London, England.
Straight did he head for the headquarters of Complex, when Emmett got off the plane.
There is a time difference between London and City N, the former of which is eight hours ahead. It was
just coming to an end of the day for the company, when employees were slowly leaving in droves.
The assistant in the secretary office replied his enquiries about William, suggesting that there would be
half an hour before the adjournment of meeting.
Emmett nodded and came to William's office, waiting for him.
Half an hour later, William appeared in the office, followed by several senior executives, reporting their
work.
Having Emmett in sight, William said something to the executives, who thus nodded and left.
William walked over to him, “What's the sudden arrival for?”
Hereupon, Emmett rose himself and stood up face-to-face with William, lips tucked, permeated silence
for a while.
William frowned at his odd expression, “Is there something wrong with Stella?”
Emmett shook his head, handed him the kraft bag on the tea table, and spoke tardily, “You asked me
before to check the origin of Channing Radomil. The previous findings suggesting that his birth record
was one and a half years after Stella’s mom had been separated from you, and the paternity test with
you, have both manifested that there is no blood relationship between you two.”
William checked the files handed over with his head down, composure worn on his face. “Why are you
bringing this up abruptly?”
Emmett replied, “Because I have recently found out... the paternity test could have been a fake. In
regard of the birth record, I also double-checked it with the doctor who delivered him, that the
confirmed date of birth was seven months after Stella’s mother had parted with you. That is to say...”
“Channing, is your own flesh and blood.”
William raised up his head all of a sudden, his gaze fastened on him, and elevated himself in a
rocketing way. Unconsciously did he turn up the voice, “What did you say?”
Taking a breath, Emmett continued, “I’ve asked the doctor. She said Chen was born full term, which
means Stella’s mother was already pregnant with him before the separation from you. The birth record
was mistaken insomuch as there had been a fire accident in the archives of the clinic, while the burned
all became refilled. Maybe it was either the memory of staff that served poorly with a wrong time, or a
deliberate action by Channing...”
“Someone has purportedly claimed for his roaming in the vicinity of the clinic during the time when it
was on fire. Either in relieving the accident of that day, or in the subsequent reconstruction, he was
actively involved. So he had a great chance to do this when the records were being back tracked.”
William clenched the file bag in his hand, swiftly ripped the string off and then drew out the paternity
test.
It said, 99% matched.
William casted the sight on Emmett again, his facial muscle tensed, with chilly ruthlessness looming
over in his eyes. In a grave tone did he say, “Give me a reason.”
The reason for that erroneous paternity test was in need.
Emmett said, “Excuse me... I was being cursory. I should have been paying more careful attention with
more rounds of tests.”
William assumed a poker face and stared at him without a single word. His eyes, however, were
compellingly forceful.
To Emmett, the impression of an uncle with ever-lasting tenderness and a smile on his face, had long
since vanished.
He also had lucid knowledge of how, over the years, his uncle William had crept out from the abyss,
and how much he had paid for vengeance.
Without the huge funding chain replenished by William, Star Ferry Technology could not have been
founded.
Neither he nor Daniel dared encounter him without a certain amount of awe and fear on many
occasions.
William was seated again and his voice turned cold, “I understand you should know better than to
provide me with that hasty result. Emmett, I'll give you one more chance to tell me the reason.”
Before he was to utter something, William continued, “Don't push me to do it myself.”
The last added sentence is a warning and on the meanwhile a sort of menace.
There was a bit of stiffness in Emmett’s voice, “No matter what it was, I shall bear all the liability for the
case.”
William watched him in silence.
The ticking sound of the clock enveloped the silent and stifling office.
A long while had passed, that William raised his hand and kneaded his eyebrows with an exhaustive
looking, and said, “Do they know about this?”
Emmett nodded, “Yes.”
The office was sealed off by silence again, after the interchange of info.
He spoke, “I am willing to bear all the consequences and responsibilities for this matter. Please, don't
look any further into it.”
...
The next morning when Stella woke up, she saw there, on her cellphone, was a missed call made at 3
am.
It was William.
And it was dialed up for only two seconds before being hung up.
Even in the case that she did not pick up this call, Stella could still genuinely sense the helplessness
and incapability of William at the other end of the phone.
Conrad, catching her in sight of being in a daze with her cellphone, thus asked, “What happened?”
She paused the reverie and replied, “It was the call from my dad.”
“Why don't you call him back?”
“It's midnight there. I’d better wait till noon ...”
The man said, “You really think that he can fall asleep now?”
Stella was silent.
It was palpable to Conrad that she did not dare to make the call rather than being reluctant to.
She was having misgivings about how she would inform William of Channing’s attitude.
Once the call was made, there would be no evasion of the topic.
Therefore, she was hesitating.
“If you have no idea about the way of telling him, I will be of full assistance,” said Conrad.
Stella held his hand and shook her head, “I'll do it.”
The man kissed her on the middle forehead, “I am taking some breakfast home. Anything you like?”
“Donuts and almond milk.”
“Okay.”
It was not until Conrad put on his clothes and left, did she sit on the edge of bed, with a grip on her
cellphone, take a few deep breaths, and then make the phone call.
The other side was connected before it could ring for more than twice.
Neither released even a word for short while.
After a few seconds of silence, Stella spoke, “You have known it ...”
“Emmett told me about everything,” William said.
He went on after a pause, “Does he ... know anything about this?”
Stella answered, “I’ve told Chan about it.”
William was not assured of Channing’s attitude, before this phone call was made, yet was growing
more certain of his foreboding through the sense of her stammering manner.
If things had really gone well, she would not have given such a response.
So long a while has passed before William lightly suspired, his voice saturated with tiredness. “If I had
had any knowledge of your mother’s pregnancy, I could have done something.”
Perchance all the occurrences dating back to twenty years ago would not have been engendered
either.
“This was not your fault,” Stella said. “No one would have expected this result.”
“At first I wanted to come back and see him,” Willem said, “but I've been contemplating on it all night,
so that I'd better wait until he becomes less resistant.”
“Dad, don't worry. I'll try to make a breakthrough with Chan.”
“It's all right. He ought to be given some time of adaptation. Wait till I get back.”
Stella replied, “Yeah, the die is cast. Just don't be too sad. Chan will gradually grow to accept it.”
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