Chapter 6 Father And Son

• “My child and I are managing well now, thank you. I also wish you and Ms. Schumer a lifetime of happiness. Mr. Xenakis, I implore you, show some compassion when you can.” Jovienne's voice rang out clear and icy as she briskly shrugged off Hendrik's grip on her wrist.
• She faced forward resolutely, her expression one of detachment, as if the past shared between them had been nothing more than a brief, inconsequential encounter.
• Indeed, a man of his nature is better matched with someone as ruthless as Rochelle. It would be fitting if they only manage to wound each other, thereby sparing everyone else from their toxicity.
• The mention of her child caused Hendrik's face to pale suddenly, memories of her departure, pregnant with his child, flooding back. The way the child had looked at him—those eyes bore an uncanny resemblance to his own.
• Could it be...
• His thoughts raced as he stared intently at Jovienne, demanding, “Speak! Who is the child's father?”
• “This is none of your business!” Jovienne retorted, taking a cautious step back. The fear that he might discover the truth and take the child from her was palpable. She knew all too well the depths of his capacity for cruelty.
• As she tried to move away, Hendrik's irritation flared, and he grabbed her wrist again, tightening his hold. “Answer my question!” he insisted, his voice steely.
• “This is my personal matter, and I owe you no explanations!” Jovienne snapped back defiantly.
• “Is that so?” Hendrik's laugh was cold and mocking. “Jovienne, legally we are still married. Have you had a child with another man?”
• The irony of him, a man who flouted laws and moral codes, using legalities as a weapon against her, was not lost on Jovienne. It was absurd, almost laughable!
• “I don't see that we have much to discuss,” she responded frostily. “The child is mine, and if you desire a child, perhaps you should ask Rochelle to bear one for you.”
• Her tone was dismissive as if she were discussing someone else's past, not her own.
• “I'll ask again, is that child mine?” Hendrik persisted, his voice laden with a resolve that did not waver, despite her cold demeanor.
• Jovienne's lips pursed tighter, a protective instinct to shield her child's true heritage surging within her.
• “So you're not saying, huh?” Hendrik's voice was tinged with a barely controlled anger, his handsome features hardening. “Did you think I wouldn't find out?”
• Despite her attempts to hide it, he was confident that with his resources, uncovering the truth would take mere minutes.
• Jovienne couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, yet she remained stubbornly silent, refusing to speak.
• A tense silence fell between them, palpable and heavy.
• Then suddenly, Hendrik issued a stark command, “Take her back!”
• “What are you doing?” Jovienne exclaimed in alarm, her voice sharp with panic. “You can't imprison me! That's illegal!”
• “So you really think you're in the right, do you?” he retorted disdainfully.
• “Back then, you couldn't wait to get rid of me, so why should I stay now? I'm not some pet of yours, to come and go at your whim!”
• “Take her away!” Hendrik concluded, unwilling to prolong the argument. He left her with nothing but a cold, almost cruel glance before turning to walk away.
• If she wouldn't speak willingly, he was prepared to find other ways to make her talk.
• In the opulent suite of Lumonburg's grandest hotel, the little boy who had been separated from his mother earlier was now standing frustratedly on the couch, trying to trigger the smoke alarm on the ceiling, hoping it would activate the emergency safety door.
• Despite his best efforts, his small stature was a clear disadvantage—he was, after all, only five years old.
• “Who would have thought that the esteemed Mr. Xenakis could stoop so low!” he muttered under his breath, indignant.
• “Talking behind someone's back isn't the behavior of a real man!” A cold voice commented from behind him.
• Hendrik strode in, his expression as frosty as ever, which caused the boy to jump off the couch in alarm.
• “Hendrik! Why must you involve a woman in our dispute?”
• “Our dispute?” Hendrik was momentarily taken aback, genuinely puzzled. What possible quarrel could he have with a child? Although known for his cold heart, Hendrik had not yet stooped to harming children.
• The boy noted the confusion on Hendrik's face; it didn't seem feigned.
• Could it be that he's unaware that I'm the one who had attacked his database, and he's actually here for Mommy? If that's the case...
• “Where's my mommy? Where did you take her!” he demanded, his young voice carrying an unexpected edge of authority.
• Hendrik's interest was piqued by the boy's demeanor—so full of life and vigor, nothing like the cunning child he had expected Jovienne to raise. Instead, here was a brave and principled young soul.
• How interesting...
• “That irresponsible woman, I've tossed her into the sea to feed the sharks,” Hendrik teased with a sardonic grin, curious to see how the boy would react.
• “How could you!” The child's fists clenched, his stance defensive and eyes blazing with an intensity far beyond his years.
• Hendrik couldn't help but laugh, yet as he observed the boy, his affection grew. Despite his initial resentment toward Jovienne, the boy had clearly inherited some commendable qualities.
• If this boy truly was his own flesh and blood, indeed, he had significant potential to carry on the family legacy.
• Stepping forward, he crouched to be at eye level with the child, his presence imposing.
• “What are you doing?” Leonard exclaimed, instinctively sensing danger and backing away.
• Hendrik straightened, smoothing his suit. “Tell me, what are you offering in exchange for your mother?”
• The boy was caught off guard by the question.
• Is Hendrik really offering to negotiate? If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is...
• Leonard didn't dare to let his guard down for even a moment.
• “If you don't have anything in return...” Hendrik began.
• “I can help you fix the database,” Leonard blurted out in desperation, hoping to negotiate his mother's release.
• “What did you say?” Hendrik's demeanor shifted dramatically, his interest now sharply piqued—this was no ordinary child.
• How did he come to know about the database?
• “While I was in your room earlier, I happened to see the documents on your table,” Leonard improvised, pointing at a stack of papers to bolster his claim.
• Hendrik's eyes narrowed, skeptical yet intrigued. Indeed, he had someone fetch the documents for him. But the boy was just a five-year-old kid. Could he really understand those heavily descriptive files?
• “Did you understand what you saw?” Hendrik questioned.
• “By the time I was two, I was reading on my own. At three, I had mastered four foreign languages. By four, I started programming. And by five...” the boy continued, earnestly counting off his fingers, showcasing his prodigious intellect in an attempt to prove his capabilities.
• One couldn't help but believe him.
• Hendrik's expression softened slightly, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. This child might indeed be his, bearing not only a physical resemblance but also a sharp intellect.
• Like father, like son.
• But first, Hendrik needed to uncover why Jovienne had left so abruptly years ago and ensure the boy wasn't picking up any of her less desirable traits.
• Despite everything, the education the young one had received was evidently first-rate.