Chapter 242 The Child Is Not Yours

Meanwhile, at Daltonia Villa, Nathaniel remained upset following yesterday's incident, deliberately giving Cecilia the cold shoulder. Ironically, what she once feared most—his indifference—was now her fervent wish.

Earlier, she'd finalized details for her new song, sending them to an overseas company. She'd also received extraordinary news: an anonymous benefactor had invested billions in her company, citing their admiration for her and promising continued investment, contingent only on using her song. The royalty fee was far beyond anything she'd ever imagined. Unbeknownst to her, over seven billion had vanished from Nathaniel's personal account.

Her phone rang. Seeing Vivian's name, Cecilia glanced upstairs. Nathaniel had remained in his study all day, emerging only for meals, his expression perpetually frosty. She stepped outside to answer.

"What's wrong, Vivian?"

"I'm sorry, Ceci," Vivian sobbed, her voice choked with tears. "Zachary… Zachary thought Jon was his son and took him away. I tried to get Jon back, but they wouldn't let me near his villa. They drove me away."

Cecilia's heart ached. "Don't rush, don't cry. Take your time and explain."

Vivian recounted the day's events. "That jerk Zachary! He said he wants to personally care for Jon. He even offered me money…"

The situation was utterly unexpected. How could Zachary believe Jonathan was his son?

After calming Vivian, Cecilia reassured her, "Vivian, don't cry. This isn't your fault. He's clearly not thinking straight. Since he believes Jon is his son, he won't harm him. I believe if I tell him Jon isn't his son, he'll return him."

Vivian agreed. "Ceci, he's blocked me. I can't reach him, and I don't dare contact anyone else."

She feared the situation escalating and causing Nathaniel to suspect something, especially with Elliot still nearby. The two boys looked remarkably alike; preventing a meeting between them was paramount. Although Nathaniel had seen Jonathan briefly before, the encounter had left little impression.

After a pause, Cecilia said, "I'll contact him."

"Are you sure?" Vivian knew Cecilia despised Zachary.

"I'll reach out on your behalf, telling him you're worried about the child."

"All right."

After the call, Cecilia sent Vivian money. Then, she dialed Zachary's number.

At Seabay Villa, it was nine o'clock. Since Jonathan's arrival, he'd refused food and water, daring Zachary to starve him. The nanny couldn't bear it. "Mr. Zachary, the child is young. You need to be patient."

"He won't die from missing a few meals," Zachary retorted, curious to see how long Jonathan would hold out.

The nanny left. The phone rang. Zachary answered, "Hello?"

"It's me, Cecilia."

Zachary stood, his gaze flicking toward Jonathan's room.

"Vivian wants me to tell you the child isn't yours. If you don't believe me, you can get a paternity test," Cecilia stated directly.