Jeremiah smirked, glancing at the smug boy. “Getting a son out of nowhere—pretty nice, huh?”

The boy bristled. “What the hell? Don’t call me your son! I’m not your kid!”

Yvette, lounging with her chin in her hand, regarded him with bored indifference. “Are you done?”

The boy’s defiance instantly crumbled. His head drooped; he looked utterly exhausted and defeated. Faint sobs echoed through the room. His shoulders shook as he fought back tears. Samantha felt a pang of sympathy. “Hey, kid, don’t cry. We can talk.”

Emmett and Charles remained indifferent. In Voraxia, they knew children his age were often deeply involved in crime.

Eagle King scoffed, tossing aside an apple. He thought, This little brat’s acting skills have definitely improved. He knows how to work that innocent face. He’d been fooled before—once, as the world’s second-ranked assassin, he’d been outwitted by a child. The revelation would have destroyed his reputation.

The boy looked up, his large eyes fixed on Samantha. “I didn’t mean to cry. I was just excited to see Yvette. It has nothing to do with this gentleman. Please don’t misunderstand him.” He offered Jeremiah a sweet smile. “Please don’t feel bad, okay?”

Jeremiah’s gaze darkened. The boy’s innocent eyes held a mischievous glint.

Eagle King couldn’t contain himself. “What the hell, Rodney? Talk normally! Stop pretending!”

Rodney paused, then nodded seriously. He stood, dusted himself off, and addressed Jeremiah coldly. “Would you mind moving? Thanks.”

Without waiting for a reply, Rodney slipped past Jeremiah, seating himself between him and Yvette as if it were perfectly natural. He sat ramrod straight, like an adult.

Emmett, Samantha, and Charles exchanged glances. Hearing Eagle King call the boy “Rodney,” they thought, That name sounds familiar.

Rodney turned to Yvette, who had remained silent. “I disobeyed you and came to find you. Are you mad? Please don’t ignore me.”

Yvette tilted her head, her usual lazy demeanor unchanged. Her eyes half-lidded, her voice calm. “I’m not mad.”

Rodney’s face lit up. “I knew you wouldn’t be mad, Yvette. I’m the cutest kid in the world, right? I know you love me most.” He aimed a smug glance at Jeremiah, then huffed inwardly at the man’s impassivity. What about that, old man?

He turned to the others. “Hi, everyone, I’m Rodney, Yvette’s best friend and little brother.” He’d self-proclaimed that title. With a mischievous tone, he continued, “You’re all wondering how Yvette and I met, right?”

Jeremiah’s hand stilled on the armrest. Rodney crossed his arms. “It’s simple. When I first met Yvette, it was love at first sight. She saved me from a terrible situation. I know I’m young, but I’m thoughtful. When I grow up, I’m definitely marrying Yvette.”

The group was stunned. Except for Jeremiah, who remained impassive, and Eagle King, who knew the truth, everyone reacted with shock.

Yvette patted Rodney’s perfectly styled hair. “Stop talking nonsense.”

Samantha, still dazed, stepped forward. “Uh, Yvette… who is this kid?” She knew the “Mom” comment was a joke, but she was curious.

Jeremiah remained silent, staring at Rodney for a full minute.

Yvette rested her chin on her hand, watching Rodney’s obedient wait. Slowly, she said, “Rodney is Voraxia’s largest arms supplier and the new King.”

Before the revelation fully sank in, Eagle King dropped another bombshell. “The man Yvette killed, Hadley, was this boy’s father.”

Emmett, Charles, and Samantha were speechless. What? No wonder “Rodney” sounded familiar. Hadley? Rodney? This kid is Hadley’s son, the former King! They exchanged bewildered glances. Shouldn’t Yvette and Rodney be enemies? Why are they so friendly?

Jeremiah, impassive as ever, lowered his gaze slightly. “He doesn’t look like his father.”

Rodney, startled, looked up. His eyes narrowed, and a mature voice escaped him. “Do you know my father?”

Jeremiah’s gaze remained steady. “I don’t know him. I met him once.” He recalled his first Voraxian mission, a decade prior, a brief encounter with Hadley. He couldn’t imagine that rough, cold man fathering this boy.

Rodney’s expression softened, the hostility fading. He resumed his sweet, innocent demeanor.

Emmett, confused, asked, “What’s going on?”

Eagle King pointed at Rodney. “It’s simple. He’s the result of Hadley forcing a foreign actress to have a child. Hadley kept her addicted to drugs.”

Rodney showed no reaction, simply staring at Yvette with a pitiful expression.

Eagle King continued, “The woman got pregnant and gave birth to Rodney. Because of the drugs, he was frail. He barely survived, but Hadley never cared for him. He was always hungry and cold, abused. It’s a miracle he made it.”

Rodney retorted, “It’s not a miracle. I survived because I was waiting for Yvette.”

Eagle King was speechless. Who taught him those cheesy lines?