Chapter 224: What?
She caught herself, glanced at Adam, and added with deliberate emphasis, "It seems Sir Robert is quite something. Even when you told me how he ’groomed’ girls... I didn’t practically think how active he was... he was almost eighty... I almost feel bad for Saira..."
Adam grimaced at that, and Max outright laughed, shaking his head as he said, "A man fathering a child in his late seventies... it’s quite the dream come true, isn’t it?"
But Adam didn’t respond. He liked the kid- Adir. Had even let himself believe, for a while, that the boy might be his. As much as he hated Saira, as much as the idea of being tied to her forever because of a child made his stomach turn, knowing that Adir was Sir Robert’s son instead... it left a sour, disappointing taste.
There was something about the boy that didn’t fit with Robert Collins. Something warm. Something real.
Melanie seemed to read the thought right off his face. She reached over, caught his hand gently and held it.
Adam finally exhaled, low and tired but also reminding himself relieved. Now, he wouldn’t have to worry about how Melanie would feel about being a step mother... Of course, he didn’t say that outright. And before he could say anything, he heard Melanie ask, "What I don’t understand is, why did Saira not tell Sir Collins about this? If she’d told, wouldn’t he have at least not tried to kill her?"
Adam shook his head slowly. "Only by maintaining that Adir was my son could she convince Sir Robert that she still had a hold over me. She would’ve believed that was enough. If Sir Robert had known the truth—that the child was his—he would’ve cut her off immediately. No hesitation. Because then, it wouldn’t just be me she was manipulating. It would’ve meant she had a hold on him. And he would never have allowed that."