Chapter 171: Searching for the Biological Daughter
Chapter 171: Chapter 171: Searching for the Biological Daughter
Renee Jennings quickly poured a glass of water and handed it to him.
Dalton Jenson drank the water, then clutched his stomach as he stood up. "Oof, my stomach’s not feeling so great. I need to use the restroom."
"Are you okay?" Renee Jennings asked with concern.
"I’m fine, I’m fine. You take your time and eat." After saying this, Dalton Jenson grabbed a waiter and asked for directions to the restroom.
Renee Jennings played on her phone for a bit, then checked the time and realized more than ten minutes had passed.
She quickly called Dalton Jenson, but the line was busy.
Dalton Jenson had already snuck out of the restaurant and was on the phone with Rhea Dempsey. "Renee showed up at my work, waiting for me. She asked if we’re hiding something from her."
On the other end of the line, Rhea Dempsey asked nervously, "So what did you say?"
"I pretended I had to go to the restroom, and then I ran for it."
"You... By doing that, you’ve basically admitted we’re hiding something from her, haven’t you?"
"Well, I didn’t know how to answer. I was afraid I’d say the wrong thing and you’d blame me."
Rhea Dempsey was silent for a few seconds before sighing. "Maybe... we should just be honest with Renee."
"Are you... are you sure?" Dalton Jenson frowned.
"We can’t hide it from her." Rhea Dempsey stroked Blueberry, who was on her lap, and said helplessly, "It’s too easy for her to find out anything she wants. This house is full of her little soldiers."
Hearing this, Blueberry immediately tilted his head back and meowed, "Mom, I’m on your side!"
Rhea Dempsey stroked his head. "Alright, you go back to work. I’ll call Renee."
After hanging up, she stared blankly at the family portrait hanging in the living room.
This was the scene Renee Jennings walked in on when she got home. "Mom, what are you spacing out about?"
"Renee." Rhea Dempsey looked at her, a gentle smile appearing on her face. "Did you go looking for your dad?"
Renee Jennings sat down beside her and casually grabbed a throw pillow. "He ran off. You think Dad has a guilty conscience? He didn’t go and do something to wrong you, did he?"
"No." Rhea Dempsey was both amused and exasperated. "Your dad wouldn’t have the guts for that."
"Then what on earth happened with you two last night?" Renee Jennings frowned at her.
Rhea Dempsey took her hand, her eyes slightly red-rimmed. "Renee, the thing is..."
A thought stirred in Renee’s mind, and she suddenly had a guess. "Is it about me?"
"Yes." Rhea Dempsey nodded. "You... You should prepare yourself."
"Go ahead and tell me." Renee Jennings placed her hand over her mother’s. "I’m ready," she said softly.
Rhea Dempsey pressed her lips together, and when she spoke, her voice was choked with emotion. "Your dad said someone came to see him yesterday... saying they’re your birth parents..."
Understanding dawned on Renee Jennings in an instant.
’The Morgan Family came knocking after all.’
Renee Jennings pulled out a tissue and helped wipe away her tears. "Did they say all the newborns were mixed up?"
"Yes." Rhea Dempsey nodded.
Renee Jennings frowned slightly, recalling the contents of her dream. It seemed like that detail hadn’t been mentioned.
She only remembered that when she returned to the Morgan family, Yvonne Morgan hadn’t gone back to the Jennings family, nor had she acknowledged Rhea Dempsey.
It seemed now that Yvonne Morgan probably wasn’t the Jennings’ child.
"So what are you two planning to do?" Renee Jennings asked.
Rhea Dempsey shook her head. "We don’t know yet. We were originally planning to hide it from you for a while."
"Mom." Renee Jennings leaned against her shoulder, her voice gentle. "Whether we’re related by blood or not, you’ll always be the mom I love most."
Hearing those words, Rhea Dempsey’s tears instantly started streaming down her face.
She raised a hand to caress her daughter’s face, her voice thick with tears. "That’s what I wanted to tell you, too. You will always be my and your father’s precious daughter."
"Then no more crying tonight." Renee Jennings reached out and hugged her. "And no letting your imagination run wild. We’re a family. No matter what happens, we’ll face it together."
"Okay." Rhea Dempsey nodded repeatedly. "I promise."
Just then, several abrupt sobs broke the silence.
"MEOW-SOB..."
"WOOF-WHIMPER..."
Renee Jennings turned her head and saw that it was the furry kids who were crying.
"What are you all crying about?" She let go of Rhea Dempsey and eyed them suspiciously.
Blueberry was sobbing his heart out. "This is so touching, it’s making this cat emotional!"
Cici was crying so hard she could barely breathe. "So moving! WAHHH."
Bella nodded vigorously. "This dog also thinks it’s very moving."
Pippi agreed wholeheartedly. "Yeah! If only Stella could meet a mom like this, too!"
Renee Jennings: "..."
She pressed her lips together, about to say something, when she suddenly heard a world-shaking sob from the slider in the terrarium, who was a beat behind everyone else. "You guys, who even gets it? This turtle is so moved he’s crying!"
Renee Jennings: "..."
**
「The Morgan Residence.」
A magnificent, sparkling crystal chandelier illuminated the entire villa, making it as bright as day.
"Brother, Sister-in-law, Vincent told me you went to see that child’s parents yesterday?" Zoe Morgan put down her teacup and got down to business.
Zachary Morgan said in a low voice, "We met her father."
Zoe Morgan: "So what did you two talk to him about?"
"Nothing much." Aria Sinclair sighed. "We just told him that Renee Jennings isn’t their biological daughter and showed him the paternity test and the video of the hospital nurse deliberately swapping the babies back then."
"What did he say?" Zoe Morgan asked.
Zachary Morgan frowned. "That Dalton Jenson doesn’t look like a capable man. He just said he had to go home and talk it over with his wife."
A trace of disdain flashed in Zoe Morgan’s eyes. "No wonder they raised the child so poorly. So, Brother, Sister-in-law, what are you planning to do?"
"I don’t know." Aria Sinclair looked at her husband. "I’ll let your brother decide this."
Zachary Morgan’s brow was tightly furrowed. "How can I be the one to decide? This isn’t just my problem!"
’The mere thought of his long-lost daughter being a vain, unaccomplished good-for-nothing who only knew how to flirt with men everywhere made him furious.’
’If he were to acknowledge a daughter with such a terrible reputation, his rivals would probably wake up from their dreams laughing.’
"Zoe, what do you think?" Aria Sinclair grabbed her sister-in-law’s hand. "Please help your brother and me figure something out."
Hearing this, Zoe Morgan gave a helpless smile. "Sister-in-law, it’s not my place to say much about this kind of thing. Although I don’t like that child either, it was Mom’s dying wish, and Dad keeps asking..."
Before she passed, Grandma Morgan held Zachary Morgan’s hand and made him promise to find his biological daughter and bring her back into the family fold as soon as possible.
Grandpa Morgan had also been urging Zachary Morgan to find his biological daughter all these years.
"Sigh." Aria Sinclair sighed again. "If only that child were a little more outstanding, we wouldn’t be in such a difficult position. Besides, I’m also worried that if we really bring her home, Yvonne’s sensitive nature will cause her to overthink things."
"Actually, Yvonne mentioned this to me," Zoe Morgan said, a look of pity in her eyes. "She’s afraid you’ll stop loving her because of this, and she’s worried you’ll kick her out when you bring your biological daughter back."
"That silly girl." Aria Sinclair was both exasperated and heartbroken. "Did you tell her not to let her imagination run wild? No matter what happens, she is the apple of the Morgan family’s eye, my precious daughter."
Zachary Morgan: "Why don’t we just give that child a sum of money and not bring her back."