Chapter 200 Genuinely No Kinship
Nicole smiled and said nothing more.
When she saw such a scene, Joanna grabbed the folder and left.
As the door closed, Nicole looked down at the sketch she showed Wendy. At that, she picked it up, took a couple of ganders, then scrunched it up and chucked it into the bin.
It was her first sketch for Wendy, but she was never happy with how it turned out, so she gave up on it. To her surprise, Wendy had actually liked it.
Then, she smiled. The moment Wendy entered, she knew Joanna would surely come in and used this reject as a decoy. No doubt things would be interesting the following afternoon.
…
After leaving the Design Department, Anna and Wendy didn’t go home but went to the President’s office on the top floor.
Upon seeing the mother and daughter, Tony hurriedly approached them. “Mrs. Gardner, Miss Gardner, what brings you two here?”
At that, Wendy looked over at Tony. “Is Colton in the middle of something?”
Tony shook his head. “President Gardner has just finished a conference. He should be free now. Why don’t I bring you two over?”
Anna nodded with a smile, saying courteously, “Thank you.”
“The pleasure is mine.” Tony was flattered.
After escorting Anna and Wendy to Colton’s office, he immediately brought them refreshments in a manner that was as quick as a wink.
Upon seeing his family, Colton looked away from his computer and asked, “Mom, did you come to look for Nicole?”
Wendy had told him what had happened the evening before. Knowing his mother’s benign nature, she surely had taken the trip here because she felt terrible.
Anna nodded at that before she sat down on the sofa and took a sip of the freshly brewed coffee. “I’m sure your aunt had said some mean things. It was all my fault for being stubborn and it didn’t have much to do with Nicole.”
Seeing his mother was so sensible, Colton went up to her and said with a gentle voice, “Nicole wouldn’t mind.”
A smiling Anna nodded again. “She doesn’t, indeed. Nicole’s a really sensible girl.”
A hint of a smile spread across Colton’s face when his mother had such a great impression of Nicole. “Wendy’s birthday invitations are ready. If there’s anyone else you want to invite, Wendy, let me know. I’ll add to the list.”
“Thank you, Colton…” Wendy nodded as she wrapped her arm around her mother’s.
After chatting for a while, Anna looked over at Colton. “By the way, do you have anything you have to get to later?”
Stumped, he looked up at her. “No. Should there be?”
Anna smiled at that. “No, I just thought if you’re free, you can drive Wendy and me home. And while you’re at it, you can eat at home, seeing that it’s almost noon.”
Colton obliged, remembering he didn’t have anything important to get to anyway.
With that, the three gathered their things and headed downstairs.
In the car, Anna sat in the front passenger seat while Wendy sat at the back.
As it was approaching lunchtime, the streets got crowded. During their journey home, Anna asked again since she was unwilling to give up, “Colton, is Hayden really not your son?”
The boy was practically a carbon copy of Colton!
Colton smiled helplessly at that. Knowing his mother was still clinging to the hope, he explained, “We’ve done a DNA paternity test. No blood relation at all.”
A hint of disappointment flashed across Anna’s face, but she suppressed it in two shakes while sighing under her breath. “I wouldn’t have to be this worried if you at least have a woman by your side. What are you going to do about Queenie?”
Colton’s smile faded at her mention, and he said with little interest, “She helped me out in the past. Tell you what. I’ll let her occupy the spot if I haven’t found anyone else yet, hmm?”
With that, Anna took a profound gander at him and responded, “Some things you have to make the call yourself. You’ve done enough to help the Anderson Family all these years. If you think you’ve paid the debt, and you feel nothing for the girl, I suggest you end it soon, lest some people hog what isn’t theirs.”
Colton nodded at that, knowing what his mother was trying to tell him.
