Chapter 101

3rd POV

The air inside the grand living room felt heavy.

Even the servants standing near the walls barely dared to breathe.

In the Dinning room……

The large chandelier above the room cast soft golden light over the marble floor. Expensive paintings hung on the walls. A long table filled the center of the room, with cuisines of different kind laid out.

David strode in his tall frame looked firm and straight, his jaw was tight. He looked like he was ready to go for war.

His fingers gripped a thin white envelope.

“David,” she said slowly, her voice thin with irritation. “You called this meeting so urgently. What is it that couldn’t wait?” She was a bit hungry and her mood was not good upon seeing her son who dared to keep defying her and yet he still came late.

David didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he walked forward.

Each step echoed faintly against the polished floor.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

When he reached the table, he placed the envelope down.

The sound was soft.

But it still made his mother’s eyes narrow.

“What is that?” she asked.

David slowly pushed the envelope toward them.

“A report,” he said.

His voice was calm.

His father raised an eyebrow.

“A report about what?”

David inhaled quietly.

Then he said the words that shattered the calm in the room.

“A paternity test.”

Silence fell.

David’s mother blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Then she leaned forward and snatched the envelope.

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

She pulled the papers out quickly.

Her eyes scanned the document.

At first, her expression showed confusion.

Then disbelief.

Then—

Shock.

Her fingers trembled slightly.

“This…” she whispered.

Her eyes widened.

She looked up slowly.

Her gaze locked onto David.

“Where did you get this?”

David didn’t hesitate.

“It’s mine.”

The words landed like thunder.

The room froze.

Even the servants near the wall stiffened, they buried their heads lower, wishing they could dig the ground or make the ground swallow them.

His mother’s lips parted.

“You…”

Her voice shook.

“You’re telling me… this child…”

David nodded.

“Yes.”

His mother slammed the papers on the table.

“This is impossible!”

Her voice rose sharply.

“Who is the woman?!”

David answered without hesitation.

“Mannie.”

The name hung in the air.

His mother stared at him.

Blank.

Then her face darkened.

“Mannie?”

Her voice sounded like it carried poison.

“That woman?”

David didn’t flinch.

“Yes.”

His father leaned forward slowly.

His fingers steepled together.

“David,” he said calmly. “Explain.”

David’s expression remained firm.

“She gave birth to my child.”

His mother shot up from her chair.

The chair scraped loudly against the floor.

“That woman deceived us!”

Her voice rang through the room.

“She must have tricked you!”

David’s eyes hardened.

“She didn’t.”

“You expect me to believe that?!” she snapped.

David picked up the report.

Then he slid it across the table again.

“Read the result.”

His father calmly took the paper.

His sharp eyes scanned the report carefully.

Line by line.

His expression didn’t change.

But the room felt colder.

Finally, he lowered the paper.

His gaze rested on David.

“You’re certain this report is genuine?”

“Yes.”

His father leaned back slowly.

The silence stretched.

David’s mother paced across the room now.

Her heels clicked loudly on the floor.

“No.”

She shook her head.

“I refuse to believe it.”

She turned sharply toward David.

“That woman must have planned this!”

David’s jaw tightened.

“She didn’t even know about the test.”

His mother laughed coldly.

“Then how convenient.”

Her eyes burned with anger.

“You suddenly appear with a child and expect us to accept that woman into this family?”

David didn’t answer.

Instead, he said something even more shocking.

“I will marry her.”

The words exploded in the room.

His mother’s eyes widened.

“You what?!”

His father’s gaze sharpened slightly.

“I will marry Mannie,” David repeated calmly.

His mother looked like she had just been struck.

“Absolutely not!”

Her voice trembled with fury.

“That woman is clearly trying to trap you!”

“She isn’t.”

“How would you know?!”

David met her gaze.

“Because she refused me.”

Silence fell again.

His mother blinked.

“…What?”

David’s voice remained steady.

“She doesn’t want anything from this family.”

His mother stared at him.

Then she laughed bitterly.

“Oh, she’s clever.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“She pretends not to want anything so you chase her harder.”

David’s patience thinned.

“You’re wrong.”

His father finally raised a hand.

“Enough.”

The room quieted immediately.

His father tapped the report lightly against the table.

“So,” he said slowly. “The child is real.”

David nodded.

“Yes.”

His father leaned back.

His expression was unreadable.

“Then the situation cannot be ignored.”

His mother spun toward him.

“You can’t be serious!”

His father glanced at her calmly.

“What would you suggest?”

“Throw money at her and make her disappear!” she snapped.

David’s eyes darkened instantly.

“That won’t happen.”

His father lifted his hand again.

“Calm down.”

His voice remained level.

“We are not making decisions in anger.”

He turned to David.

“You said she refused you?”

“Yes.”

His father studied him for a long moment.

Then he nodded slowly.

“Interesting.”

His mother scoffed.

“What’s interesting about a gold digger pretending to be pure?”

His father ignored the comment.

Instead, he said something thoughtful.

“We need more information.”

David frowned slightly.

“About what?”

“About Mannie.”

His father’s voice remained calm.

“We should investigate her background first.”

David hesitated.

But he didn’t argue.

“Fine.”

His father nodded.

“I’ll have someone look into it.”

----

Two days later.

The Monroe family study was quiet.

David’s father sat behind the large desk.

A thick folder lay in front of him.

His wife stood beside the desk.

Her arms were crossed tightly.

“So?” she demanded. “What did they find?”

His father opened the folder slowly.

His eyes scanned the report.

Then his brows furrowed slightly.

“Hmm.”

His wife leaned closer.

“Well?”

He flipped another page.

Then another.

His expression turned more puzzled.

“This is… unexpected.”

“What is it?”

He slid the file across the desk.

“See for yourself.”

She grabbed the file.

Her eyes moved quickly across the page.

“Mannie Twain,” she read aloud.

Her lips curled slightly.

“Age… occupation… ordinary office worker…”

Her brows lifted slightly.

“That’s it?”

She flipped the page.

“Family background…”

She paused.

Her lips twisted.

“Poor?”

She looked up sharply.

“Her parents are unemployed?”

Her husband nodded.

“That’s what it says.”

She scoffed.

“Even worse.”

She flipped another page.

“Her brother… small businessman…”

Her expression turned smug.

“So she’s from a completely ordinary family.”

Her husband didn’t respond.

Instead, he watched her reaction carefully.

She continued reading.

Then suddenly—

She froze.

Her eyes widened.

Her fingers tightened around the file.

“What…”

Her voice dropped.

“What is this?”

Her husband leaned forward slightly.

“What?”

She slowly turned the page toward him.

Her finger pointed to a line in the report.

“She has eight children.”

The room went silent.

His father blinked.

Once.

Then he grabbed the file.

His eyes scanned the page again.

And again.

“…Eight?”

His wife laughed sharply.

“This must be a mistake!”

But the report was clear.

Eight names.

Eight birth records.

Eight children.

His father leaned back slowly.

A look of disbelief crossed his face.

“Eight children…”

He murmured.

“That’s impossible.”

His wife slammed the file shut.

“That woman is insane!”

Her face flushed with anger.

“She already has eight children and still dares to approach our son?!”

His father’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Something isn’t right.”

His wife snorted.

“Oh, everything is very clear.”

“She trapped David.”

“But—”

His father lifted a finger.

“Look at the timeline.”

She frowned.

“What timeline?”

He opened the file again.

His finger pointed to the children’s birth dates.

“All eight were born on the same day.”

His wife stared.

“…What?”

He leaned closer.

“Octuplets.”

Silence filled the room again.

His wife slowly sat down.

Her face looked stunned.

“Eight… at once?”

“Yes.”

She rubbed her temples.

“This is ridiculous.”

But her husband’s mind was already working.

His eyes moved slowly across the report.

Then he said quietly,

“We need confirmation.”

His wife looked up.

“Confirmation?”

“Yes.”

His voice hardened slightly.

“If David’s child is among those eight…”

His gaze sharpened.

“Then we must know which one.”

His wife blinked.

“…You mean—”

He nodded.

“We test them all.”

Her eyes widened.

“All eight?”

“Yes.”

He reached for the phone on the desk.

“Arrange it,” he said coldly.

“I want hair samples from every child.”

His wife stared at him.

Then slowly…

A cold smile spread across her lips.

“Good.”

Her fingers tapped lightly against the desk.

“Let’s see how long that woman’s lies last.”