Thomas Smith saw his attitude becoming more and more arrogant, and the gentle calm on his face suddenly retracted a bit.
Since he couldn’t get the information he wanted, he didn’t waste any more ti. Pushing himself up with his hands on his knees, he left with a half-smile, half-threat: "Recognition is only a matter of ti. By then... I wonder if you’ll still have this attitude."
The implication was that if he remained this arrogant and presumptuous towards his father-in-law, marrying his daughter might beco uncertain.
Christopher naturally understood the threat. His already stern face turned even darker, yet he was powerless to fight back.
Because if he truly offended his father-in-law, the one who would suffer the consequences would still be himself.
Seeing him get up from the sofa with noticeably sluggish movents, Christopher couldn’t help but blurt out, "What’s wrong with your leg?"
Thomas Smith looked at him, then down at his own right leg, his face regaining a smile: "Nothing, just an old ailnt acting up."
Hearing this, Christopher didn’t doubt him in the slightest.
After all, he was over fifty and had suffered a severe injury while in the military when he was young, so it’s normal to have so chronic issues.
And Thomas Smith not telling the truth wasn’t out of insecurity, but simply because... he didn’t think it necessary to use this flaw to win others’ sympathy.
He wanted to acknowledge his biological daughter sincerely and earnestly obtain her forgiveness so that she would willingly accept him as her father.
Not by pretending to be pitiful, putting on a tragic act, coercing her into acknowledging him through moral obligation.
Thomas Smith was about to leave, and Christopher did not try to keep him, even feeling a sense of relief deep down.
Alia was in the lounge, and the reception area and lounge were in opposite directions, so who knew how much she had heard.
He was very afraid Alia would suddenly co out and that Thomas Smith would encounter her and pressure her to acknowledge their relationship on the spot.
So it was best if he left quickly.
"Take care, Chairman Smith. My legs aren’t quite well, so I won’t see you out." With this in mind, he cheerfully bid him farewell.
Thomas Smith had already turned around, but when he heard this, he turned back, not missing the fleeting relief on his face.
Thomas Smith, being who he is, detected sothing from just a subtle change in expression. He paused, his eyes glancing in the direction of the lounge.
Since they already knew he went to the kindergarten yesterday and t the children, as their mother, it was impossible for Little Clarke to remain indifferent.
However, given such sudden news, anyone would need ti to digest and adjust; moreover, she harbored so resentnt toward him, unwilling to et or acknowledge him, which was understandable.
Retracting his gaze, he looked at Christopher, smiled, didn’t confront him, and simply said, "We’re all family, no need for courtesy. You take care of your health and get better soon."
Christopher didn’t speak but nodded.
Thomas Smith left, his steps slow, but to onlookers, his walking appeared no different from normal. Christopher watched him leave the office and close the door.
He took out his phone to contact Lucas King, asking him to arrange for soone to send Thomas to his car.
Just as the ssage was sent out, there was a sound in the otherwise quiet space.
Startled, he turned around.
Alia Garcia stood at the bedroom door with a complex and solemn expression on her face, betraying no emotion.
Christopher quickly put down his phone, turned his wheelchair, and went to her, "Alia."
She fixated her gaze on the man, said nothing, her breaths heavy.
Christopher reached her side, took her hand, led her back to the lounge, and gestured for her to sit on the sofa.
Stopping in front of her, his broad, strong palms held her hands, his thumbs unconsciously stroking the back of her hands a few tis, offering silent comfort.
"Did you hear everything?" he asked softly, cautiously.
Alia’s mind was in turmoil, only settling a bit as she fixed her eyes on Christopher’s deep and dark gaze.
"Mm..." She nodded, her voice sowhat distant, "I heard most of it, but... how is he so sure I’m his biological daughter? And he talks about recognition being just a matter of ti."
Christopher sighed faintly, tightened his grip on her hands, paused, and then said, "We hadn’t talked much before he answered a call, then stared at his phone in a daze for several seconds."
Alia furrowed her brows lightly, her pretty eyes full of confusion.
Christopher looked at her, "Then he placed the phone in front of . Can you guess what was on the phone?"
The woman naturally didn’t respond. At this mont, she didn’t have the mind for guessing gas.
"It was the result of a paternity test between you and him, black and white, clearly showing—a father-daughter blood relationship."
"What?" Alia was taken aback, incredulous, "How... could this be? I haven’t even t him, how could he..."
Before she finished speaking, her expression stunned and she froze, clearly recalling sothing.
Christopher had already figured it out. Seeing her pause, knowing she had realized, he continued, "You had lunch with Charles Smith; that’s their only chance to gather evidence."
"Yes... But we didn’t have any contact..." She doubted as she strained to recall the lunch scene with Charles Smith yesterday noon.
She was sure she hadn’t had any close contact with Charles Smith, not in front of Snow.
"I rember now!" After a careful recollection, her eyes suddenly widened, "While ordering, he said he couldn’t drink and drive, so he ordered so soft drinks. It must have been the straw from that drink."
Christopher nodded, that must be it.
"So, he really is my biological father, but he never suspected it before, so why suddenly now? Why go through all the trouble to collect evidence and conduct a test?"
Considering the various inquiries he had people secretly make over the past few days, Christopher guessed: "I heard that Old Master Smith is still alive. Since they were the ones who broke up the romance back then, they must be the ones in the know."
Alia looked at him, her gaze puzzled.
He explained, "You didn’t want to investigate, but I couldn’t rest easy, so I had a friend in the Imperial Capital secretly look into it. Old Master Smith is in his eighties, residing at a certain national-level sanatorium, and he’s in excellent health. The Smith Family is a large family, Thomas Smith has five siblings—two older sisters, an older brother, and a younger sister. He’s the only one in comrce; the rest are in governnt paths."
Alia, after hearing this, stared at him blankly, without any reaction.
He had already investigated, so there was no use in her blaming him now.
After an awkward mont of stunned silence, she blinked, returning to her senses, murmuring, "I don’t want to acknowledge them..."
Whether it was out of fairness to her mother or due to the Smith Family’s prominent status, she didn’t want to.
"But I see he seems determined to succeed."
Alia frowned, still slowly digesting the news.
Life is truly amazing; she lived to this age, only to learn that her biological father was soone else.
What was even more unbelievable was that her biological father’s family was so prestigious, prestigious to the point... it made her a bit frightened.
No, there was not much joy, only fear.
She sat there silently, while Christopher quietly accompanied her.
From a rational standpoint, he felt that the appearance of this biological father was unnecessary.
But emotionally, thinking that in the future there would be one more person who would love her, protect her, be her solid support, and provide her with a mighty family backing, surely it was a good thing!
Moreover, with the Smith Family’s illustrious na, perhaps even her parents’ attitudes towards Alia would greatly change.
Thinking this way, Christopher’s slight dissatisfaction with his father-in-law vanished inexplicably.
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