A Replacement Bride

Chapter 248

After Katherine ended the call, she looked at Joaquin and parted her lips to explain everything. Alas, she felt as though something was stuffed in her throat, and her voice refused to cooperate with her.

He was sitting right next to her the entire time, so he had already listened in on the conversation between her and Keith. He hugged her gently and reassured her, "I know. Don't worry. Since Keith has the antidote, we can save Noah."

At this point, he could feel a tidal wave of emotions thrashing in his heart. Previously, his love for Noah was a natural bond that he had dismissed because he thought his love for her was due to Katherine and a yearning to have a daughter of his own with Katherine.

Now that he thought about it, he finally realized where the inexplicable and unconditional love he had for Noah came from. As part of the saying goes, 'blood is thicker than water'. Noah was his biological daughter!

When he thought of this, he quickly whisked out his phone and excitedly booked a flight ticket. Thus, he threw the doctor's advice out the window and returned to Cechirus with Katherine that very night.

...

Meanwhile, Jayden immediately got the news that Joaquin and Katherine had left Fontan the instant they reached the airport. "Boss, Miss Cornell just boarded the flight to Hovington."

Jayden was currently flipping through a file. So, when he heard of this, he raised his dark eyes and asked, "Did she leave alone?"

"No." His assistant, Aaron, shook his head. "She was with a man, but Boss, you wouldn't have guessed who that man was!" At this point, Aaron looked solemn. "He's from Area Seven! He was the man who was ordered to destroy our lab five years ago!"

Jayden didn't even flinch when he heard the news, but his gaze was filled with unnamed emotions.

Aaron was a little puzzled by his lack of reaction. "Boss, why aren't you surprised?"

"Why would I be?" Jayden sneered. "I've already met him."

"You did?" Aaron blurted, appalled. "Did he—"

"No, don't worry. He doesn't recognize me." Jayden rose to his feet, stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, and swept his gaze across the base outside with his hands behind his back. A hint of viciousness hovered under his eyes. "I have never made any public appearance as the mastermind behind TruMark Research, nor do I have a codename. So, how would he know my true identity?"

Aaron only heaved a huge sigh of relief after Jayden's words. Then, he grinned maliciously, "He came to Fontan to destroy our lab, but we were one step ahead of him. Although he managed to destroy our underground lab, we had plenty of other hideouts, and that lab was just the least important one we owned. He could destroy it however he liked. It didn't hurt us at all."

Aaron was right. Jayden had already abandoned that underground research institute, so it didn't matter when Area Seven trashed it. Furthermore, he intended to take this opportunity of Joaquin's destruction of the toxin to erase TruMark Research's traces from the public. From then on, he could hide in the shadows, which was easier for him to make his move.

His chips had fallen where he intended, and everything went according to his plan. It seemed as if TruMark Research had been wiped out from the face of the earth after that night, and any eyes on

them decreased tremendously. Therefore, he raked in a lot of cash by secretly selling the toxins his facility produced.

"But what is the relationship between Miss Cornell and that man? How did they end up together?" Aaron muttered curiously.

Jayden's face sank at those words. He pursed his lips tightly and said nothing.

Joaquin's appearance was a surprise to him.

He had never hidden his admiration for Katherine. He had always known that Katherine was very accomplished, talented in medicine, and adept at concocting reagents. Thus, he knew that it would be highly beneficial for him if he could win her heart. Hence, he pursued her with a strong motive.

However, as time went by, he had a change of heart and fell in love with her.

Katherine was simply too charming and charismatic! She radiated a brilliance everywhere she went, and he couldn't take his eyes off her! Such a woman was a perfect match for him!

Therefore, he would do anything to win her heart. It didn't matter, even if she was now Joaquin's wife!

A sinister gleam flashed in his eyes when he thought of Joaquin's existence as he ordered coldly, "I'll hand over the affairs here to you. Book a flight ticket for me to Cechirus. I'm leaving today."

Aaron was taken aback by the sudden order and asked respectfully, "Boss, are you returning to Kyoland?"

"No," Jayden uttered coldly. "I'm going to Hovington."

...

Katherine and Joaquin returned home as soon as they touched down at Hovington.Têxt belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.

Keith was already home and waiting for them. His eyes lit up in excitement when he saw the two of them. "Kathy! Have you found out anything?" When he came home, Jennifer told him that Katherine had gone to Fontan to locate Noah's biological father.

Jennifer heard the ruckus, so she came out of the room and beamed. "You're back! Come. Sit down. Tell me, have you found out anything from this trip?"

Katherine and Joaquin exchanged glances at their concern before walking over together.

Katherine sat beside Jennifer, but Joaquin remained standing, so Jennifer muttered in confusion, "Joe, don't just stand there. Join us."

Joaquin pursed his lips and looked at Katherine's face before taking a long breath and said gravely, "Grandma, I want to apologize to you."

"What?" Jennifer was even more bewildered at this point and blinked dazedly. "Why are you apologizing to me?"

Then, she turned to Katherine and questioned, "Kathy, what's wrong? Did you guys fight?"

Katherine shook her head and instinctively wanted to explain, but Joaquin interjected before she could say a word, "No, Grandma. I'm apologizing to you for the incident five years ago."

"Five years ago?" Jennifer and Keith said in unison, wholly perplexed by his apology.

Joaquin decided to pull off the Band-Aid by explaining himself in one go, "Actually, I'm the person Kathy is looking for, and Kathy is also the person I'm looking for."

As soon as he said this, Jennifer and Keith were stunned, and neither spoke. Finally, after a long moment of silence, Jennifer widened her eyes and stuttered out, "Y-You are that man?! Y-You are

Noah's father?!"

Joaquin nodded solemnly. "Yes, I am Noah's father. Unfortunately, I only found out about this recently."

Nonetheless, he lowered his head in shame as he continued, "Back then, such an outrageous matter happened because of an unacceptable reason. After that, I've been looking for Kathy high and low, but an impostor faked her identity, which was why it took me so long to find her. When I learned I had made a mistake; I sent my men to investigate the matter. I coincidentally found the same clues as Kathy, which revealed the truth behind that night."

At this point, he clenched his fists tightly and looked tense as he forged on, "I know I messed up that night. I hurt Kathy, but I had already made up my mind at the time that I would take care of her for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, I didn't do as I promised due to my negligence. Don't worry, Grandma. I can assure you that from now on, I will never let any harm come to Kathy and Noah. I will protect Kathy and Noah with my life!"