Chapter 490
Chapter 490
Louis was ticked off by my blunt words, but it was evident there was a newfound wariness in his eyes.
“Irene, are you really that dense? Have you forgotten how Neil used to treat you?”
He was trying to stoke my hatred for Neil, to reel me into his scheme against him.
But what I couldn’t comprehend was why he believed I’d agree. All I wanted was to steer clear of Neil.
Why on earth would I want to get into the mess?
“What happened in the past is in the past. I don’t want to waste time dwelling on it. You’ve got the
wrong person, Louis.” I replied, maintaining my firm stance.
“Yes, the past is the past. But the pain Neil caused you isn’t. Scars always remain,” Louis persisted.
“You and Neil don’t share any children, just a bitter past. We should be the perfect team!”
Perfect team, my foot. This guy was clearly off his rocker.
I remained silent, and Louis’s tone grew increasingly desperate.
“Do you really think I’m the only one out to get Neil? Even if you hold onto your old feelings and refuse
to act against him, there will always be others who want to bring him down. You’ll find out soon enough,
just you wait.”
Were there other people trying to get at Neil?
I was puzzled. What did Louis mean by “bring him down”? Would Neil’s life be in danger?
Before I got a chance to clarify, Louis hung up.
When I tried calling back, his phone was switched off.
I was confident my threat held enough weight to make Louis think twice before messing with me.
“Ms. Finch, can we meet up for a chat? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
That afternoon, I received an unexpected call from Karina.
I checked the time; it was five o’clock. In a little while, after dinner, I could take the kids out for a walk.
Besides, I had no desire to ‘discuss’ anything with Karina, let alone meet her in person.
Did Neil and Ryan spill the beans about everything after they left my place a few days ago?
If that were the case, it would make sense for Karina to seek me out. But if that was indeed the
situation, I’d rather avoid her, fearing she might do something reckless.
“Sorry, now’s not a good time,” I declined flatly.
“Don’t you want to discuss your children with me?” Karina’s voice turned icy. “If Neil finds out they’re
his, he’ll stop at nothing to take them from you. What will you have left then?”
My heart skipped a beat at her words.
How could Karina be so sure Serena and Brandon were Neil’s children?
For a moment, I was thrown into confusion. This was something the Whitmore family would want to do,
but why was Karina the one reaching out to me?
“Where are you?” I finally found my voice after a while.
“Just around the corner from your place. Head right when you come out. I’m under the tree there.”
Karina hung up after her instructions.
I asked Norah to look after the kids before quickly heading out.
Karina was waiting not too far away, dressed in a white tank top and light blue denim shorts. Her figure
was striking, a complete departure from her usual style.
Seeing me, she gestured towards a car parked nearby. “Get in. Let’s find a cooler place to talk. Your
kids are taken care of, right?” I nodded.
With Norah and a few other nannies at home, I was assured.
Karina drove to a nearby mall and chose a secluded cafe. We ordered some coffee and sat down
facing each other, lost in our own thoughts for a while.
She kept sipping her coffee, the agitation in her eyes hard to miss. My emotions mirrored hers, but I
kept a poker face.
“Karina, spit it out. How did you find out?” I broke the silence with a calm tone.
“Of course, I did another paternity test. The one Russel had done was fake, wasn’t it?” Karina chuckled
coldly. “He truly loved you, didn’t he? Not only did he happily play daddy, he even went to great lengths
to cover up your lies. All to help Neil raise his own children, huh?”
Her words were dripping with sarcasm.
I fixed my gaze on her, devoid of any emotion. “Whatever happens between Russel and me is none of
your business. If you think a paternity test is enough to threaten me, then you’re gravely mistaken.”
Karina’s eyes widened in surprise. “Threaten you? What do you think I want to threaten you with? If
you want to keep your children, keep your distance from Neil. Your parents aren’t in Eldoria anymore.
You can move away and live with them. That way, I’ll be spared from seeing you, and I won’t reveal
your secret to anyone.”
“And if you do reveal this secret, who do you think should be more afraid, you or me?” I retorted.
“What do you mean?” Karina’s eyes grew colder. “Are you not afraid the Whitmore family will take your
children away? Given their resources, they’re more than capable.”
I smiled faintly. “Even if they take my kids away, they can’t change the fact that I’m their mother.
Besides, as you know, Ryan and Faith really like me. They won’t stop me from seeing my children. On
the other hand, once the Whitmore family has Serena and Brandon, you and Hiram won’t be their
favorites anymore. Especially you, you should know that better than anyone, right?”
My words hit a nerve. Karina’s greatest leverage in the Whitmore family was Hiram, the grandson they
so desperately wanted.
With Serena and Brandon in the picture, it would certainly shift the dynamics.
If the Whitmore family could snatch my children, couldn’t they do the same with hers? Of course, they
could. However, Hiram was old enough to protect his mother, and Ryan and, Faith wouldn’t be able to
justify their actions.
Karina’s eyes flashed a cold light. “Irene, it’s all your wishful thinking.”
“Is it my wishful thinking or is it the harsh reality? Give it a shot, Karina. If I were to announce right now
that I’m getting back together with Neil, and claim that the children. are Neil’s, do you think you’d still
have a place in this equation?” I kept my tone steady and calm, betting on the fact that Karina was
more afraid than I was.
Her eyes had taken on a frantic, desperate edge, glaring at me as if she wanted to devour me whole.
I knew I had won the bet. How could Karina bear to lose her place in the prestigious Whitmore family?
Her mother, Gloria, had already travelled overseas and wouldn’t be back anytime soon. Gloria would
have to explain all this mess to her current husband. Karina’s biological father, Ethan Foster, was
already behind bars, just like Bonnie.
“Do you get it now? You can’t tell Neil about this. Not only that, but you’ll have to find a way to prove my
children aren’t Neil’s if anyone starts to suspect. Otherwise, it’s your position with Hiram at stake, not
mine.” I had said everything that needed to be said. I picked up my bag, stood up, and looked down at
Karina. “You’re a smart woman, Karina. You should know what to do.”
