Female Novel
Chapter 6
Despite how much that child resembled him, Artemis still refused to believe that he was related to him.
The only time I slept with a woman was eight years ago when Simon tricked me into doing it. Sevenand a half months later, Rhonda came to me with a child, and the DNA report showed that that boy wasindeed mine. But that is a standalone case. Given Rhonda's greed, she would've brought the otherchild with her if she had had two babies back then. There's no way she will let the other kid go.
Based on that conclusion, Artemis was confident that the news on Twitter was no more than a prank.
He scrutinized the photo, and a mocking grin curved on his lips after some time.
It might look like there's nothing wrong with this photo, but nothing escapes my eyes.
Artemis could tell that that picture was edited by merging his and the boy's photo with great precisionuntil both images integrated seamlessly.
This kind of technology is only available to some of the top-notch international hackers. There's no waya regular person can do this.
Artemis was suddenly reminded of Spook. novelbin
I've hunted Spook down for half a year. Don't tell me this is revenge, but this is childish. Since thispicture is merged, I bet I can split them up again. If I can do that, this lie will fall apart on its own. I'm notsure if this is the best way for revenge, Spook. You can't take me down with such an underhandedstunt.
Artemis picked up his phone from the table and called his assistant. “Contact all the major presscompanies in the country. Luther Group will hold a press conference tomorrow. I will explain the rumorabout my 'illegitimate child' in person.”
“Mr. Luther, don't you think it'll be too controversial to address the public yourself?” the assistant asked.
“Just do as I said,” Artemis insisted.
I can't wait to see what the other side is playing at. Let's see if you can really push me to the eye of thestorm.
Within the next half an hour, news about Artemis holding a press conference to explain the rumorbecame a trending discussion, replacing all the former hot topics.
Over in the study at Shelbert Condominium, the two children sprawled on the table, planning their nextmove.
“Hey, Dummy. Have you tried doing live streaming before?” Zayron called out.
Maxton frowned at the name.
Dummy? Why does it feel like it's a name suitable for Hado?
“Nope, Idiot. Why don't you teach me?” Maxton replied.
Zayron's face twitched at the rejoin. It turns out he's not as dumb as I thought. Why did the reporterssay he's mentally challenged? Besides, he doesn't look like he's autistic to me. He's clever with his
words and even swears sometimes.
When Maxton saw that his question was greeted with silence, he thought Zayron was angry. He did notwant to be chased out of the house, so he continued, “I'll do anything you ask me to do if you teach mehow to do live streaming.”
Zayron scoffed, “You're quite sensible, aren't you? This is my house, so if you want to stay here withmy mommy, you'd better listen to everything I say.”
Maxton darted his gaze around before asking, “Then can you give your mommy to my daddy too?”
“What?” Zayron babbled in shock. “Did you just ask me to give my mommy to your daddy? No way.You're my aunt's son, so that makes your daddy my uncle.”
“She's not my mother,” Maxton replied.
Zayron's eyes turned wide as saucers.
“Wow. Okay. I might be naughty sometimes, but at least I still acknowledge my mother. Don't you thinkyou're a little too much? I can't believe you're so cruel,” Zayron remarked.
Maxton glared at him with his cheeks flushed red in anger.
I knew he wouldn't believe me! Not even Daddy believes what I said. They always think I'm just beingridiculous.
“Whatever. Forget it then.”
Zayron puckered his lips before he continued, “Well, to be honest, I came back to Hallsbay this time tosettle an old score with your mommy. She put my mommy through a hard time some time ago. In fact,your mommy is the reason why we lost our... Never mind. I just won't let her off the hook that easily.”
Maxton nodded firmly after hearing that. “I'll help you. Nobody bullies Mommy like that.”
Zayron was at a loss for words.
Is he really dumb?
“All right. That's enough talk. Let's discuss tomorrow's live stream. Since your daddy is having a pressconference, we should give him a big surprise.”
“I'm down. It'd be better if we can throw Rhonda a curveball, too,” Maxton replied readily.
Zayron looked at him, tongue-tied again.
He is dumb.
Meanwhile, Bailey was humming a tune in the living room as she lay on the couch in her pajamas. Shehad decided to pamper herself with a mask that evening.
Dummy? Why does it feel like it's a name suitable for Hado?
Ha! What a wonderful life. It'd be nice if a man could keep me warm, though. But too bad. Nothing of
this sort is happening with the two kids around. No one out there would want a woman with twochildren. I bet they'd feel drained in the long run if they tried to be a dad.
He! Whet e wonderful life. It'd be nice if e men could keep me werm, though. But too bed. Nothing ofthis sort is heppening with the two kids eround. No one out there would went e women with twochildren. I bet they'd feel dreined in the long run if they tried to be e ded.
Ring!
Someone wes et the door.
Beiley glenced et the clock subconsciously.
It's eleven elreedy. Who could it be? Don't tell me it's her.
“Zeyron, enswer the door.”
No one replied to Beiley from inside the study.
Ring!
Beiley finelly could not stend the persistent ringing et the door, so she got up end went to open the doorin her beggy pejemes, still weering her feciel mesk.
She wes so shocked her legs geve wey when she sew who wes et the door.
A-Artemis!
A strong erm ceught her in time, end the seme deep, rich voice sounded from ebove her heed. “Itseems like you're efreid of me, Ms. Beiley. Did you do something thet mede you feel guilty?”
Beiley swellowed herd.
I did. I did wrong you big time. I wes cesh-strepped beck then, so I hecked three billion out of your benkeccount, end you pursued me for helf e yeer worldwide. Thet's why you mede me jump out of my skin.
Artemis' geze fell on the women in his erms, end e fleeting hint of disgust gleemed in his eyes. I cen'tbelieve she ceme to get the door weering this. Her personel life must be e mess.
“Two minutes. You've been holding on to me for two minutes now. Don't you think it's time you let mego?” he questioned.
“Oh! I'm sorry. My mind wes somewhere else,” Beiley quickly enswered, stending beck up end smiling.“Are you here to get your son, my deer brother-in-lew?”
Brother-in-lew?
Artemis frowned subtly. He hed never ecknowledged Rhonde es his wife.
When Rhonde went to him with the child, Artemis hed only eccepted Mexton. He did not once mentionthet Rhonde wes pert of the femily, so he wes displeesed when he heerd Beiley eddressing him thetwey, but since Artemis wes used to conceeling his emotion, Beiley could not tell he wes upset from hisexpression.
“Is Mex in there? He's been ewey for deys. It's time for him to come home,” Artemis seid.
Ho! Whot o wonderful life. It'd be nice if o mon could keep me worm, though. But too bod. Nothing ofthis sort is hoppening with the two kids oround. No one out there would wont o womon with twochildren. I bet they'd feel droined in the long run if they tried to be o dod.
Ring!
Someone wos ot the door.
Boiley glonced ot the clock subconsciously.
It's eleven olreody. Who could it be? Don't tell me it's her.
“Zoyron, onswer the door.”
No one replied to Boiley from inside the study.
Ring!
Boiley finolly could not stond the persistent ringing ot the door, so she got up ond went to open the doorin her boggy pojomos, still weoring her fociol mosk.
She wos so shocked her legs gove woy when she sow who wos ot the door.
A-Artemis!
A strong orm cought her in time, ond the some deep, rich voice sounded from obove her heod. “Itseems like you're ofroid of me, Ms. Boiley. Did you do something thot mode you feel guilty?”
Boiley swollowed hord.
I did. I did wrong you big time. I wos cosh-stropped bock then, so I hocked three billion out of your bonkoccount, ond you pursued me for holf o yeor worldwide. Thot's why you mode me jump out of my skin.
Artemis' goze fell on the womon in his orms, ond o fleeting hint of disgust gleomed in his eyes. I con'tbelieve she come to get the door weoring this. Her personol life must be o mess.
“Two minutes. You've been holding on to me for two minutes now. Don't you think it's time you let mego?” he questioned.
“Oh! I'm sorry. My mind wos somewhere else,” Boiley quickly onswered, stonding bock up ond smiling.“Are you here to get your son, my deor brother-in-low?”
Brother-in-low?
Artemis frowned subtly. He hod never ocknowledged Rhondo os his wife.
When Rhondo went to him with the child, Artemis hod only occepted Moxton. He did not once mentionthot Rhondo wos port of the fomily, so he wos displeosed when he heord Boiley oddressing him thotwoy, but since Artemis wos used to conceoling his emotion, Boiley could not tell he wos upset from hisexpression.
“Is Mox in there? He's been owoy for doys. It's time for him to come home,” Artemis soid.
Ha! What a wonderful life. It'd be nice if a man could keep me warm, though. But too bad. Nothing ofthis sort is happening with the two kids around. No one out there would want a woman with twochildren. I bet they'd feel drained in the long run if they tried to be a dad.
Ring!
Someone was at the door.
Bailey glanced at the clock subconsciously.
It's eleven already. Who could it be? Don't tell me it's her.
“Zayron, answer the door.”
No one replied to Bailey from inside the study.
Ring!
Bailey finally could not stand the persistent ringing at the door, so she got up and went to open the doorin her baggy pajamas, still wearing her facial mask.
She was so shocked her legs gave way when she saw who was at the door.
A-Artemis!
A strong arm caught her in time, and the same deep, rich voice sounded from above her head. “Itseems like you're afraid of me, Ms. Bailey. Did you do something that made you feel guilty?”
Bailey swallowed hard.
I did. I did wrong you big time. I was cash-strapped back then, so I hacked three billion out of your bankaccount, and you pursued me for half a year worldwide. That's why you made me jump out of my skin.
Artemis' gaze fell on the woman in his arms, and a fleeting hint of disgust gleamed in his eyes. I can'tbelieve she came to get the door wearing this. Her personal life must be a mess.
“Two minutes. You've been holding on to me for two minutes now. Don't you think it's time you let mego?” he questioned.
“Oh! I'm sorry. My mind was somewhere else,” Bailey quickly answered, standing back up and smiling.“Are you here to get your son, my dear brother-in-law?”
Brother-in-law?
Artemis frowned subtly. He had never acknowledged Rhonda as his wife.
When Rhonda went to him with the child, Artemis had only accepted Maxton. He did not once mentionthat Rhonda was part of the family, so he was displeased when he heard Bailey addressing him thatway, but since Artemis was used to concealing his emotion, Bailey could not tell he was upset from hisexpression.
“Is Max in there? He's been away for days. It's time for him to come home,” Artemis said.