Chapter 4 He Won’t Admit It

• Emmeline showed up an hour late to the kindergarten.
• “Ms. Louise,” the kindergarten teacher said apologetically. “We just got a visit from the Ryker family and they said that they would shut the kindergarten down unless your son stays. The principal thought that it’d be best to send Moon home first.”
• Upon realizing that the Rykers would go to such extremes for a child, Emmeline's brow furrowed in surprise. It was likely Alana’s doing, given her abundance of idle time.
• “What the.” Emmeline smiled. “I don’t see the point of sending them to school if they hate it, so I’ll be keeping them at home for a few days.”
• “I agree,” the teacher commented. “Your children are really smart, Ms. Louise. I hate to admit it, but we often have to look up the answers to their questions online.”
• “Thank you for your hard work thus far,” Emmeline hastily thanked.
• “You should go back and look after your children then.” The teacher took a glance at the time. “They should be home by now.”
• After bidding farewell, Emmeline drove back to Nightfall Cafe in the old Phaeton car. Once she had reached the cafe, she found Endymion getting occupied by the computer in the study room.
• “Hey, Moon.” Emmeline ruffled his hair. “You hungry yet?”
• “Nope,” Endymion replied as his eyes were fixated on the red dot on the screen. “Is Star still with great-grandfather?”
• “Yeah, he’ll be there playing for a while.”
• “Sun is heading that way too.”
• “He’s with Abel right now and they’re going to see his grandfather at the hospital.”
• “How did it go with daddy?”
• “Well,” Emmeline replied with a sigh. “He isn’t admitting to it.”
• “Hmph!” Moon puffed up his cheeks. “What a jerk!”
• “Pfft!” Emmeline chuckled. “He looks fine to me; he's not a complete jerk.”
• “Then why didn’t he admit that he’s our father? We’re four years old now!”
• “I mean there’s no proof yet.” Emmeline scratched her head and mumbled, “Even mommy is getting a little confused…”
• Suddenly, they heard the door below being kicked open and a lady shouting, “Emmeline Louise, get down here now!”
• It was Emmeline’s stepmom, Alondra Lane.
• “Stay here.” Emmeline patted her son’s head and said, “Mommy’s going to check what’s going on.”
• “Okay.” Endymion nodded his head back. “Call me if something goes wrong.”
• “Yes, sir!” Emmeline joked before rushing down the stairs. With each passing day, her kid grew more endearing—and, as she reflected on it, more like Abel!
• “Are you out of your mind, Emmeline?” Alondra shouted toward the stairwell, “How dare you offend the Ryker family! They would’ve destroyed our only business! If it weren’t for Alana, the entire family would’ve bankrupted!”
• Alana? Emmeline looked to the side and noticed that Alana had come along too. She was standing elegantly at the front door in a white dress. Many would-be customers decided against entering the cafe because of Alana’s intimidating presence. Emmeline held onto the railing and jumped down the remaining few steps.
• “My dear cousin,” Alana sneered, “You’re already a mother yet you’re still running wild like a child?”
• “Why won’t you shut up for once then?” Emmeline immediately grabbed a hold of Alana’s jaw and growled, “Go stand by the side like a mannequin, will you?”
• Alondra swatted Emmeline’s hand away and scolded, “Don’t be ridiculous to my niece. She’s about to be married into the prestigious Ryker family!”
• “Oh my, congratulations!” Emmeline sarcastically remarked.
• Alana held her head high and proudly responded, “Are you just jealous of me since no one wants you and your illegitimate children?”
• “I’m giving you 2 minutes to get out of my place now, or I’ll make you sorry for it!”
• “Stop it now!” Alondra yelled, “Did you know your father collapsed after hearing that the Ryker family planned to ruin our business and it was Alana that convinced them to do otherwise? Are you really going to argue with her?”
• Emmeline calmed down after Alondra mentioned her father. In the end, they were blood-related and she felt heartbroken after hearing the news of her father.
• “Apologize to Alana now!” Alondra scolded, “I can’t believe you’re not even sending your kids to kindergarten!”
• “I knew it was your doing!” Emmeline immediately marched forward upon hearing that and was about to slap Alana before her wrist was caught by someone. She turned around to see that it was her brother, Ethan.
• “Emma, stop making things worse! Even I, your brother, am about to lose my job!”
• “What happened?” Emmeline withdrew her hand after noticing her brother’s pale face.
• “I got a call from Louise Corporation and they’re going to terminate me because of the fuss you caused to the Ryker family! What are we going to do now?”
• “Yes, Emma, please stop!” Suddenly, Emmeline’s sister-in-law, Grace Cooper, burst in, sobbing. “I was about to do a headline interview on the Ryker family, but because of you, the studio got their call and canceled the interview! I can’t afford to lose any more interviews!”
• “Hahaha!” Alana laughed. “Emmeline, you’re quite the jinx! You’re ruining the lives of everyone in your family!”
• “Sis?”
• “Emma?”
• “Apologize to Alana now!”
• “Hmph, what does she want as an apology?” Emmeline hummed.
• “Never, ever, show your face in front of the Ryker family again!” Alana warned while glaring at Emmeline. Oh, how she wished she could punch Emmeline in the face, but in reality, she was too weak to get close to this woman! Emmeline's strength was so incredible that she could easily take on two or three guys.
• “I’ll swear on behalf of my sister!” Ethan hurriedly responded, “The Ryker family is a respectable family that we dare not associate ourselves with!”
• “It’s not enough,” Alana said, “Emmeline scolded me too. I’d like to remind you that I’ll soon be a part of the Ryker family. If the Ryker family caught news of this, I can’t promise that I’ll always side with you for the sake of my aunt!”
• “That’s right!” Alondra glanced arrogantly at the siblings. “My niece has tolerated quite enough!”
• “Yes, we get it!” Ethan nodded his head. “I’ll apologize on behalf of my sister. We’re sor-”
• “Shut up!” Emmeline pulled Ethan aside and splashed a cup of cold coffee onto Alana’s face. “Stop making a fuss. Get out of here or I’ll make you regret it!”
• “Emma!” Ethan shouted, “Louise Corporation is really going to fire me if you do that!”
• “Emma! Do you really want me to lose my job?” Emma exclaimed.
• “Go and beg Alana for help!”
• “Apologize to Alana!”
• “Ugh, this is annoying!” Emmeline dropped her head down. Alana proudly lifted her head up, awaiting for Emmeline’s apology, but instead, Emmeline turned around to make a call.
• “Yes, ma’am?”
• “Send a big order to my brother; the type of order with a commission of more than half a million dollars. Then, arrange an interview between Grace and a famous figure in Struyria!”
• “Yes, ma’am!”
• After Emmeline hung up the phone, she returned to the cafe just as Ethan and Grace were apologizing to Alana. As Alana dared not go too far with Emmeline’s patience, she arrogantly stomped out of the cafe with Alondra. Soon, Ethan and Grace’s phones rang. They picked it up and left the scene with their faces brimming in joy again. Emmeline finally returned upstairs, remembering that she had to cook for her child. However, there was no sign of Moon in the study room, besides a note on the table, which Emmeline picked up to read.
• “The Sun and the Star have gathered, except the Moon. I’m going too. I’ll see you soon, mommy.”
• “Damn it!” Emmeline crumbled up the note. All three of her sons were now headed toward Abel!