The height of the man was also a dead giveaway; Jeffrey was the spitting image of his father.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Is the kiddo down for the night?" Paige nodded, her voice soft with a mother’s weariness, "Yeah, wanna take a peek? | can bring her over..." "No need." Huxley waved off the offer, his face a mask of stern resolve. "We heard from Jeffrey. The kid's his?" "Yes!" Paige's gaze was steady, devoid of evasion or guilt. "You can always go for a paternity test.” "That's exactly why I'm here," Huxley's impression of Paige was far from favorable, and it showed in his unsmiling demeanor. "If the test confirms she's a Turner, we're willing to take the child in and raise her, and we'll give you a lump sum for your trouble.” Paige blinked, the redness returning to her already tear-swollen eyes. "So, even if | bore a Turner child, there's no chance of marrying Jeffrey?" "It's not that | don't want you joining the family—it's Jeffrey who doesn't want to marry you." That was something Huxley couldn't force.
He could lay out the pros and cons, but when it came to his son's marriage, he couldn't demand it. He'd spoken in anger before, but seeing his son so adamantly refuse, Huxley wouldn't coerce him into marriage.
After all, what was the point of going through all that trouble just to end in divorce? "I knew it..." Paige muttered, her voice breaking as she wiped away fresh tears with the back of her hand. "Forget the marriage. | didn't tell him about the baby for money! This child is my flesh and blood—I won't let you take her away, and | don't want your money." "Jeffrey mentioned a congenital heart defect?" "Yes." "Well, congenital heart defects don't run in the Turner family." Paige looked up sharply, her brow furrowed. "I've agreed to the paternity test. We don't need to discuss this further. As soon as my daughter wakes up, we can go. She's just fallen asleep, so you'll need to wait." "I'm not doubting the child's lineage. It's about responsibility. If your family has a history of congenital heart defects, you shouldn't keep the child." Paige was at a loss for words.
"Look, | know | shouldn't be saying this, but since it involves the Turners, | have to speak up. Paige Taylor, you claim to love my son, but you secretly have a child who might carry a genetic illness. And now, in this predicament, don't pretend like you want nothing in return." Paige bit her lip, silent, while Paloma, feeling her husband had gone too far, subtly tugged at his sleeve.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmHowever, Huxley, being a stubborn man who didn’t mince words, had little patience for Paige's claims of selfless devotion.
"You and | both know, you're keeping this child to tie my son down, holding on to some hope of marrying him one day! Am | wrong?" "I love him. Is that so wrong?" "Mutual love is love. What you're doing is selfish." "Enough." Paloma, empathizing with another woman whose child was seriously ill, interrupted, "Let's do this—since the child is asleep, we'll come back tomorrow. Or leave us your number, and we'll coordinate a time for the test.” Paige agreed without objection, reciting her number.
Huxley and Paloma left the hospital without so much as a glance at the child.
Once they were in the car, Paloma let out a heavy sigh.
"Judging by Paige's demeanor, the kid is most likely Jeffrey's. Honey, maybe we should pay the Miller family another visit. | could talk to Karen's parents, promise them anything as long as they don't break up. Who knows... it might just give our son another shot."