Ch. 296..300: The Adorable Twins and Their CEO Daddy Chapter 296-300
Chapter 296
Suddenly, a large group of people in several cars appeared and rushed toward them.
Damn it! The man had backup.
Gerald didn’t feel like the situation was favorable to him anymore. If he and his men continued to fight, they would most likely lose.
He gritted his teeth and ordered reluctantly, “Everyone, retreat!”
But it was too late. Maurice’s men had already surrounded Gerald’s men and instantly subdued them.
“What do we do now, boss?” Sean was flustered to see the critical situation.
“Forget it. Let’s go.”
Gerald didn’t care about his subordinates. He ordered Sean to drive away. His men were all captured by Maurice’s men.
Thanks to Preston’s backup, Eliana was finally out of danger.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
While the others cleaned up the mess after the fight, she turned to look worriedly at Preston who had bravely protected her.
After all the chaos, he was still standing in front of her. He was trying to catch his breath. Sweat trickled down the side of his face from his forehead, and he was shaking slightly.
Eliana approached him and asked, “Are you okay, Preston?”
Maurice shook his head. He was in pain after the fight, but seeing the bruises on Eliana hurt more than his own injuries.
“Let’s get out of here.”
Maurice fought the urge to touch Eliana’s red, swollen cheek. He led her to his car and left the damned place.
In a dark corner, Ethan, who was still bleeding from his head, saw everything. His unwillingness and resentment were rolling in his heart, making him look like the devil.
In the car, Eliana and Maurice sat in the back seat. Maurice leaned against the seat with his eyes closed, frowning as if he was enduring a great pain.
Seeing that, Eliana felt restless. She was worried out of her mind.
“Where did you get injured, Preston?” She couldn’t help reaching out to touch him, but he leaned away.
As he moved, Maurice felt a sharp pain in his injured left arm. His whole back was wet with cold sweat.
If he and Eliana stayed in one place together much longer, Eliana would eventually realize where he was hurting, and then he wouldn’t be able to hide his true identity anymore.
“Don’t pretend to care about me, Eliana. I don’t need it.” Maurice deliberately put on a cold face and acted like he was disgusted. “Can you not be so stupid next time? I can’t come to your rescue every time you need me. And didn’t you already break up with me? It’s too late to regret your decision now.”
Eliana’s hand froze in the air, and her courage to touch Preston suddenly vanished.
Preston’s words weighed on her heart like a massive boulder. They felt so heavy that she found herself having trouble breathing. She opened her mouth to say something but decided against it. She couldn’t
say caring words to Preston anymore. He just said himself that he didn’t need them.
In the end, Eliana dejectedly put down her hand.
What Preston said was right. She couldn’t expect him to be there for her or ask him to stay.
Their entire trip downtown, they kept dead silent.
“I’ll get out of the car here.” Eliana finally voiced out what she had been thinking since Preston avoided her touch.
Maurice didn’t ask her to stay. He just let her out on the street on her own.
As soon as Eliana stepped out of the car, it sped away as if it was desperate to get away from her.
As the car disappeared from her sight, her eyes welled up with tears.
She wiped her eyes stubbornly.
She owed Preston. She couldn’t feel aggrieved.
Maurice felt bad, too, after leaving.
He tried hard not to look back because he was afraid that if he glanced at Eliana’s pitiful eyes again, he would completely surrender and then tell her everything.
Maurice had a vague feeling that it wouldn’t be long before the truth came out, and it would be time to tell Eliana about his double life.
When that happened, they would either start over or end up as strangers. No one knew which.
Chapter 297
Eliana made her way home, but she seemed to be occupied with something else.
She didn’t want to bother the children or Nana in any way. She got ready for bed and went to sleep shortly after.
She requested a day off and did not wake up until the sun was high in the sky the second day.
The youngsters were sent to school by Nana. When she got home, Eliana went out of the bedroom, her left cheek red and puffy.
She was afraid.
“Oh my goodness! How come your face looks so bad?” Nana hurriedly approached Eliana and held her face in her hands. “Who the hell hit you? I’m ready to take him on!”
In order to remove Nana’s hand from her face, Eliana pushed it away. “I’m feeling much better now. Don’t be concerned. Yesterday, something occurred. I was smacked by Ethan.”
“Ethan! I’ve already told you that he is a bad guy. I’ll grab the ointment for you. What happened? Please tell me later.”
She cursed as she went to the medicine cabinet, held Eliana on the couch, and then sat down. Eliana’s face was treated with ointment.
Eliana informed Nana everything about the abduction that occurred yesterday.
Even though Nana was enraged, Eliana kept her from taking revenge on Ethan.
“How could you simply let him go?”
Nana was fit to be tied. Right then and there, she wanted to hand Ethan up to the cops.
“Ethan will soon have a taste of his own medicine. Hodge’s creditors are going to cause him a lot of difficulties.”
Sighing, Eliana then became silent.
Nana proceeded to apply the ointment to Eliana’s wound without saying anything more.
In a strange turn of events, Eliana, who was typically scared of pain, did not scream at all when she was treated with the ointment. Nana regarded her with bewilderment and saw that she was in a stupor.
‘Oh no! What is happening?’
Nana held a finger up to Eliana with a startled expression.
“Honey, how many of them are we looking at?”
Eliana regained her composure and chuckled, “Nana, don’t worry about me. I’m simply ruminating about something right now.”
Nana sighed with contentment. “Just tell me what you have to say. What do you need? Let me know.”
“My thoughts are racing right now.” A perplexed expression appeared on Eliana’s face. “Preston is always there for me whenever anything bad occurs to me. I get the impression that he is a trustworthy person, but I keep the children a secret from him. Please tell me whether you believe I should inform him about the children.”
Was Preston still a romantic interest for Eliana?
Eliana’s thoughts were known to Nana. “And Maurice?” she inquired.
Eliana thought about Maurice, who had put his own life in jeopardy to rescue her in utter darkness.
She was even more distressed when the faces of the two guys overlapped.
“You can’t even figure it out on your own,” moaned Nana. “In telling Preston that you have two children, you’ll simply make things more difficult. You have a way of making people fall in love with you. Preston and Maurice are in love with you and have saved your life several times. I’m not sure who I’d choose either if I were you.”
Something didn’t feel right!
Eliana had a flashback of yesterday’s tumultuous fight.
Prior to the fight, Preston’s left arm seemed to have been hurt. He refused to allow Eliana to examine his wound after the encounter.
Eliana had a sudden flash of inspiration.
The wound was similar to Maurice’s.
“I believe something is really off about this, Nana.”
Eliana informed Nana of her estimate.
“You’re saying they’re the same person?” Nana sucked in her breath.
“You can bet on it. It’s the only explanation for the bizarre coincidence that occurred between them,” Eliana opined.
“That means… It’s all a prank, isn’t it?” Nana erupted in fury, her mouth gaping out wide. “Maurice was able to become quite close to you by assuming two separate personas. It’s really happening! That being the case, you’d be wise to avoid them at all costs!”
“Nana, you could be right after all.”
Eliana wore a sarcastic grin.
If this were true, it would imply that everything was built on a falsehood.
Could deceit foster the growth of love?
Chapter 298
Meanwhile, Corbin and the doctor had been waiting at Maurice’s home for a long time. When the doctor saw the injured Maurice walk in, he rushed over to him.
After careful examination, the doctor told Maurice with a serious face, “Mr. Moran, your left arm is seriously injured now. You must recuperate peacefully. Remember not to exert too much strength with your left hand, or your injury will not heal properly and you will have sequela.”
Hearing the doctor’s words, Corbin immediately became anxious. “Boss, I’ll arrange for you to be hospitalized right away. Please don’t come to the office tomorrow.”
“No.” Maurice refused without hesitation. “My grandfather has a project for me tomorrow. I have to go abroad.”
“But, boss, your hand…”
“I’m fine,” Maurice interrupted his assistant. “If anyone asks about my whereabouts, tell them that I’ve gone abroad tonight.”
That way, he couldn’t be here when Preston was.
Maurice came up with this perfect idea after thinking it over.
He had exposed too many flaws today. He had to make up an elaborate lie so that Eliana wouldn’t be suspicious.
“I’ll make your travel arrangements then.”
Corbin wanted to say something else but stopped on second thought. He could say nothing to convince Maurice to reconsider what he wanted to do, so he just booked him a flight for tomorrow morning.
Of course he knew what his boss was doing. It was all for Eliana.
What torturous love! Corbin couldn’t help sighing.
It wasn’t easy in love nowadays. Despite being a CEO, Maurice got injured frequently.
Corbin swore to himself that he would never suffer like this when he fell in love with someone in the future.
“All right. I’m okay. You can go now.”
Maurice’s face was pale. He leaned against the sofa and closed his eyes.
It seemed that the boss was still going to hide Preston’s identity.
“Boss, it’s not a good idea for you and Eliana to be like this,” Corbin reminded Maurice, despite feeling like he was speaking out of turn.
Maurice slightly opened his eyes, trying to conceal the struggle in them, and said in a hoarse voice, “After I come home from abroad this time, I will find an opportunity to make things clear to her.”
Confused, Corbin asked, “You’re going to talk to her face-to-face?”
“I have to. That’s the only way I can minimize the fallout.”
One day after the kidnapping, Eliana’s face had healed a little and she was back at work.
She wanted to confirm her hunches, so she went upstairs to see Maurice.
However, before she arrived at the CEO’s office, she ran into Lilian and Harriet.
Lilian was still afraid of Eliana because of the coffee incident. Since then, Lilian didn’t dare provoke Eliana again.
However, Harriet walked over casually and greeted Eliana.
“Hi, Eliana. Did you come here for Mr. Moran?” Harriet flashed Eliana a wide smile.
“Yes. I have something important to report to him,” Eliana answered flatly.
Harriet raised her perfectly shaped brows and replied, “Well, that’s going to have to wait. Mr. Moran’s not here. He went on a business trip abroad the night before yesterday.”
Maurice had gone abroad? On a business trip?
Wasn’t it the night before yesterday when she was kidnapped and Preston came to save her?
Eliana’s mind was in a mess. Did she think too much this time?
The only way for her to find out the truth was to wait for Maurice to come back from abroad and ask him in person herself.
Seeing that Eliana stood still, Harriet said, “Eliana, if you’re not too busy or anything, come with me. I have something to ask you.”
Hearing that, Eliana snapped back to her senses. What did Harriet want to ask her?
“Okay, Miss Stone.”
Since it wasn’t proper for Eliana to refuse a request from her superior, she followed Harriet to her office.
As soon as they were inside, Harriet shut her office door, turned around, and eyed Eliana carefully.
“Are you a mother, Eliana?”
Chapter 299
How did Harriet know Eliana had children?
Eliana was stunned for a while, and then she said calmly, “That is a very personal question, Miss Stone. I don’t think I have to divulge pieces of my personal life to you.”
Harriet was rendered speechless and hated Eliana in her heart.
She knew about Eliana being a mother because of the photo given to her by the private detective she’d hired to investigate Silas. Looking at the photo in which Eliana was talking and laughing with three children, Harriet was so shocked that her jaw dropped.
How could Eliana know Silas?
And who were the other two children in the photo?
Could it be possible that… all the three children were Eliana and Maurice’s?
This possibility was like a small, sad stone in Harriet’s throat. She immediately asked the private detective to continue the investigation. It wasn’t until the private detective told her that Silas was actually the child of Maurice’s younger sister that Harriet breathed a sigh of relief.
Then who were the parents of the other two children?
Harriet came up with an idea.
“I’m aware that everyone is entitled to his or her own privacy, Eliana. I’m not forcing you to answer me if you don’t want to. It’s just that I’ve been hearing rumors going around the office recently. I just want to ask for some information.”
Harriet continued pretending to be a good and well-meaning person and put on an embarrassed face.
That set off alarms in Eliana’s head.
She had never mentioned to anyone in the office that she had children. How could there be rumors?
And Harriet was acting weird. Instead of inquiring about work, she was asking about the private life of one of her subordinates.
“With all due respect, Miss Stone, my personal affairs are not your or the company’s business.”
Eliana flashed Harriet a cold stare.
“Don’t be upset. I just want to know the truth. I have nothing else to ask now. You can go.”
Bearing the dissatisfaction in her heart, Harriet ended the conversation.
The diplomatic expression on her face suddenly vanished after Eliana stepped out of her office.
Eliana was so good at pretending.
Fortunately for Harriet, she had made too many enemies, and there were plenty of people who wanted to deal with her.
Harriet took out her phone and pulled up her contacts. She found a phone number under the name Erica, and her lips arched into a complacent smile.
Since Harriet was smart enough to investigate Eliana’s background, she also knew that there was some bad blood between Eliana and Erica.
She would just ask Eliana’s deadly enemy about her personal life since Eliana didn’t want to talk about it with her.
Without hesitation, Harriet dialed the number, and before long, the call connected.
“Hello, is this Mrs. Harrison?” she said in a soft voice.
“Who are you?” Erica asked in a hoarse voice from the other end of the line.
“You don’t need to know who I am. You just need to know that you and I have a common enemy who is Eliana Pierce. I called you because I want to meet with you and discuss how we’re going to deal with her. Are you interested?”
The sound of breaking glass came through.
“You know that bitch, Eliana? Okay, I’m interested. When and where shall we meet?” Erica agreed without hesitation.
Harriet smiled triumphantly at the enraged excitement in Erica’s voice.
God helped her. Harriet didn’t expect that Erica hated Eliana so much. She thought that it would take a lot effort to convince Erica to join her little crusade, but it turned out to be so easy.
“In two hours. The cafe at No. 27 Forest Road. See you there.”
“Okay.”
Two hours later, Harriet arrived at the appointed place first.
After a while, Erica walked in.
Harriet had seen photos of Erica before, so when she saw the slovenly woman at the door, she was shocked. She even considered that she might be looking at another woman.
In the photos she had seen, although Erica wasn’t a great beauty, she was still a sight to behold. Even through just photos, she exuded the kind of elegance and poise that could only come from old money.
But the woman in front of her right now was exceedingly different. She was wearing a wrinkled black dress that had spots on it. Her hair seemed to have been neglected for a long time and was shiny with grease.
Her face was sallow; her lifeless eyes had dark circles under them; and her cheeks were sunken.
At this moment, Erica didn’t look like a rich lady but like a junkie who had been struggling with addiction for many years.
Suppressing the shocked expression on her face, Harriet waved at Erica.
“Over here, Mrs. Harrison.”
Erica turned her head toward Harriet’s direction and then approached her.
“You mentioned that bitch Eliana on the phone. Tell me, has her doom befallen her?”
Erica’s turbid eyes gleamed with anticipation. She looked like a dying patient who had recovered her consciousness momentarily.
It made Harriet tremble with fear.
Chapter 300
“Don’t be so anxious, Mrs. Harrison. Please sit down and we’ll talk about it.”
Unable to bear the smell of alcohol coming from Erica, Harriet moved away in such a way that Erica didn’t notice it.
“How could I be calm in such a situation? Eliana made me lose everything that I had, and she made me look like a fool in public. She even tried to take my husband away from me. She won’t succeed, and as long as I’m alive I won’t let her!”
Erica’s sudden outburst drew the attention of most people in the cafe.
“Calm down, Mrs. Harrison. Here, have some water first.”
Saying that, Harriet quickly handed a glass of water to her. Even though she was pretending to be gentle towards her on the surface, she actually detested her in her heart.
After all, in her opinion, it was really ridiculous to go so far for a man.
Hence, though Harriet seemed to sympathize with her, she was actually complaining in her heart.
“Eliana is such a disgusting bitch! You’ve really gone through hell because of her, Mrs. Harrison. To be honest with you, that woman is trying to steal my man away from me. That’s why I asked to meet you. I want to work with you to suppress that bitch and put her in her place!”
Harriet’s words helped Erica calm herself down. She felt as though she had finally found an ally in her battle against Eliana.
As soon as Harriet found the right chance, she immediately voiced out her opinions, “Don’t you think that Eliana is insane? She already has two kids, right? I heard that Mr. Maurice Moran, the CEO of the Moran Group is the father.”
“That’s bullshit!” Erica sneered. “Their father is a gigolo.”
“A gigolo!”
Harriet was not expecting to hear that shocking piece of information.
“Since she was being so bold as to compete with me for a man, I certainly taught her a lesson! In fact, I was the one that sent that gigolo to her bed that night! I never thought that she would get pregnant and give birth to his bastard children!”
Erica did not even show a trace of guilt for the terrible thing that she had done to her former best friend. In fact, she was rather pleased with herself.
“Does Maurice know about it?” Harriet asked without thinking.
Upon hearing that, Erica’s expression darkened at once. “I don’t know what on earth Eliana did to turn the CEO of the Moran Group into her lap dog. So what’s even the point of telling him?”
‘Of course, it would make a huge difference!’ Harriet thought to herself, trembling with excitement.
Eliana had gotten pregnant with a gigolo’s children even before she was married. Even if Maurice trusted that woman, it would still be of no use. After all, a wealthy and influential family like the Moran family would never accept a woman like her as their daughter-in-law.
However, the current problem that she had now was to anonymously reveal the news to the Moran family.
Harriet was staring at Erica when an idea suddenly popped into her mind.
She realized that she had a shield in front of her.
“Mrs. Harrison, if you could take revenge on Eliana on your own and get a large sum of money in the process, then would you be willing to do it?”
“That sounds too good to be true!”
Erica’s eyes lit up, but she had no clue of what Harriet was planning.
In her eyes, she would do anything to make Eliana’s life miserable, even if no one was going to pay her for it.
Meanwhile, in the Design Department of the Moran Group.
Thinking of Maurice and Preston all day long, Eliana was in a daze. She found it difficult to think of a solution to the matter.
All of a sudden, her phone rang. It was a call from Cheryl. Cheryl informed her that she had received the sample that the company sent her, and wanted Eliana to choose an outfit for her.
Cheryl rarely ever behaved so well.
Eliana realized that it was useful to threaten Cheryl with her affair with her sugar daddy, and sighed.
So without thinking too much about it, she agreed to Cheryl’s request.
Eliana was still a little absent-minded when she arrived at the shoot location, because all she could think about was Maurice.
All of a sudden, she heard someone calling her from behind.
“Eliana.”
As soon as she turned around, she saw a beautiful face.
It was Nicole. ‘Why is she here?’ Eliana wondered.