Chapter 53 Stunned
If Michael had paid more attention to Madeline, he might have realized that she looked quite like a younger version of his mother.
As such, he would’ve realized Madeline was actually his and Crystal’s daughter.
Unfortunately…
Upon recalling Madeline’s life growing up and the way she was treated by the Taylor family, Michael felt his heart clench, and a lump formed in his throat.
“Maddie…” he hesitantly said, trying his best to smile at Madeline. “Please, allow me to call you that.”
“Sure,” Madeline replied, feeling nervous about how polite Michael was. “Mr. Wendel, feel free to do so.”
“You don’t have to call me that. Just call me…” Michael was stumped.
What should she refer to him as?
He was almost one-hundred-percent sure Madeline Taylor was his daughter.
But the most persuasive piece of evidence was still missing—the Certificate of Paternity.
One shouldn’t acknowledge someone as a parent so casually.
He currently had no right to ask her to refer to him as ‘Father’.
That thought made him quite distressed.
Michael had to change the topic. “Maddie, do you know about… your family?”
“Yes,” Madeline answered with a nod. “If by that you mean you are possibly my father, and your wife is possibly my mother. I know of it.”
“Do you mind if the family doctor takes some of your blood to be sent for a paternity test?” For some reason, he suddenly felt anxious.
“I don’t mind,” she solemnly said as her eyes remained trained on Michael. “If you really are my father, and your wife is my mother, I would be ecstatic. People used to jeer and gossip about Quincy and Joel because of who I am. If you and your wife are their grandparents, they wouldn’t be looked down on for having a mother who was born out of wedlock. That would make me incredibly happy.”
“Quincy and Joel…” Michael’s mind wandered.
He knew of those two kids.
To save Sam, the Taylor Family had forced Madeline to go through IVF and bear test-tube babies.
When his wife told him about the pregnancy, he didn’t think too much about it.
But now that he was reminded of the children, his heart throbbed with pain.
His daughter wasn’t even twenty years old when she gave birth to the twins.
She was still a child!
As a matter of fact, Isabel was Sam’s sister, but the Taylors couldn’t bear to let Isabel have children while she was still unmarried. Hence, they pushed Madeline into having test-tube babies, so that they could harvest the cord blood and save Sam.
Back then, he felt nothing since it wasn’t any of his business.
He even thought that it was Madeline’s duty since she owed Dan her life, and the Taylors had raised her.
But now that he knew she was highly likely his daughter, the circumstances of her pregnancy pained him so very much.
This girl was quite possibly his flesh and blood.
She was a beloved daughter of the Wendel Family.
However, because of his carelessness and incompetence, someone took her away, after which, she was left alone in the world, dependent on strangers, and tormented by life.
“I’m sorry.” He felt as though he had been stabbed in the heart, and he teared up. “I’m so useless. I didn’t perform my duty as your father and allowed that evil woman to take you when you were so young…”
“We’re not sure yet.” Madeline smiled. “It’s a little too early to be apologizing when the paternity test hasn’t been done.”
“Let’s get the blood to the labs for testing first,” she said, stretching out her arm. “We can talk once the results are out.”
Nothing was impossible in this world.
Everyone thought she was the daughter of Michael Wendel and Crystal Taylor, but what if she wasn’t?
What if someone messed up, and this was just a mistake?
It was better to wait for concrete evidence before talking to each other.
After all, it would be so very awkward if everyone were wrong, and the paternity test revealed that she wasn’t Michael and Crystal’s daughter.
Michael understood what she meant by that. “You’re right!” he agreed. “Let’s get the blood tested first. We’ll talk in further detail once the results are out.”
He adamantly believed Madeline was his and Crystal’s daughter, but he needed the results of the paternity test. It would be strong and undeniable evidence, and by then, Madeline could properly return to her rightful family.
At this moment, Jonathan stood up and called for the family doctor.
The doctor drew Michael’s and Madeline’s blood.
The tubes of blood were placed in a cooler box.
Then, the doctor left along with Jonathan and the bodyguards.
The best paternity testing center in Dusktown was already notified by the time the group was on their way.
To ensure the authenticity of the test results and to prevent other people from messing with the results, Michael had his son, Jonathan, and a few of Michael’s men personally watch the testing process.
Madeline’s mind was filled with thoughts of her twins. She didn’t think there was anything Michael and she needed to talk about before the results were out.
She wanted to leave very badly. She wanted to return to Hart Residence and look after her children.
But she was the host here, and Michael was the guest. It would be rude of her to shoo him off when he had yet to show any intent to leave.
Meanwhile, Michael studied Madeline. The longer he looked at her, the more beautiful and refined she seemed to him, and the more he liked her.
He was about to say something to better know her and her children when the door was violently slammed open.
There was a loud bang as the door crashed into the wall.
Isabel was on the warpath as she marched toward Madeline and raised her hand to slap Madeline.
Just as Michael thought to stop Isabel, Madeline grabbed Isabel by the wrist and threw Isabel over her shoulder. Isabel then crashed to the ground.
But that wasn’t all.
Madeline then stepped on Isabel’s chest, leaned down, and loudly slapped Isabel without even removing her foot. “This slap is for Quincy!”
Madeline slapped Isabel hard once more.
“This is for Joel!”
Then, there was another loud slap.
“This is for me!”
Madeline had been practicing martial arts for nearly ten years. Hence, her slaps were so strong that it made the other person think they were being slapped by something metal instead.
The slaps left Isabel shrieking with pain. Blood dripped from her lips and nostrils.
Isabel saw stars but did her best to glare at Madeline with disbelief. Her voice trembled with rage as she shouted, “You hit me? Madeline, have you forgotten your place? How dare you hit me? ”
“Mind your manners!” snapped Michael, the man who always looked so kind and warm. There was an icy cold expression on his handsome and noble face.
He looked down and disdainfully said to Isabel, “Maddie could possibly be my and Crystal’s daughter! From now on, I will pull out the teeth of anyone who has the gall to insult her!”
Isabel was stunned.
What did her uncle say?
Madeline was his daughter?
No, no, no!
It was impossible!
What was going on today?
Was the world going to end?
Was she still asleep, and this was all a nightmare?
First, her grandfather went from being her brother’s savior to an enemy. Then, her father and brother kicked her out of the family.
Now, her uncle was saying Madeline might very well be his daughter!
No.
This was impossible!
