Yes, I Have a Child with the Villain

"My brother and I were raised separately from a young age.

My brother was to inherit the domestic business, while I was meant to take over the overseas operations.

That’s also why I was sent to study abroad after high school."

Adrian Grant drove steadily, revealing for the first time the real reason he had been abroad all these years.

"Who knew that five years ago, my brother would fall into the water, go missing, and things at the company would become untenable. My father only had me come back this year to take over my brother’s position."

Caroline Whitman was surprised. She never expected there was such an inside story behind Adrian Grant’s return to the country.

Hearing this, she subconsciously asked, "So, you’re going abroad?"

Adrian glanced sideways at her. "Are you that concerned about me leaving?"

"What I mean is, if you leave, the child will be without a father. And I certainly won’t be following you abroad."

Caroline muttered sullenly.

’I haven’t even won him over, and he’s leaving?’

’We’re already in the same city, living together, and my progress bar is only halfway full. Now we’re going to be long-distance? That makes it ten times harder.’

"I’m not going back. The equity transfer is already complete. He’s the one who has to go abroad."

Hearing this, Caroline’s heart eased with relief.

Just then, her phone rang. It was a video call from Ryan Grant.

"This kid really does check in every single day,"

she grumbled helplessly as she answered the call. A chubby little face appeared on the screen.

"Mommy."

Before the child could say anything more, she turned her phone to show Adrian driving.

"I’m going to dinner with your dad. Did you eat well at Grandpa and Grandma’s house today?"

The little guy had been about to ask where Adrian was. He stared at the man on the screen, and seeing that it was indeed his dad, he swallowed his question and replied instead:

"I was a good boy and ate all my food today. But Uncle Zoe kept asking me who my mommy is."

At that moment, Adrian spoke up. "You don’t have to pay him any mind."

"Oh, I didn’t tell him."

"Daddy, when are you picking me up? You and Mommy have been having your ’couple time’ for days now. Don’t forget about me!"

The little guy pouted and huffed in dissatisfaction.

Adrian’s expression didn’t change. His voice was low. "And you know I’m having ’couple time’ with your mommy, yet you still call us."

Caroline: "..."

Ryan pouted. "Well, then I want to go to Grandpa and Grandma’s house. I haven’t seen them in a long time."

His paternal grandparents were also very good to him; he just wanted to make sure he gave everyone equal time.

In his worldview, if he spent a few days at his paternal grandpa’s house, he had to spend a few days at his maternal grandpa’s house too.

Caroline respected her child’s opinion. "Let me ask your grandpa if he’s free."

But unexpectedly, the little munchkin flashed a guilty smile. Even through the screen, Caroline could tell something was up.

"Hey, little guy, you didn’t call your grandpa and ask him to pick you up already, did you?"

Ryan had a history of doing this kind of thing.

He had certainly learned how to act first and ask for forgiveness later.

Ryan’s voice became much softer, with a hint of ingratiation. "Grandpa said he’s coming to pick me up tomorrow."

"..."

"..."

The two people in the car fell silent.

Caroline glanced at Adrian’s reaction and guessed he had also just learned of this.

"Grandpa agreed?"

"He agreed. And I already told Grandpa and Grandma, so they both know."

"..."

"..."

With things having come to this, there was no point in either of them trying to intervene.

Caroline could only remind him again, "Then you remember, just like last time, no saying things you shouldn’t!"

"Mhm, I know! Love you, Mommy. Good night."

This time, before she could say anything else, Ryan hung up the phone.

"I seriously wonder if Ryan is going to cause some monumental disaster behind our backs when he grows up."

As the saying goes, the child is father to the man. Caroline was already worried about the future.

Adrian: "It won’t be that bad. Ryan is very smart. He knows he can only get away with these things because they’re within the limits of what we’ll accept."

"Hmm..."

They arrived at the restaurant.

It was another rather private establishment.

Caroline had never realized Kingsport had so many decent restaurants. Being with Adrian was certainly an eye-opening experience.

This time, they didn’t talk about work, nor did they discuss any personal matters.

They were truly, simply, having a meal.

Having already eaten one meal, Caroline could only take small, slow bites to avoid the unseemly image of herself burping.

After dinner, Caroline suggested they go for a walk to aid digestion, an idea she had wracked her brain to come up with during the meal.

They had already seen a movie in the last couple of days.

They had just finished dinner, so getting a late-night snack wasn’t realistic.

Adrian nodded. "Okay."

The two of them walked along the riverbank for over ten minutes. Caroline didn’t dare try to replicate the hand-holding from the other night.

There was no shoving incident, no sprained ankle, no drunken moment requiring support. Everything was perfectly normal.

’I really should start carrying a bottle of baijiu with me for liquid courage.’

She turned her head and saw a store right in front of them.

"I’m a little thirsty. I’m going to buy some water. Do you want any?"

"No, thank you."

Hearing this, Caroline went to the refrigerated section. She hesitated between the baijiu and the beer, but in the end, she grabbed a bottle of the baijiu.

Adrian: "?"

"This is what you drink to quench your thirst?"

In the years since becoming a senior executive at her company, Caroline had learned a thing or two about managing her expression.

She put on a natural, nonchalant expression and said, "Is there a problem?"

Adrian: "No problem."

After paying and leaving the store, Caroline, with a completely straight face, twisted open the cap and chugged half the bottle.

Adrian retracted his slightly shocked expression, then raised his hand to check the time. "It’s getting late. Let’s head back."

Caroline: "?"

’I just started drinking, and we’re already going home?’

’Didn’t I drink that for nothing?’

’But on second thought, going home isn’t so bad. I’ll just implement my plan before getting out of the car.’

’Otherwise, if I scare him off now, I’ll be tipsy and have to get a cab home by myself.’

So, Caroline nodded emphatically. "Okay."

She had just started walking to the right when Adrian casually took her hand. "This way."

"You’ve only had one gulp and you’ve already lost your sense of direction. Next time, you should probably stick to plain, non-alcoholic water."

Caroline felt the warmth of his palm, her gaze falling to their interlocked hands. His words went in one ear and out the other as she secretly thought to herself: ’This baijiu is my lucky charm! It worked so quickly.’

By the time she came to her senses, he had already led her to where the car was parked.

The drunken dizziness and sleepiness from the baijiu rushing to her head began to set in.

Caroline yawned, settled into the passenger seat, and in the quiet atmosphere of the car, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Not until the car came to a stop in the Azure Heights residential complex.

Adrian quietly turned his head, looking at the woman who had fallen asleep leaning against the car window.

The warm, yellow light inside the car fell upon her, making her appear exceptionally soft.

"Caroline Whitman."

It was the first time he had ever called her by her full name.

He waited for a moment, but she didn’t so much as twitch an eyelid.

Adrian watched her quietly for a long while before looking away. His long fingers rested on the steering wheel, tapping it twice. After a brief pause, he slowly started the car and drove away from Azure Heights.