Chapter 53 Is It Your Child?
As soon as Jack thought of Emily, his eyes drifted to Alison. The resemblance was uncanny. If it weren't for the different hairstyle and the fact that Alison spoke foreign languages, he might have mistaken her for Emily.
Thinking of Emily brought a sharp pain to the unhealed wound in his heart.
Why was he so invested in these two kids who had nothing to do with him? He handed his phone to Alison abruptly.
Alison took the phone, puzzled by Jack's sudden coldness. Just as she was about to speak, Sophia chimed in, "If your last name is Winston, then you're my daddy."
"Hey, Aidan, is this your secret love child?" Jack turned to Aidan and whispered. He had seen Aidan parading around with Alison just yesterday.
But the thought of Aidan holding Alison made his chest ache even more.
"Jack, you don't look so good."
"I'm fine. You guys go ahead and have a drink. I just remembered I have urgent business at the office," Jack said, not waiting for Alison or Aidan's reaction. He bolted out the door and ran towards the parking lot.
He walked faster and faster. It was just an act; he didn't care if Alison followed or not. No way could a woman who looked exactly like Emily enter his life.
He scrolled through his phone contacts, started the car, and dialed a number.
"Jack, is that you?" A surprised female voice answered, almost in disbelief.
"Come to the apartment. See you soon," he said in a low voice and hung up.
When it came to women, less talk, more action.
He just wanted to use women to numb himself, to forget the woman he hated so much. But every time he got up from a woman, the scent of their lovemaking brought back memories of the woman in the woods, the one he had violated.
Those eyes, so clear and pitiful, made him want to protect her. Jack clenched his fists, unaware of his own actions. The thought of her feigned weakness made him seethe with anger.
He swung his fist, hitting the Lamborghini's windshield hard. Luckily, it was a luxury car, and the glass only cracked slightly. If it had been a regular car, his hand would have been a bloody mess.
But the physical pain was nothing compared to the pain in his heart. Three years of torment, of hatred and pain.
He couldn't forget. It was humiliation, betrayal. Since then, he had never trusted women again.
Women could no longer enter his heart, his world.
That night, he was relentless with the woman beneath him, trying to forget the one who had once been there, too.
But every time he moved, those clear eyes from the woods flashed in his mind, impossible to forget...
...
At the press conference entrance, Aidan watched Alison and Jack's phone exchange. When Jack left, Aidan had a hunch.
That incident was a sore spot for Jack, and he probably remembered it, causing him to leave in a hurry.
Aidan didn't mind Jack's departure. He walked over to Alison, breaking the suffocating silence. "Alison, don't take it to heart. Jack's just like that, one minute he's fine, the next he's not. You'll get used to it."
Alison forced a smile. "I thought it was something my kids said that upset Mr. Winston." Jack probably didn't like kids, which was why he hung up.
"No, he never takes it out on kids. If he doesn't want to join us, we can still have a drink." Aidan naturally took Alison's hand and led her towards the parking lot.
"Mr. President..." Alison looked at Aidan holding her hand, wanting him to let go. She didn't like such public displays of affection.
"Hmm?" Aidan ignored her reaction and kept walking. He was now certain that Alison had nothing to do with the woman named Bruce.
So, her past had nothing to do with Jack either. He had decided; he wanted her to be his woman as soon as possible.
"I... I want to go home. I'll just take a cab," Alison said softly, knowing it was futile. When Aidan was stubborn, he was harder to deal with than a rock.
"You just told the kids you were working late, so they'll be fine. Why go home so early? Life's too short to be all work and no play. You need to learn to enjoy life," Aidan said, sounding unusually earnest. She rarely saw him this serious.
"Can I go home by ten?" she tried to negotiate.
Aidan glanced at his watch. There was still an hour and a half until ten. Plenty of time. He wasn't the type to rush things with a woman. Ninety minutes was enough. "I'll agree, but from now on, when we're alone, don't call me Mr. President. Just call me Aidan."
What was this? A special kind of confession? She glared at Aidan, wanting to strangle him, but thinking of Sophia and Ethan, she held back.
Her intuition told her that Sophia and Ethan would eventually meet Jack. When that happened, Aidan would be the only one who could help her. So, she had to endure Aidan for now. Once the truth came out, she wouldn't have to be under his control anymore.
Aidan started the car and said, "Alison, I hope you'll join me on this trip to Paris."
He was serious. The chairman placed great importance on this business trip, and he had to give it his all. He didn't want Alison to accompany Jack but to be with him. Her language skills were impressive; she spoke three languages, which would be a huge help. Most people were lucky to be fluent in one foreign language. The elite in the foreign trade department knew at most two. Among the people he knew, only she and Jack spoke more than three languages.
Why did he keep comparing her to Jack? They really had nothing to do with each other.
"Aidan, you say it's a vacation, but for me, it's a waste of time. I'd rather stay at the office and get more work done." She really didn't want to go. Since having kids, she hadn't been away from them for a single day. She would miss them.
"Paris is a famous place. I'm sure you've never been. Don't miss this great opportunity. I just think your language skills are excellent. Our French partners also speak German. Just consider it a favor to me."
"Ha, Aidan, you guys are tricking me. You said it was just a vacation, but now it's work-related?"
"Uh, call me Aidan. It's just the two of us in the car. Calling me Mr. President is too formal."
"This..." It didn't feel right. She was just looking for an excuse, not wanting to have any connection with him. But calling him by his name felt too intimate.
"It's just a name. Are you afraid I'll eat you?" He did have that intention, but now wasn't the time. He didn't want to scare her off. He had to take it slow.
"Ai...dan..." she called out with difficulty.
Aidan whistled happily. "See, it's just a name. Not hard at all. By the way, do your adopted kids' dad really have the last name Winston?"
"I don't know. The adoption agency didn't tell me anything about their parents."
"Oh, then why do the kids say their dad's last name is Winston?"
"That's your fault. Ethan saw you in the newspaper and thought you looked like him. He asked me who you were, and I casually said Winston. The kids just assumed their dad's last name was Winston."
"Haha, that's funny. I wouldn't mind having two kids to play with. How about we take them to the amusement park sometime? I'd like to see how much we really look alike."
"Ha, it's no big deal. People often look alike. The kids just think anyone who looks like them must be their dad."
Aidan laughed, "Hey, why don't I be their godfather? That way, I can have two little buddies to play with. Sounds like a great idea!" He said it so casually, as if he had just gained two playmates.
Alison frowned, thinking this godfather thing was too sudden and unavoidable. She looked out the window and saw an Italian restaurant flash by. She quickly changed the subject, "Hey, Aidan, let's eat there. I love Italian food."