Chapter 195 - 194: The Prince for a Civet Cat

"I haven’t told him about this yet. How about I ask him first? If he agrees to a paternity test, I’ll send you a location."

How could Auntie Dahlia refuse? She could only agree profusely.

After hanging up, Yvonne Lowell pinched the bridge of her nose. ’I hope the results this time won’t disappoint Auntie Dahlia.’

Leo Grant had her lean on his shoulder and began massaging her temples. "Should I have William Lynch come up?"

"Yeah, I need to talk to him and get his opinion first. If he’s willing, I’ll have Auntie Dahlia and the others come to Continent R. You’ll have to lend him to me for a day then."

Leo Grant was, of course, more than willing. He took out his phone and sent a message to William Lynch.

"Just have them come directly to The Shadow Pavilion. It’s not like The Shadow Pavilion doesn’t have a helipad. And with so many rooms, how could we have our elders stay somewhere else?"

’Make it official! Everything has to be official! Clear all roadblocks!’

Yvonne Lowell’s expression turned subtle. "President Grant, this is the first time I’ve seen someone so eager to get beaten up. That couple can really fight."

Leo Grant felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.

He gritted his teeth. "It’s fine. They’ll stay at The Shadow Pavilion. I should fulfill my duties as a host."

"Alright then. In that case, I wish you success," Yvonne Lowell said, patting his thigh.

Leo Grant shot her a sideways glance. "If your expression wasn’t so gloating, I might actually believe you."

"Ahem... anyway, I don’t think what happened back then was that simple. Auntie Dahlia and her husband erected a grave for the child they lost."

After a pause, Yvonne Lowell added, "And it wasn’t a cenotaph."

’Otherwise, Auntie Dahlia wouldn’t have said ’this is the one’ just now. The ashes in that burial mound are probably from the stillborn baby back then.’

Leo Grant’s hands paused for a moment before resuming their natural movement. "Are you saying someone might have orchestrated this back then? A classic switcheroo?"

"More or less. William Lynch is twenty-two, and I heard Auntie Dahlia and her husband have been living with my master for about twenty-two years, too. I’m afraid they had identities we don’t know about before that. We’ll have to wait for Auntie Dahlia to arrive to know the details."

Yvonne Lowell sighed. "Why does everything happen to me?! I’m just so, so, so busy, worrying about this and that every day. There’s always something to worry about!!"

’I still don’t know what’s going on with Cole. Once Auntie Dahlia’s situation is resolved, I’ll have to ask about what’s happening over there and see if they need my help.’

’And Third Brother should be heading to Loster for his exams soon. I promised I’d go with him.’

’I spend half the year flying.’

’If I’d known it would come to this, I wouldn’t have worked so hard back then.’

’Wouldn’t it have been nice to just be a freeloader, lying low in Apeiron?!’

’Sigh, it’s a long, sad story.’

Leo Grant found it a bit funny. "Maybe this is a kind of karma? You planted the seeds of slacking off and being lazy at work, so you reaped the fruit of endless worries?"

Yvonne Lowell opened her eyes and gave him a dark look. "So you’re saying this is my retribution? Should I leave then? Go back to work right now?"

"Ahem, no, that’s absolutely not what I meant."

Leo Grant quickly changed the subject. "William Lynch should be on his way up. Should he come to the study to talk, or...?"

Yvonne Lowell sat up straight. "I’ll go to the living room. Aren’t you using the study?"

"It’s fine, a little while won’t make a difference."

Yvonne Lowell glanced at the mountain of files on his desk and said pointedly,

"You should get back to work. Don’t be lazy all day. I can handle all the worrying."

Leo Grant let out a helpless laugh. ’I’d almost forgotten what a grudge-holder she was.’

Rejecting Leo Grant’s offer to join her (and eavesdrop), Yvonne Lowell went to the living room by herself.

Just as she sat down on the sofa, William Lynch came up. "Miss Lowell, you were looking for me?"

’Is she going to ask me to switch jobs again? Ask me, please ask me! I’ll definitely say yes this time!!!’

Yvonne Lowell lifted her chin. "Have a seat."

William Lynch glanced at the huge lion lying by her feet and timidly sat down in the corner of the sofa farthest from her.

His back was ramrod straight, sitting primly and properly, like a job applicant waiting for an HR manager’s questions.

Yvonne Lowell cleared her throat. "I heard from your master that you’ve been in an orphanage since shortly after you were born?"

Although William Lynch didn’t understand why she was asking, he still answered respectfully,

"Yes, Miss Lowell. Before I met the Master, I lived in an orphanage my whole life. The director said I was abandoned shortly after birth, with no identifying items on me."

’If it weren’t for my debt of gratitude to the Master for recognizing my potential, my conscience wouldn’t have just barely won out a moment ago...’

Yvonne Lowell nodded in understanding.

"Here’s the thing. The first time I saw you today, I thought you looked a lot like one of my elders. And that elder, as it happens, gave birth to a stillborn baby twenty-two years ago."

William Lynch was horrified inside, but his expression didn’t show it.

Anyone who could become Leo Grant’s confidant was certainly no fool; he understood Yvonne Lowell’s implications.

He asked tentatively, "Miss Lowell, forgive my impertinence, but... how much does your elder look like me?"

"It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say you’re identical... Forget it, I’ll just show you a photo."

Yvonne Lowell scrolled through her cloud storage for a while and finally found a photo of Auntie Dahlia.

When he saw the photo, William Lynch realized that Yvonne Lowell’s words had not been the slightest bit of an exaggeration.

Auntie Dahlia’s features were already quite sharp and heroic, and aside from having the same amber eyes as Uncle Stark, William Lynch looked like he was cast from the same mold as her.

Yvonne Lowell added pointedly, "Her husband’s eyes are also amber-colored."

William Lynch’s pupils contracted sharply, and his hands clenched into fists unconsciously. A strange feeling welled up inside him.

’So my abandonment was likely a complete and utter conspiracy? Maybe I wasn’t a child my parents didn’t want?’

William Lynch’s lips parted a few times, and he hesitated. "I... can I meet them?"

Whether it was true or not, he wanted an answer.

Even if it ended in disappointment, he needed to give his past some kind of closure.

Yvonne Lowell smiled. "That’s exactly what I wanted to ask you. I told them that if you were willing, I would have them come over for a paternity test."

William Lynch took a deep breath. "I’m willing. I’m willing to do a paternity test."

"Alright, I’ll let them know. I bet the two of them are waiting by the plane right now, ready to take off the second they get the message."

Yvonne Lowell took out her phone and sent Auntie Dahlia a location pin.

After sending it, she looked up and saw William Lynch looking at her, as if he wanted to say something but was hesitating.

Yvonne Lowell raised an eyebrow. "Something you want to ask me?"

"Yes. I’m a little curious... what kind of people are they?" William Lynch asked, awkwardly clutching at the leg of his pants.