Chapter 496 I Will Solve It
Nathaniel’s brows furrowed, and he let out a soft cough, instinctively covering his nose with his hands.
“What’s wrong, Nathaniel?” Christina asked softly as she leaned closer to him.
“Someone put chili in my bowl,” Nathaniel replied in a voice so soft that only the both of them could hear. His brows remained knitted.
Nathaniel couldn’t take spicy food at all. If he consumed anything with spice, his throat would become hoarse the next day, and he would experience stomach discomfort for several days after.
Across from them, Anya’s tone dripped with sarcasm as she remarked, “Grandma went through the trouble of having pasta delivered all the way from Irushea because it’s her favorite. Are you saying that the food prepared in the Gibson residence isn’t to your liking?”
Christina couldn’t help but conclude that it was intentional on Anya’s part to instruct the staff to add chili to Nathaniel’s plate. There seemed to be no other explanation for why his pasta was spicy while everyone else was enjoying the same dish.
“Forget it. I’m fine,” Nathaniel told her. He didn’t want to cause a scene during dinner.
Christina’s expression turned dark as she grabbed Nathaniel’s plate of pasta.
While Nathaniel refrained from causing a scene, Christina believed it was her responsibility to address the issue on his behalf. After all, Azure had declared this place as her home, and it was only reasonable for Christina to bring up any problems that arose during dinner.
She took a bite of his pasta before summoning the butler. “Who told you to add chili to this pasta?”
“It was Ms. Gibson’s order,” the butler replied, seemingly hesitant.
Christina firmly set her utensils aside and ordered, “Take this plate of pasta to the person who instructed you to add chili and let them enjoy it themselves.” Her tone carried a resolute authority, leaving no room for argument.
The butler shot Anya a stumped look. “Well… I…”
Anya was caught off guard, not expecting Christina to confront her directly during dinner.
There was no way she’d eat a plate of pasta full of chili. Flashing an awkward smile, she piped up, “The kitchen staff must’ve heard wrongly. Butler, please get him a new plate of pasta.”
The butler quickly left with the spicy pasta.
Soon, a plate of non–spicy pasta was placed before Nathaniel. “Mr. Hadley, please enjoy your meal,” the butler said politely.
Azure was a witness to the entire debacle but didn’t speak up to stop them. As it was a minor matter, she pretended to not see anything, not wanting to appear biased toward anyone involved.
After dinner came to an end, Azure went upstairs with the kids while Christina and Nathaniel took a leisurely stroll in the backyard.
1/3
“I didn’t see your father during dinner. Where is he?” Nathaniel asked, showing his concern.
Christina’s gaze dimmed at the mention of her biological father. “He’s unwell, so he normally doesn’t come downstairs for meals.”
She was still uncertain about how to approach the task of informing Nathaniel and her father about the truth.
It was tough to be stuck in the middle.
Nevertheless, Christina snapped out of her reverie and dragged him back to the house. “It’s getting late, so we should leave.”
Over an hour had pa*sed since dinner concluded, and Christina wondered what had occupied the children’s attention to the extent that they hadn’t asked for their parents.
The couple returned to the house and told the butler to bring the kids downstairs.
Shortly after, Azure came down the stairs, but the children were nowhere to be seen.
“Grandma, where are Lucas and Camila?” Christina inquired as a sense of unease grew within her.
Azure replied indifferently, “They are asleep. Let them spend the night here.”
“No need. We’re taking them with us now.” Nathaniel suddenly spoke up firmly as his gaze turned dark.
Christina swiftly reached out and grasped his hand, urging him to remain composed and avoid creating a
scene.
In a firm tone, she a*serted, “Grandma, I’ll bring the kids to visit tomorrow. Let me take them home now.”
“Why go through all the trouble? Let them stay here so I can see them whenever I want,” Azure replied with a gentle tone. D
“What did you do to the children? Did you hide them somewhere?” Nathaniel frowned as his expression turned icy.
No wonder they’ve been distant and cold toward me since my arrival. I anticipated them making things difficult for me, but it seems their focus is on the children, not me.
Azure’s lips curled into a smirk. “Do you seriously think the grudge between both families will end if you offer us a collaboration and some gifts? How naïve of you.”
A heavy silence filled the air, freezing time in its tracks.
Feeling flustered, Christina stepped forward, her gaze filled with disbelief. “Grandma, that’s a matter between the adults. Why did you involve the kids?”
However, the elderly woman remained unfazed. “Don’t worry. I won’t hurt them, but if the Hadley family wants them back, that won’t be an easy feat.” D
She relished the thought of the panic and distress that would consume the Hadley family once they discovered the children were missing. It was precisely the reaction she had hoped to provoke. D
Nathaniel’s eyes were blocks of ice as he demanded angrily, “What do you want?”
They hid the kids to get something from me, right?
Azure threw a file at him, and it landed at his feet with a thud. “Invest one percent on day one, five on day two, thirty percent on day three, and fifty percent on day five,” she commanded. “Once you comply, I’ll return the children to you.”
percent
Christina picked up the file and realized it was a contract outlining Hadley Corporation’s investment in a new energy development project by Gibson Corporation. The investment amount was staggering, with fifty percent of it being equivalent to half of Hadley Corporation’s funds.
It was unclear whether the project had already commenced or if it was just a facade, with Gibson Corporation using it as a means to acquire funds from Hadley Corporation in a seemingly legitimate
manner.
“Grandma, how could you do this? How could you use my children to threaten the Hadley family?” Tears pooled up in Christina’s eyes. D
She felt a deep sense of injustice, not wanting her children to be caught in the crossfire of the ongoing feud between the two families.
Azure’s face turned grim as she instructed the butler to escort Christina upstairs. “Mr. Hadley, take the file with you and take your time to consider it at home. However, be aware that I have little patience, and I won’t wait for long. I expect to see the signed contract tomorrow, along with the initial investment amount transferred to my account. If you dare to deceive me in any way, rest a*sured that you won’t have the privilege of seeing your beloved children ever again.”
Nathaniel gripped the file tightly until it crumpled up. A thunderous scowl buried itself in his forehead, an ominous black thundercloud of temper settling over him.
The housekeepers quickly sidestepped him, as if he were not a person but a fearsome lion capable of tearing them apart if they did not move out of his path swiftly.
Nathaniel was breathless with anger. He had arrived with the intention of resolving their feud, only to be betrayed by Azure and have his children taken away from him.
How could he not be enraged?
Christina gave him a worried look. “Nathaniel, I–I didn’t know this would happen…” Her voice began trembling.
She anticipated that things wouldn’t go smoothly, but she never expected Azure to stoop to such a despicable tactic. The repercussions of a head–to–head confrontation between the two families would be
dire.
Holding Nathaniel’s hand tightly, she couldn’t stop her eyes from turning red as she fought back the urge
to cry.
Ultimately, Nathaniel’s heart softened when he saw the pitiful state his beloved woman was in. “Stay here and take care of the kids. I’ll solve the problem.”
