Emily’s fingertips hovered above the phone screen, unable to tap down.
The email from Sterling Research Institute starkly displayed: [DNA Test Results: Confird biological parent-child relationship between Evan Palr and Adam Willow, Alia Willow].
"Just as I thought..."
She sighed softly. This night was destined to be a sleepless one, with Emily tossing and turning, her sleep restless. Two thoughts continuously echoed in her mind.
Tell Mrs. Carter?
This thought made her stomach twist. Mrs. Carter had just experienced her mother’s betrayal and a company crisis, and now she had to face twenty years of her husband’s deception?
Keep it hidden for now?
But thinking of Mrs. Carter’s gentle gaze every ti she looked at Evan Palr, Emily felt terribly frustrated.
When dawn broke, Emily ca downstairs for breakfast with two large dark circles under her eyes.
"Mom! I made it into the top fifty for the monthly exam!"
Maria Carter, sitting at the dining table, said happily.
Mrs. Carter forced a smile, a pale green hue beneath her eyes, "Maria, that’s amazing." Her voice was as light as a feather.
When Emily walked into the dining room, "Sister-in-law!" Maria’s eyes lit up, and she exclaid, "You look terrible!"
Emily instinctively touched her face, "Didn’t sleep well last night." She avoided Mrs. Carter’s inquisitive gaze and sat at the end of the long table.
All that could be heard at the table was the faint clink of cutlery as the three of them each harbored their own worries.
Maria poked at her fried egg with a fork, sneaking glances at her mother’s sunken cheeks.
Mrs. Carter chanically chewed her toast, her gaze falling on the empty main seat opposite, where neither Evan Palr nor Carlos had returned ho.
Emily’s mind was still preoccupied with that DNA test report.
Until Maria went to school, and as Emily was about to check on Mrs. Carter’s health, a sudden ringtone interrupted her thoughts.
"Wait a little longer," Emily sighed inwardly, locking her phone and putting it back in her pocket. Wait until Maria finishes her college entrance exams, wait until Mrs. Carter’s health stabilizes...
"Buzz—"
The sudden vibration of the phone made her fingertips tremble, and the na "Faye Manor" on the screen made her pause.
"Hello? Faye Manor?"
"Sister-in-law! You need to co to the Capital Stadium quickly!"
Faye Manor’s urgent shout ca from the other end of the line, with the deafening roar of engines in the background,
"Brother Carter insists on racing himself, and we can’t stop him!"
Images of Carlos’s recent test driving accident flashed before Emily’s eyes, his pale face, the blood-stained bandages...
"Emily?" Mrs. Carter looked over with concern.
Emily suddenly stood up,
"Mom, there’s an ergency at the company, I need to go imdiately." Her voice was tense as she grabbed her coat and rushed out, not even noticing she had knocked over a coffee cup, with dark brown liquid dripping off the tablecloth’s edge.
Mrs. Carter pondered for a mont and then called the butler,
"Where did Emily just ask the driver to take her?"
The butler replied respectfully, "To the Capital Stadium."
"Take to the Capital Stadium."
Mrs. Carter felt uneasy and instructed the butler to prepare the car.
The car struggled through the morning rush hour traffic as Emily dialed Carlos’s phone for the tenth ti, and only the cold automated ssage greeted her.
She gripped her phone, her knuckles turning white.
"Drive faster!"
Emily urged the driver.
Outside the window, the LED screens between the tall buildings endlessly played race ads, "The International Auto Formula Competition debuts dostically..."
Images flashed showing Imperial Motors’ striking logo and their team, which claid to be "the best in the country."
Carter Automotive had never participated in such events; Carlos’s sudden desire to compete was likely due to the stir between Imperial Motors and Carter Automotive.
To prove Carter Automotive was better than Imperial Motors, there was only one way: to win against Imperial Motors on the race track.
Carlos was too impulsive; in just one night, Carter Automotive’s project team couldn’t improve their new car, much less defeat Imperial Motors.
"Young Madam, the road ahead is completely blocked."
The driver’s voice pulled her back to reality.
Due to the international racing event and it being the weekend, the area around the stadium was already packed, the constant honking seeming to mock the driver’s helplessness.
Emily directly pushed open the car door, "I’ll walk!"
Five months pregnant, her movents were a bit clumsy, but her steps were unusually determined.
Outside the stadium, crowds bustled about. Adam Willow frowned as he checked his watch, his casual attire making him quite noticeable among the crowd.
"Little Sophie, why did you drag to the stadium?"
He adjusted his gold-rimd glasses, his tone carrying a hint of impatience.
Sophie Parker, wearing a red tight-fitting dress today, ten-centiter stilettos forcing her to hold onto Adam Willow’s arm to stand steady.
"Brother Adam,"
She tilted up her ticulously made-up face, her voice oozing sweetness,
"You’ve always liked supercars, haven’t you? I heard that there are many limited edition supercars at this race."
Adam Willow glanced at the line of people queuing up, "Too crowded."
Sophie bit her lip painted bright red. Since Adam Willow took her advice and successfully acquired part of Imperial Motors’ shares, his attitude towards her had significantly improved, and their families had begun discussing engagent specifics.
To ensure Adam Willow couldn’t leave her and secure her position as the future wealthiest young lady, Sophie felt she should keep working hard.
She rembered dreaming that Adam Willow, by virtue of his illegitimate status, defeated Carlos to gain the Carter Clan’s inheritance.
Besides Evan Palr, there was another crucial benefactor.
This benefactor would appear at the Capital Stadium today. In the dream, Adam Willow and Emily went to watch the auto racing competition and t that benefactor.
This ti, it would be her and Brother Adam eting that benefactor.
"I do have so interest in racing, but I’ve been busy lately, and I heard that this race is very popular. The tickets sold out a month in advance; even if we ca, we might not get in."
Adam Willow looked at the audience already lined up to enter, shaking his head with a sigh.
Sophie pulled out a gold-embossed invitation from her diamond-studded handbag, waving it triumphantly.
"You forgot you’re now an Imperial Motors shareholder?"
She deliberately raised her voice, drawing envious glances from several nearby girls, "We’re VIPs."
Adam Willow’s eyes fell on the gilded "VIP" on the invitation, and a smile crossed his face.
A smug smile flashed across Sophie’s face, and just as she was about to step forward, Adam Willow’s peripheral vision caught a familiar figure.
Adam Willow stopped in his tracks.
Sophie followed his gaze, her expression imdiately changing.
Twenty ters away, Emily was struggling through the crowd, supporting her pregnant belly, her maternity dress wrinkled from the crowd, her hair damp with sweat clinging to her forehead.
She seed to be asking sothing from a staff mber who shook his head, his deanor one of cold rejection.
Sophie suddenly twisted her foot, letting out an "ouch" as she leaned against Adam Willow.
"Brother Adam, I think I’ve twisted my foot."
Sophie said, her body draping over him.
Adam Willow had no choice but to pick her up and head towards the VIP entrance, drawing envious looks from those around them.
Sophie sneakily glanced in Emily’s direction, a cold smile in her heart, thinking how Carter Clan didn’t sponsor the International Auto Formula Competition, aning Emily had no ticket to enter.
This ti, she and Brother Adam alone would et that benefactor.
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