Chapter 21 Do I Really Look Like That Stupid Geezer?
“Mr. Hensley, whether you believe it or not, Arthur has nothing to do with Hugh.“, gaze dropping.
Jessica said, her
She recalled the night in the hotel, initially believing the man she met was Hugh, only to learn later that Rhea had orchestrated the encounter.
The man who took her first time was not Hugh, and she did not even know his identity.
The revelation had almost crushed her when she discovered it at the wedding, and to her disbelief, that one night had resulted in pregnancy.
She and Hugh had never been involved, so how could Arthur be his child?
Despite her explanation, Charles‘ penetrating gaze suggested he harbored doubts.
Jessica took a deep breath and confessed, “I’m not afraid of being judged. Truthfully, I don’t know who the father of my child is.” She firmly added, “But it’s definitely not Hugh.”
Charles was taken aback, finding it almost absurd that she, the mother, did not know the father of her child.
How could she be so uncertain?
His disbelief made the room’s atmosphere grow tense.
Just then, the voice of her son echoed from the bathroom, “Mommy, I forgot to bring my clothes. Can you help me?”
The request was a welcome interruption for Jessica. However, Charles stopped her, “Don’t move, I’ll help him.” He was mindful of her injured foot.
Despite Jessica’s reluctance to trouble him, Charles‘ demeanor left no room for objection, so she stayed put.
“Thank you, the clothes are in the wardrobe in the room,” she directed him to where she and her son slept.
Charles nodded and made his way to the room.
Upon entering, he first saw only women’s clothes in the wardrobe.
He then opened the bottom drawer where Arthur’s clothes were neatly folded. As he reached for a set, a familiar scent caught his attention.
He found a small, elegant bottle tucked away in the drawer. Driven by a sudden urge, he picked it up and brought it to his nose.
The scent triggered a flood of memories–the hotel room five years ago the dim lights. the
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Chapter 21 Do I Really Look Like That Stupid Geezer?
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This was the scent he had been searching for all these years, never once encountering it again until now.
Jessica, sensing something off. decided to check on Charles herself. When she found him holding her perfume bottle. lost in thought, she quickly explained. “This is the perfume my father made for me.”
Charles turned to her, his expression shifting as his voice grew hoarse. “Your father?”
“Yes. Jessica replied. a softness in her tone. ‘He loves creating perfumes. This was the first one he made just for me, and he named it ‘Cherish after me. It’s one of a kind”
She looked away, a trace of sadness in her eyes. It was also the last perfume he made for me.”
It held a special place in her heart as her father’s finall gift, and she cherished it deeply, seldom using it to preserve its memory.
Charles‘ face grew more complex as he listened, his gaze deepening with intrigue.
Holding the perfume bottle, he murmured. “Is it unique?
Realization dawned on him–no wonder he had never found this scent elsewhere. Could she be the woman from that night five years ago?
“Mr. Hensley, what’s wrong?” Jessica noticed his prolonged focus on the perfume and his distant expression.
Regaining his composure, Charles handed back the perfume and reassured her with forced calm, “It’s nothing. I’ll take the clothes to him now.”
As he passed by, Jessica sensed an unspoken change in his demeanor, something new and undefined.
In the bathroom, the little guy looked up in surprise as Charles entered with the clothes. Why
here?”
are you
Even though they had just declared a truce, this sudden closeness felt too forward, too soon for the boy.
Charles, however, did not respond immediately. He stared at the boy, reflecting on the teacher’s comment about their resemblance.
Instally, he had thought Arthur might be Hugh’s child because of a familiar air. However, as he looked into the boy’s face now, he could not help but see a reflection of himself.
Arthur’s discomfort grew under Charles‘ intense scrutiny, and in an attempt to deflect, he quipped with a mix of defiance and humor, “What are you looking at? Are you jealous that I’m bigger than you?”
Caught off guard. Charles broke from his reverie, tossed the clothes at him, and shot back with a
Chapter 21 Do I Really Look Like That Stupid Geezer?
Was this arrogant old man still looking down on him?
Charles‘ visit was cut short as he soon received a phone call.
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Before leaving, he advised Jessica to take a couple of days off to rest her foot and only return to work once she felt better. He cast one more lingering look at the boy before departing.
Downstairs, Charles handed a small bag containing two strands of hair to his assistant, Flint, and instructed in a serious tone, “Go and do a paternity test for me.”
Back inside the apartment, Jessica noticed the perfume bottle still sitting on the table, musing over Charles‘ peculiar interest in it.
Maybe it was the uniqueness of the scent her father had created, a fragrance so captivating that it left a lasting impression.
Her thoughts were interrupted as her son suddenly hugged her arm, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern, “Mommy, do I really look like that stupid geezer?”
