Chapter 44

Albert Arthur already knew how the reporters would ask their questions.

He, who already had a plan in mind, said helplessly, “Of course we should be worried. After all, such a serious incident has happened. Even an ordinary person would be panicked at such a situation.”

The journalist was clearly dissatisfied with Alberta Arthur’s answer, so he kept pressing her for more details about the matter.

Seeing that the reporter wouldn’t back down, Alberta Arthur really wanted to use violence to drive him away. But he knew full well what the consequences of such an action would be.

Although he has the support of the Arthur family behind him, he isn’t someone who can do whatever he wants. If he really tried to act in such a way, the Arthur family might not be able to protect him.

It’s even possible that, the moment the scandal came to light, the Arthur family immediately ordered him to leave the entertainment industry and take over the family business.

Albert Arthur sighed and said helplessly, “If you insist on asking me, why I tried to save Simone Milton, aside from my uncle’s reasons, then I can only say it was also for Katie Adams’s sake.”

When the reporter heard Alberta Arthur say that, he immediately perked up: “Alberta Arthur, what do you mean by that? Could you please explain it to us in detail?”

Albert Arthur couldn’t help but sigh in relief when he saw that the reporters’ attention had been diverted. If they continued to pester him like this, he really wouldn’t know what to do.

He nodded, then said with a hint of resignation, “Actually, it’s not something that can’t be mentioned… After all, Simone Milton was also affected by my actions, wasn’t she?”

At this point, Alberta Arthur’s expression became even more bitter. “Earlier, when Katie Adams’s fans kept asking when the two of us would get married, I didn’t give a clear answer. So, that extreme fan thought it was Simone Milton who was behind the scenes causing trouble.”

“Oh, I see. So that merchant was actually a fan of Katie Adams? That’s really unexpected!” The reporter’s eyes lit up upon hearing this.

He’s already thought of the title for the latest edition of the news – what kind of shocking headline to use.

“…After such an incident occurs, I believe I should appeal to all sectors of society for more civilized ways of idolizing celebrities. After all, if such incidents keep happening, their impact on society as a whole will be extremely negative!” Alberta Arthur said very seriously.

Of course, he knew that his words would surely harm Katie Adams’ reputation. But he had no regrets.

After all, what he said was all true. That fan of Katie Adams was simply too outrageous and deserved severe punishment.

As for Katie Adams, Alberta Arthur thought that she might give Katie Adams a few decent endorsement opportunities as compensation.

The reporter, having gotten a satisfactory answer, finally left Alberta Arthur alone.

And because of this call, Alberta Arthur once again put Katie Adams, who was originally completely innocent in this matter, back on the news headlines.

This time’s trending topic title is quite schadenfreudic: #On the Collapse of People Who Act Dramatically#

What made these netizens laugh the most was that the person who revealed this news wasn’t anyone else but Alberta Arthur, Katie Adams’s boyfriend.

However, this also led to criticism of Katie Adams’ die-hard fans. In fact, because of these fans, ordinary people began to have a negative view of Katie Adams as well.

Also, due to the details revealed by Alberta Arthur, it’s hard for people not to wonder whether these two people are really in a relationship.

If that’s the case, why did Alberta Arthur change the subject and bring Katie Adams into the conversation when faced with questions from him and Simone Milton?

This doesn’t seem like the behavior one would expect from people who’re deeply in love!

While mocking Katie Adams, netizens also couldn’t help but wonder what was really going on between the two of them.

At home, Katie Adams saw a sharp decline in her fan count, and the internet was filled with mockery towards her. It took her only a few seconds to go from shock to calmness.

Especially when she found out that the person who stabbed her wasn’t anyone else but Alberta Arthur, someone she held in high regard, she felt as though “it had finally happened.”

In fact, for Katie Adams, those netizens who mock and insult her online aren’t important at all.

For her, the most important thing was Alberta Arthur’s attitude. Now that Alberta Arthur had done so much, Katie Adams felt there was no need for her to worry anymore.

She called again and told Sister Hu that the plan needed to be accelerated.

After making the call, Katie Adams seemed to finally remember Alberta Arthur, so she called her again.

“Alberta… are you okay?” Katie Adams asked slowly.

On the other end of the line, Alberta Arthur said nothing positive or negative. She simply asked Katie Adams in a rather cold tone, “Is there anything important you need to discuss with me?”

“You’re talking about my boyfriend. Can’t I even call you?” Katie Adams’s smile seemed forced upon hearing this question.

In the past, Alberta Arthur would never have said something like that.

“Of course, but I’m a bit busy right now. Let’s talk later, okay?” After saying that, Alberta Arthur hung up the phone. Her response was quite cold.

Katie Adams heard the busy signal on the other end of the line, but couldn’t help but smile. She thought to herself that she was really ridiculous.

Even though she already knew that the person on the other end of the phone no longer had any feelings for her, she still couldn’t help but try to test the situation a little.

In today’s situation, it’s nothing but bringing shame upon oneself.

Katie Adams thought this as she slowly crouched down on the ground, as if by doing so, she could absorb more warmth and feel warmer.

Compared to the frosty atmosphere around Katie Adams, the atmosphere around Simone Milton was much more harmonious.

Nick Arthur, due to his injured hand, shamelessly followed Simone Milton home, under the pretext that “since I got injured trying to protect you, it’s your duty to take care of me.”

Simone Milton was speechless in response. There was no reason to argue against it. Most importantly, she found this experience quite wonderful herself.

So when Juliet Milton returned from her busy day, she found Nick Arthur sitting at the table, with his hand tightly wrapped up. Simone Milton was carefully feeding Nick Arthur with a spoon.

“…What are you all doing?” Juliet Milton felt as though she had grown much older. She had no idea what the fun was about among young people.

Perhaps Juliet Milton’s gaze was simply too obvious for Simone Milton to ignore.

She cleared her throat shyly and said in a soft voice, “Didn’t Mr. Arthur get injured trying to save me? I thought he’d find it very difficult to take care of himself these days, so I brought him back to take care of him.”

“…I’m glad you’re happy,” said Juliet Milton, who was completely speechless, slowly.

With Juliet Milton’s seemingly implicit approval, Simone Milton relaxed and began feeding Nick Arthur again.

To be honest, this way of feeding gave her a different kind of enjoyment.

At the same time, she also understood why the male protagonists in novels always like to feed the female protagonists.

This is really awesome!

Especially when Simone Milton looked at Nick Arthur, who sat there obediently, waiting to be fed, she felt as though all her negative emotions for the day disappeared.

And it’s also a game that can be played all day long without ever becoming boring.

“Oh! Mr. Arthur, you’re simply adorable!” Simone Milton couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

Nick Arthur, who didn’t understand what was on Simone Milton’s mind, felt somewhat confused.

“Should I say thank you?” Nick Arthur asked Simone Milton, somewhat confused.

Simone Milton covered her mouth and giggled. The more she looked at Nick Arthur, the more she thought he was exactly her type—as if he were literally meant to be right there, right on her G-spot.

“No need, let’s eat a little more!” Simone Milton shook her head, then scooped up another spoonful to feed to Nick Arthur.

Suddenly, Nick Arthur’s phone in his pocket started vibrating. Someone was calling him.

Seeing that Nick Arthur reached for his phone, Simone Milton immediately put down her bowl and told Nick Arthur not to move.

She carefully took Nick Arthur’s phone from him. After Nick Arthur unlocked it, she held the phone to his ear herself.

This overly cautious attitude made Nick Arthur couldn’t help but laugh.

This call was from Hobson’s assistant.

“Assistant Hobson, why did you call? Is there something you need to tell me?” Nick Arthur asked Assistant Hobson on the other end of the line.

If nothing else needs to be done, he’ll hang up now. After all, at such a tender moment like this, he doesn’t want any distractions from unwanted people.

While sitting in the office, looking at the newly received report, Assistant Hobson was utterly shocked. He opened his mouth, but couldn’t say a word for a long time.

“What’s the matter, Assistant Hobson? If you have something to say, just say it directly. Why be so hesitant and unclear?” Nick Arthur frowned, clearly displeased with Assistant Hobson’s hesitant manner of speaking.

After much effort to regain control of her emotions, Assistant Hobson swallowed hard and spoke in a soft voice:

“Boss, I have something very important to report to you. But this matter is… a little special. I hope you can remain calm and handle it properly!”

After hesitating for a moment, Assistant Hobson ultimately decided to tell Nick Arthur about this “bombshell” report he had seen.

But Hobson’s nervous manner piqued Nick Arthur’s curiosity. What kind of news could possibly make Hobson, who was usually so calm, act so flustered?

This is truly amazing.

It’s really rare!

“Just tell me what it is! You keep beating around the bush. How am I supposed to know what you really want to say?” Nick Arthur asked Assistant Hobson in a relatively gentle tone.

“That is, you asked us to investigate who Mr. Martha’s father really was. We’ve prepared a report on that…” Assistant Hobson said, trying to organize his thoughts.

Try to ensure that this bomb isn’t detonated completely.

“What? You’ve already received the report? Tell me who it is!” Upon hearing this news, he immediately demanded an answer.

He really cared about this news. In a sense, it determined how he would go about treating children and Simone Milton from now on.

“Yes… This report shows that, aside from Miss Milton, the only people who are direct relatives of Miss Martha are you, Boss. In other words, you must be Miss Martha’s biological father!” Assistant Hobson said this, though he was also wondering to himself.

This outcome was truly beyond their expectations. But to be honest, it was also quite dramatic.

Meanwhile, Nick Arthur on the other end could hardly believe his ears. He kept asking Hobson’s assistant if there might be some mistake.

“Are you sure you haven’t made any mistakes in this matter? You need to understand that if anything goes wrong, the consequences could be unimaginable!” Nick Arthur tried to keep his excitement in check as he spoke slowly to Assistant Hobson.

Assistant Hobson nodded and assured Nick Arthur that their investigation was accurate.

In fact, to ensure the accuracy of these results, they obtained DNA samples from the two individuals elsewhere and sent them for testing as well.

After receiving the test results from multiple samples, Assistant Hobson could tell Nick Arthur with absolute certainty that there were no errors in the results they had obtained this time.

With full assurance from Assistant Hobson, Nick Arthur was overjoyed. His gaze toward Simone Milton was filled with kindness.

“You’ve worked so hard over the years. It must be extremely difficult for you to take care of the children all by yourself.” Nick Arthur looked at Simone Milton with tears in his eyes.

But Simone Milton herself was a bit confused. She really didn’t understand why Nick Arthur suddenly said those things.

“Uh, Mr. Arthur, what do you mean by that? Could you please explain it more clearly? I’m not quite sure what you’re trying to say…” Simone Milton asked, clearly uneasy.

“You don’t know?” Nick Arthur frowned when Simone Milton didn’t show the expected reaction at all.

“Should I know?” Simone Milton scratched her face. She was getting impatient. She couldn’t understand why Nick Arthur had become so strange after receiving that phone call.

Totally defeated by a reaction like Simone Milton’s, Nick Arthur helplessly touched his forehead. In doing so, he accidentally touched his wound, causing him to jump in pain.

Seeing that Nick Arthur had accidentally touched the wound, Simone Milton immediately abandoned her previous hesitations and stepped forward to carefully examine the injury.

“Mr. Arthur, what’s wrong with you? How could you be so careless? Have you forgotten that your hand is injured?” Simone Milton looked at Nick Arthur disapprovingly.

At that moment, Nick Arthur couldn’t care less about that slight pain. He grabbed Simone Milton’s hand and said, “Martha is my child, isn’t she?”

“Huh?” Simone Milton was somewhat confused by this sudden question. How could she possibly know anything about these matters?

But then I thought, if Nick Arthur said something like that, he must have solid evidence. He wouldn’t make such claims without reason.

Could it be that this child is really Nick Arthur’s child?

“I already know everything. Anyway, this child is mine. I’ll definitely take responsibility for her. So, please be with me!” Nick Arthur said seriously.

“But… could there be some misunderstanding here?” Simone Milton rubbed her forehead, thinking that Nick Arthur’s words were rather impulsive.

If there’s any misunderstanding in this, things could get really messy.

“It’s no misunderstanding. Assistant Hobson is always reliable and would never make a mistake. So, Martha must be my child! Please marry me. The child deserves a complete family!” Nick Arthur’s eyes were filled with deep affection as he gazed intently at Simone Milton.

Such deep affection made Simone Milton want to back away. She instinctively took a few steps backward, her attitude revealing resistance.

“But…” Seeing Nick Arthur’s firm determination, Simone Milton suddenly realized that no matter how much she resisted, Nick Arthur wouldn’t listen to her anyway.

Thinking of this, Simone Milton sighed. She said to Nick Arthur very seriously, “Mr. Arthur, I completely understand your feelings. It’s good that you want to take responsibility.”

“Why do you resist like this? If it’s actually a good thing for both of us, then you shouldn’t reject me at all.” But Nick Arthur wasn’t swayed by Simone Milton’s words.

If Simone Milton really is what she claims to be, then she wouldn’t have shown such intense resistance just now.

So this only proves that she’s being sarcastic. Her purpose is to soften Nick Arthur’s attitude.

She wanted Nick Arthur to be more receptive to what she had to say next.

Facing Nick Arthur’s expression that said, “I’ve already seen through your schemes,” Simone Milton sighed helplessly, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the situation.

Although she really did intend to use such tricks, having them exposed always makes people feel embarrassed.

“Ahem, Mr. Arthur, please stop talking about these things. Could you just listen to me?” Simone Milton looked at Nick Arthur helplessly.

Nick Arthur shrugged his shoulders, giving the impression of “say whatever you want”; after all, he wasn’t going to listen anyway.

“That’s how it is, Mr. Arthur. I think your decision was rather hasty. You shouldn’t waste your time on me,” said Simone Milton, wearing a helpless smile.

“But I don’t think I’m wasting my time. Since I’ve done this, I should take responsibility for it. Or do you dislike me?” Nick Arthur said this with a pitiful expression on his face, looking at Simone Milton.

Simone Milton certainly wouldn’t disdain Nick Arthur. If I did disdain him, then I wouldn’t find this man so endearing at all.

She simply felt that if the way they got along suddenly changed, she might not be able to accept it.

“Don’t forget, Mr. Arthur. There’s a contract between us two… Marriage isn’t part of those terms. So… I have no obligation to marry you.” Seeing that Nick Arthur wanted to say something else, Simone Milton made a gesture with her hand to silence him.

She asked Nick Arthur to wait a moment so she could finish speaking.

“Mr. Arthur, I really understand what you mean, but you need to understand my feelings as well!” Simone Milton looked at Nick Arthur very seriously.

If she doesn’t say these things and keeps them bottled up inside, it will be very uncomfortable for her.

“For me, who Martha’s father is really doesn’t matter at all. What’s important is that I have no intention of getting married right now,” said Simone Milton, wearing a helpless smile. “Let’s just consider it a pleasant misunderstanding, okay?”

“Please act as if you never heard this news at all. I’ll also pretend that I never heard it from you. Let’s keep this secret between us, okay?” At the end, Simone Milton looked at Nick Arthur with almost a pleading expression.

After all, she was still troubled by the ending of the original work.

Perhaps she could have a romantic relationship with Nick Arthur, and experience a love that’s unforgettable.

But making her marry Nick Arthur now is still for Martha’s sake. I’m sorry, she can’t do it.

She couldn’t possibly dedicate the second half of her life entirely to her family.

Martha’s exposure was unexpected for her. While it left her at a loss, she was also very relieved.

She loves this child, but that doesn’t mean she’ll give up everything she has now for this child’s sake.

After all, she’s still selfish at heart.

Even though there was an unspoken understanding between her and Nick Arthur.

Even though they already have a daughter like Martha.

But Simone Milton simply couldn’t afford to take such a risk. Just thinking about how the original protagonist, who was completely insane, died in such a miserable way in the original story…

She couldn’t help but worry that, if she were with Nick Arthur, she might somehow upset him at some point, and end up like that as a result.

She knew she should trust Nick Arthur more.

She also knew that being so suspicious was completely unacceptable, but she had no choice.

She just can’t help but worry about all these trivial things.

“You want me to keep this secret, to pretend I know nothing, to act like a coward who dares to say or do nothing? Simone Milton, do you even have a heart?” Nick Arthur stared intently at the woman before him, who kept pleading with him.

He could see the worry and fear in Simone Milton’s eyes. He had no idea what kind of struggles Simone Milton was going through inside.

But he could tell that those worries and fears were directed at him.

Why? Why, by marrying him, would Simone Milton have to live in constant fear and worry?

Nick Arthur had no idea what the answer was. All he knew was that since Simone Milton had provoked him, there was no way he could get away unscathed.

He absolutely wouldn’t allow Simone Milton to leave like that.

He stood up and grabbed Simone Milton with all his might. Even though his wounds reopened and blood flowed again, he feared nothing.

Even such pain only made him more awake.

If he doesn’t take any action, then the woman before him will disappear from his sight.

It was Simone Milton who first entered his heart, filling him with longing. Yet she could pull back at any moment, reject him whenever she wished.

He absolutely won’t allow it!

“Do you know? You’ve made me angry!” Nick Arthur stared at Simone Milton stubbornly.

Under the gaze of those persistent eyes, Simone Milton couldn’t help but tremble. She was scared and wanted to step back.

She even wanted to shout, to get Juliet Milton to come and help her.

But in the moment she screamed, Nick Arthur suddenly rushed forward and pressed his lips firmly over her mouth, silencing her cry.

Nick Arthur held her tightly in his arms, preventing her from breaking free at all, allowing her to be completely immersed in his warmth.

After a while, Nick Arthur released Simone Milton from his grasp. Before Simone could even recover, he simply grabbed her and led her outside without another word.

When Simone Milton came to her senses, she found herself already in the car, with Nick Arthur sitting beside her, his face expressionless.

“Mr. Arthur, where are you taking me? Let me go…” Simone Milton said this while trying to open the door and stop the vehicle.

Who would have thought that, the moment she moved, Nick Arthur grabbed her.

With a serious expression on his face, Nick Arthur held Simone Milton tightly against him. He spoke slowly, “Stop struggling, please be good. Don’t keep making me angry.”

“How could I possibly always make Mr. Arthur angry… Where exactly are you taking me now? Surely you’re not trying to take me to the registry office to get married, are you?” Simone Milton said helplessly, making a random guess.