The Secret Son

Gideon adjusted his cuffs, his posture rigid with an underlying arrogance. “His name is Zane. Vivian and I are planning to adopt him. From now on, he will be our son. Zane, this is your Uncle Donovan and Aunt Chloe. Say hello.”

Before the timid boy could stand, Edmund leaned forward, his expression darkening. “Hold on. We have not talked about this yet.”

The sheer authority in Edmund's grim voice made Zane flinch. The boy's face turned pale. He sank back into the plush cushions of the sofa, his head hanging low as he gripped his plastic toy.

Helena felt a brief pang of sympathy for the frightened child. “Perhaps we should let Zane go out and play in the courtyard. We should avoid discussing adult matters in front of a child.”

“It is fine.” Gideon brushed off her concern with a wave of his hand, showing zero regard for the boy's emotional state.

Edmund could no longer contain his frustration. He glared at his son-in-law. “I will be blunt. Vivian is only thirty and still young enough to have children. You brought the child back and told us about the adoption without even giving us a heads-up. Is this how things are done in the Fowler family?”

Martha practically lunged into the conversation, her tone aggressive and defensive as she weaponized her daughter-in-law's tragic medical history. “You cannot blame us for this. Ever since Vivian’s health was affected by complications during her first labor, the doctors have said it would be difficult for her to conceive again. We cannot just sit around and waste time.”

The cruel words hit Vivian like a physical blow. Nine years ago, she had suffered a devastating stillbirth and had been unable to conceive since. However, the Vances firmly believed that with advancements in medicine, there was still a chance for Vivian to heal and have a child of her own. They had never expected the Fowlers to ambush them with a nine-year-old replacement.

Hot tears of shame and sorrow welled up in Vivian's eyes. She bit her lower lip, trying to shrink away from the harsh reality her mother-in-law just threw in her face.

Chloe sat back comfortably on the sofa. She picked up another piece of melon with her silver fork, happily munching away. Her mind, however, was running a mile a minute.

*Are they that eager? Is Gideon dying and the Fowler family line about to end?*

The scathing inner voice broadcasted directly into the minds of the horrified Vance family. Edmund and Helena, who were barely keeping their fury in check, nearly laughed out loud at the sheer audacity of the thought. Even the tearful Vivian was momentarily left speechless, her sorrow interrupted by her sister-in-law's blunt commentary.

Donovan coughed lightly, covering his mouth with a fist. He reached over and gently held Chloe's arm. “It is almost time for dinner, so go easy on the fruits.”

He then turned his sharp gaze back to Gideon. “What is the rush? Even if you think there is no hope, you should not have chosen a child his age.”

Chloe placed her fork down on the porcelain plate, her inner voice humming with approval.

*Wow, you have grasped the crux of the matter!*

Donovan stiffened. He stared at his wife from the corner of his eye. So there is a hidden issue here?

Edmund and Helena exchanged a swift, bewildered look.

Vivian shuddered. Her tear-filled eyes locked onto Chloe in pure astonishment.

“What is so special about this child? Why did you choose him?” Donovan pressed, his voice dropping a few degrees.

Martha and Gideon stiffened. A rigid, uncomfortable silence stretched between them before Martha let out a dry, forced laugh. “He happens to be nine years old and looks somewhat similar to Gideon and Vivian. I thought it might be fate, so we made the decision.”

Edmund and Helena narrowed their eyes, scrutinizing the frail boy. The child did possess a fleeting resemblance to Gideon, and perhaps a bit of Vivian’s softness.

Vivian only grew more upset upon hearing that. Her chest heaved as the tears finally spilled over her lashes.

For some unspoken reason, Zane lowered his head even further. He squeezed the Rubik's cube in his hands, appearing incredibly guilty.

Chloe’s eyes widened. Her mental voice screamed in pure shock, exposing the darkest secret in the room.

*Holy moly! Zane is Gideon's biological son! Vivian did not give birth to him, so that means he is the child of Gideon with another woman! And now Gideon is forcing Vivian to raise Zane? How could he have the audacity to say such things? How shameless!*

The Vances froze.

Edmund, Helena, Donovan, and Vivian were dumbfounded. They stared at Martha, Gideon, and the trembling Zane in disbelief, horrified by the silent, brutal revelations tearing their reality apart.

Vivian looked at Chloe in agonizing confusion, wondering how her sister-in-law could possibly know this hidden truth.

*They even pressured Vivian to conceal the child's origins!* Chloe’s inner voice continued to echo in their minds. *Gideon insisted on the adoption and threateningly warned her against revealing the truth. They claimed that if the Vances found out, it would surely cause discord between the families. As if that was not outrageous enough, they told Vivian she could only blame herself for not being able to conceive, arguing that they had no choice but to try and continue the family line. Seriously, who do they think they are? A royal family needing an heir? I cannot believe Vivian actually listened to them. Good heavens. What did she do to deserve this? Why is she enduring such injustice?*

The Vances felt the air leave the room. As they looked at Vivian, their eyes almost popped out of their sockets. The unspoken, damning knowledge settled heavily over them.

Vivian covered her mouth. She was disheartened, crushed by the weight of her family’s pitying stares. She almost burst into full sobs.

Donovan's face turned ashen as the horrifying truth locked into place. Armed with this knowledge, his demeanor shifted from questioning to deadly.

The Fowlers remained clueless, shifting uncomfortably under the grave, terrifying expressions the Vance family now wore.

Donovan broke the silence. His voice was absolute ice. “What about the child's biological parents? Who are they? Have you investigated thoroughly? If you have not, I will. If he is about to become part of my family, his background needs to be clear.”

Gideon and Martha's faces drained of color.

Their panicked reactions snapped Edmund and Helena back to reality. The Fowlers' obvious fear confirmed everything. What Chloe said in her mind was the truth.

Edmund’s hands balled into tight fists. He and Helena were so enraged they felt the urge to drag Gideon out into the courtyard and beat him senseless.

“This child is mine.” Gideon spoke up.

Knowing that the powerful Donovan was fully capable of uncovering the truth in a matter of hours, Gideon decided to admit it. He did so without a single shred of remorse. He looked Edmund straight in the eye, boldly declaring his betrayal and casually shifting the blame.

“I did not do anything to wrong Vivian. My ex-girlfriend gave birth to the child without my consent.” Gideon stated firmly.

Martha hastily tried to smooth things over with a display of breathtaking audacity. “Yes, please do not be upset. We only just found out about this child's existence. Everyone knows how the marriage between our two families happened. Now that Vivian cannot have children, and we found a descendant of our family, we thought of adopting this child. The child's biological mother has disappeared without a trace. It will not affect Vivian's position in our family.”

Edmund snapped.

He slammed his hand against the heavy wooden table in a rare, explosive fit of rage. The loud, sharp crack of flesh against wood echoed through the living room. The sheer force of it startled the elderly butler, who had just approached to set the table. The butler quickly set down the plate, already contemplating fetching a heavy weapon for Edmund to use.

Gideon flinched, his face pale from fright, yet he bit the bullet and stood his ground.

Helena’s elegant face flushed a deep, furious red. She pointed a shaking finger at Martha, fiercely rejecting the sickening proposal. “So, you are saying that my daughter should be grateful for the opportunity to help your son and his ex-girlfriend raise their illegitimate child?”

“Think about it this way. Vivian will have a son without having to bear the immense physical pressure of childbirth. Once the legal procedures are completed, he will become her biological child,” Martha reasoned twistedly, her tone dripping with fake comfort.

Helena was so upset she was at a loss for words. The unfairness of the situation burned in her chest. She realized this was what had happened to Vivian, and she blamed herself for raising her daughter to be too gentle. Vivian probably did not know how to handle this horrific betrayal, which was why she wanted to come home in the first place.

With that in mind, Helena stopped caring about the child's feelings. She stared directly at Gideon. “I will be clear. We do not agree.”

Edmund stood tall beside his wife, his stern face locked in an uncompromising glare. He nodded in firm agreement with Helena's statement. The Vance family would not accept this adoption under any circumstances.

Donovan remained silent. He turned his head to see Chloe happily enjoying her meal amidst the chaos. He watched her eat so heartily while listening to the gossip, and suddenly, he felt a pang of hunger too. He picked up his cutleries. He knew he could only handle these family matters with a clear head after filling his stomach.

The tension in the room was so intense that none of the Fowlers paid attention to Donovan and Chloe, who were quietly eating away.

Martha's expression soured. Gideon felt his pride shatter, but he did not dare talk back to the enraged Vance patriarchs. Backed into a corner, he could only vent his frustration on his weak-willed, emotionally battered wife.

“Vivian, what do you think? You were not against the idea, right?” Gideon pressed her, his voice carrying a sharp, threatening edge.

Martha quickly layered on the heavy emotional guilt, stepping closer to Vivian. “Yeah, you are not going to chase my only grandson out, right? Do you truly possess the cruelty to do that?”

“Enough!” Edmund roared, his anger surging anew. He stepped in front of his daughter, shielding her from their toxic glares. “Vivian, whatever you decide, we will always have your back. No one can push you around in this house!”

Gideon and Martha's expressions faltered. They took a tentative step back, realizing they had pushed the Vance family too far.

Vivian panicked. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she glanced down at Zane.

The boy had been well-behaved under her care. Gideon's apparent indifference toward the child had offered her some temporary relief over the past few days, but she still felt a deep, lingering discomfort. If it were any other orphan, she believed she could embrace the role of a foster mother. But not this one. Zane's name constantly reminded her of Gemma, Gideon's former lover. The betrayal ran too deep.

“Vivian!” Gideon barked, demanding an answer.

Despite her parents fiercely declaring they would protect her, years of emotional abuse left Vivian paralyzed. Flustered and panic-stricken, she looked helplessly back and forth at her parents. She gripped the fabric of her skirt, tears streaming down her face.

“I do not know what I should do! Mom, Dad, what are your thoughts? Please tell me what to do.” Vivian cried, begging for their guidance.

Edmund and Helena shared a look of profound disappointment. Vivian might have been good-natured, but she was never a pushover before her marriage. How did she become so weak and indecisive after getting married?

Donovan watched the pathetic display with growing disgust. He slowly put down his fork on the porcelain plate, the faint clink echoing in the tense room. He mentally prepared to intervene and forcefully shut the adoption down himself. He would never allow this illegitimate child to become a part of their family.

He opened his mouth to deliver the final verdict, but before he could utter a single word, Chloe’s inner voice roared into their minds with sheer, unadulterated exasperation.

*D*mn! Why is she even hesitating? They're practically humiliating her! Why hasn't she decided to divorce him already? What is she waiting for?*