Read with BonusRead with Bonus

3. The Bastard Child

The Bastard Child

Deep in his sleep, Samuel felt suffocated, as if something was blocking his airways. With a jolt, he woke up to find blue eyes shining with anger staring at him. He felt a cold, sharp edge against his neck—a sensation reminiscent of an event from decades ago. It took him a few seconds to realize that the person on top of him was a tiny, petite girl he had brought home the night before.

“It’s dangerous to play with weapons. Where did you get that?” Samuel asked, feeling a brief sense of relief.

The little girl didn’t move; she only increased the pressure of the knife against his throat. As his fear of the unknown dissipated, Samuel found the situation amusing.

“Alright, you’re scared, but this knife isn’t sharp enough to cut through my throat.” With swift and precise movements, Samuel took the knife from her hands and securely embraced the little girl, tossing the knife away from them.

Samuel expected her to make another ruckus, but to his surprise, she was silent and calm, as if lost in deep thought. Her big eyes, framed by her small chubby face, kept blinking. Samuel gently stroked her head and felt the warmth of her forehead.

“It’s still a little hot. You might not feel well now, but soon you’ll be perfectly fine,” Samuel reassured her, sensing her sadness.

“What do you want to eat? I’ll ask them to make it for you,” he continued after a brief silence, but the little girl still didn't react.

“What is your name, and where is your mother?” As soon as he mentioned her mother, her small drooping head lifted to look at Samuel. Her eyes sparkled with impending tears as she struggled not to cry.

“Will you let me meet my mother?” she finally replied in a small, trembling voice, the kind children use just before they burst into tears.

“Yes, all you have to do is get well, and I’ll take you back to your mother,” Samuel coaxed gently. His heart melted at the sight of her red eyes, which looked ready to overflow with tears at any moment.

A small smile broke through her sad expression before she resumed her forlorn demeanor. “I am Lucy Beatrix. You can drop me off at Beatrix Mansion; my mother works there. I even remember her phone number.”

“Alright, but first you have to promise not to use any dangerous tools,” Samuel said. If not for his years of experience handling people and his combat training, little Lucy could have been hurt by the knife earlier.

‘Although the knife wasn’t sharp enough for me, for this tender flesh it could be fatal,’ Samuel thought while caressing her soft, smooth cheeks.

Soon, Samuel came down with Lucy in his arms. Victor was already there waiting for them. “Good morning,” he said as he stood up, revealing a fresh bandage on his cheek.

“Why are you up so early?” Samuel asked, noticing the curiosity overflowing in Victor's eyes as they landed on Lucy. The shock was evident when he realized how much she resembled his boss.

“Is she—” Before Victor could finish his sentence, Samuel signaled him to be quiet. “Ma’am, please feed her something and dress her,” Samuel instructed, handing Lucy over to the women working in the kitchen before taking a seat in front of Victor.

“You have a bastard child,” Victor exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement. In the next moment, Samuel gripped Victor's neck tightly. “Who the hell are you—” Samuel couldn't finish his sentence as Victor quickly broke free from his grasp and stepped back.

“We call it ‘bastard’ in our hometown,” Victor said, realizing that calling his boss's child a bastard was inappropriate. He quickly tried to justify his words instead of apologizing.

“Get me every detail related to her,” Samuel said as he sat down again. He knew it wouldn’t be easy to confront Victor without causing chaos in the house; while they were used to such conflicts, there was still a little girl present.

“Alright,” Victor replied, not daring to approach Samuel again. He hurried out, knowing that he needed to be careful since his wound from the previous night hadn’t healed yet.

“Come back as soon as you're free and give her a proper checkup, including a mental evaluation,” Samuel instructed Leonard over the phone, preparing to leave the house.

Dressed as a proper office worker, he went down to the kitchen. His breakfast was already on the table, but there was no sign of his maid or little Lucy.

Soon, a middle-aged woman arrived, holding Lucy's hand. She looked at Samuel with a mix of doubt and concern.

Samuel avoided her gaze, focusing instead on the little girl. Despite her earlier state, after being cleaned up and dressed properly, Lucy resembled a princess from a wealthy family.

Samuel's typically sharp eyes softened significantly as he spoke gently, “An uncle will be here soon. If you’re feeling unwell at all, let him know.”

“Can I go back to my mother?” Lucy asked. Her calm eyes held a flicker of hope.

“You can call her, and I’ll take you home once you feel better,” Samuel replied, gesturing towards the landline. He harbored many doubts about Lucy's background, and if his suspicions were correct, he couldn't allow her to leave just yet.

Maintaining his composure, he instructed Mrs. Park softly, “Please take care of her and call me if anything happens. I understand you have many questions, but please be patient.”

As soon as Samuel left, Lucy dashed towards the landline phone he had indicated. From the sofa, she watched him depart, her previously sad and calm expression transforming into one of sharp focus as she gazed intently at him.

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter