.
He had to seize this opportunity and find a way to make Emily willingly stay and never leave again.
The car stopped downstairs. Emily thanked him and got out.
Seeing she was about to enter the building, William called out to her from behind.
"I'll arrange for bodyguards to stay downstairs. Call me anytime if anything happens."
"Got it, drive safely."
Emily turned back and waved at him, then walked into the building.
Only after seeing Emily's figure disappear did William drive away.
However, he was already planning tomorrow's arrangements on the way.
From the food to the house decorations, everything had to be carefully arranged without any mistakes.
After Emily got home, she tidied up a bit, then picked up her bag and went out.
She didn't tell William that she still had something important to do today.
She had to go to the hospital to get the paternity test report.
Calculating the time, this report should be ready by now.
It was just that, for some reason, she simply didn't want to discuss this matter with William right now.
She rushed to the hospital all the way. Emily walked to the lab window, gave her name and information, and the nurse quickly handed over a sealed report.
Emily held the thin report in her hand, her fingers trembling slightly.
She took several deep breaths before finding a quiet spot in the hospital corridor to sit down and slowly opened the sealed envelope.
When she saw the results on the test report, Emily froze completely, her eyes fixed on those words as her heart was thrown into turmoil.
The results were nothing like what she had expected, and they overturned everything she had believed.
Emily's mind went blank, and she didn't come back to her senses for a long time.
After being dazed for a while, when she came to, her back was already covered in cold sweat, and a strong sense of regret surged in her heart.
She somewhat regretted not agreeing to William and going back to the Brown family with him.
If she were at the Brown family right now, by William's side, perhaps she wouldn't be so panicked and anxious with no one to confide in.
But there's no medicine for regret in this world. Emily could only clutch the report and force herself to calm down.
Her mind was in chaos. Emily had no mood to go home right away.
Aiden's image flashed through her mind.
That thoughtful and sensible little guy was the one among the children who looked most like William, and also the one who liked to cling to her the most.
He was even more clingy than Nina.
Emily raised her hand to check the time. It was just about the time Aiden would be leaving school.
She didn't want to go home for now, so she simply got up and headed toward Aiden's school.
Right now, she wanted to see him.
When Emily arrived at the school gate, it was exactly dismissal time. The school entrance was crowded with parents picking up their children, bustling with activity.
Emily stood not far away, her eyes searching through the crowd, and soon spotted that small figure.
Aiden was carrying his backpack as he talks with his classmates, his eyes showing some calm composure.
Combined with his superior looks, he was particularly eye-catching in the crowd.
"Aiden." Emily called out softly.
Aiden heard the familiar voice and suddenly turned around. The moment he saw Emily, his eyes lit up.
A bright smile bloomed on his face. He immediately said goodbye to his classmate and quickly ran toward Emily.
"Why are you here?" He ran up to Emily, looking up at her with his little face full of surprise and happiness.
Emily bent down and softly ruffled his hair.
Looking at the light in Aiden's eyes, the panic in her heart faded considerably, and a gentle smile appeared on her face.
"I missed you, so I came to pick you up from school."
Aiden's smile grew even sweeter at her words.
He took the initiative to reach out and hold Emily's hand, small and soft.
"I missed you too."
The two walked hand in hand along the roadside. Emily asked many questions about Aiden's childhood.
She asked what he was like when he first learned to walk, whether he had been naughty and gotten scolded by William, and what snacks he liked to eat.
Although Aiden was puzzled, he still chattered away in response, telling Emily about his childhood stories one by one.
His eyes crinkled with joy, and he was especially happy.
When they passed a snack shop, Emily pulled Aiden inside and let him pick whatever snacks he liked.
No matter how much he took, she smiled and nodded.
In the end, the two walked out carrying a big bag of snacks.
Aiden held the snacks in his arms, feeling sweet inside, and when he looked at Emily, his eyes were full of dependence.
After walking for a while, Aiden suddenly looked up at Emily, his little face showing a hint of mischief, speaking like an adult.
"Can you go home with me today? Dad hopes that you can spend more time with us! The rooms at home are all ready."