Chapter 143 Does He Know?
Alison heard everything and felt a pang of sympathy for the kids. They looked so pitiful, but what could she do? She rushed over and grabbed Ethan's hand. "Ethan, come on, let's go boating. Ignore them."
Suddenly, Sophi burst into tears. "Mommy, we do have a daddy, right? Tell them we have a daddy!"
"Don't cry," Alison said, noticing the other boy's mother approaching. She knew things would only get worse if this continued. She couldn't give the kids a daddy, so she took Ethan's hand in one of hers and Sophi's in the other, quickly walking away, desperate to escape the onlookers.
Out of nowhere, a voice called from behind them, "Who said Sophi and Ethan don't have a daddy? Come here, let Daddy hold you."
Alison gasped instinctively. What was going on? Why was he here?
Jack had appeared.
They hadn't seen each other for a whole day, a night, and a morning.
It was surprising enough that he showed up, but then he said, "Let Daddy hold you."
Oh my God, did she hear that right? She stood there, stunned, and turned around to see Jack with his arms open, beckoning Sophi and Ethan. "Come on, let Daddy hold you."
Sophi looked at Ethan, and Ethan looked at Sophi. They were both unsure. They had thought Uncle Winston was their daddy, but now this man, with his bright smile and gleaming white teeth, was calling them over.
"Go on, at least show everyone we have a daddy," Alison thought to herself.
Ethan broke free from Alison's hand and ran to Jack. "Daddy, are you really our daddy?" he asked, throwing himself into Jack's arms, hardly able to believe it.
Jack picked him up. "Of course I am. If anyone dares to call you names again, Daddy will take them to the police." He shot a glare at the boy who had been fighting with Ethan. If the kid weren't so young, Jack would have been tempted to throw a punch. How could anyone bully Ethan like that?
Jack's appearance made the woman who had been about to defend her son shut her mouth immediately. She had heard what her son called Ethan. Now, seeing a man step forward to claim the twins as his own, and judging by his attire, he was clearly not someone to mess with. She quickly pulled her son away.
Ethan was overjoyed, hugging Jack's neck and planting a big kiss on his cheek. "So, you're really our daddy?"
"What do you mean, really?" Jack frowned, pretending not to understand. Inside, he was thrilled.
"Mommy said that CEO Uncle Winston wasn't our real daddy. You just admitted it, so you must be the real one, right?" Ethan said.
"When did Mommy say that?" Jack asked.
"The day before yesterday, when we got home. She said we couldn't see the CEO daddy anymore," Ethan replied.
Jack was over the moon. "That's right, I'm your real daddy. Do you want to go boating?"
"I want to go boating!" Ethan clung to Jack, squirming with excitement. "If you're really our daddy, take us boating. Sophi, come on, let Daddy hold you. Daddy's strong, he can carry both of us." He remembered his sister and wanted to share the joy of having a daddy with her.
Alison stood there, frozen, unable to move or speak. She wondered if she was dreaming and bit her lip lightly. It didn't hurt much; she bit harder, and it hurt! This wasn't a dream. Jack really said he was the kids' daddy.
How did he know? Was he here to take her kids away? Alison was filled with panic and rushed forward. "Jack, give me the kids back. Don't take them."
Jack smiled at her, holding a child in each arm. He nudged Sophi forward, and she immediately kissed Alison's cheek.
"Mommy, he's Daddy. Let's go together." The kids were easily won over, especially since Jack had just stood up for them, allowing them to proudly tell the other kids they had a daddy.
No one doubted it because Jack looked so much like them. Ethan suddenly remembered the lady at Jack's side at the godfather's villa and his face turned cold. He stopped calling Jack daddy and whispered in his ear, "Uncle Winston, are you really our daddy? Are you just saying that to help me fool the other kids?"
Jack was taken aback by Ethan's cautious tone but then laughed. "Don't worry, I really am your daddy. Let's go boating." He started walking with the kids, and Alison hurried after him. "Jack, put them down."
"Nope." He kept walking, his strides long and confident. Alison was out of breath, her heart pounding with anxiety.
She didn't understand why Jack was here.
Sophi remembered Aimée and felt the need to stand up for her mom. "Daddy, isn't Mommy mad? Don't you have another lady? That's not right. I'd be mad if I were Mommy."
What was this? The kids were questioning him now.
Jack kept smiling. He couldn't get angry; if he did, he'd really be the bad guy.
"That lady is just a friend."
"Really? Aren't you going to marry her?" The kids were small but not easily fooled.
Jack looked frustrated, stumped by their questions.
He thought for a moment and said, "That was for a wedding ad. She was just the bride in the ad, it doesn't count."
"Really?" The kids were skeptical.
"Of course." He kept smiling and took the opportunity to kiss Ethan on the cheek. It felt different, kissing his child for the first time.
Sophi saw and leaned in. "Daddy, I want a kiss too."
Alison was completely stunned, following them in a daze, more confused than ever about what Jack was doing.
The kids kept calling him daddy, and she felt like she was dreaming.
Jack rented a boat for four, the kind usually used by families.
Sophi and Ethan happily jumped on, sitting together and leaving a spot next to Jack for Alison.
"Ethan, sit on the other side," Alison said.
"No, I want to sit here so I can see Mommy. It's better this way," Ethan said, giving a reason.
Alison's cheeks turned red. She felt useless, unable to get her son to listen. But she didn't want to argue in front of Jack, so she turned to Sophi. "Sophi, you sit on the other side."
Sophi's eyes lit up, spotting an ice cream vendor by the ticket booth. "Daddy, I want ice cream!"
Jack snapped his fingers and called out to the vendor, "Four ice creams, please!"
The vendor happily brought over four ice creams and complimented Jack, "Sir, your son and daughter look just like you. They're adorable!"