My CEO Husband Says I'm Irreplaceable

Chapter 159: Chapter 159: A Total Sucker

"See for yourself." Zachary Hawthorne sighed, handing over the paternity test report.

Kevin Hawthorne took it and flipped to Brandon Linton’s page. When he saw the conclusion—"biological relationship excluded"—he was instantly relieved, and a smile spread across his face.

"Nancy Linton, is this the ’son’ you brought back? Look at you. Look how badly you’ve been fooled."

’He’d long suspected something was off. How could that child from all those years ago possibly still be alive? As long as Brandon Linton wasn’t a Hawthorne by blood, everything the family owned would still belong to Aidan.’

Nancy Linton found his smug expression jarring. She snatched the report and flipped to the end with trembling fingertips. The moment she saw the conclusion, her mind went blank with a deafening BUZZ.

"Impossible... There has to be a mistake. How could Brandon not be my son?" She snapped her head up and glared at Kevin Hawthorne. "Was this your doing? Would you stoop to something like this for the sake of your and Shirley Langley’s son?"

Kevin Hawthorne frowned, his expression a mixture of impatience and indignation. "Are you insane? Elias personally arranged for this hospital. Do you really think he’d conspire with me to deceive you?"

’That’s right. Jared Hawthorne was the one who arranged it; there couldn’t be a mistake.’

’Jared Hawthorne had no reason to help Kevin Hawthorne fake the results, either.’

’But the last DNA test had clearly stated that Brandon Linton was her biological son.’

"Elias, did the doctors make a mistake?" Nancy Linton looked at Jared Hawthorne, dazed, clinging to one last shred of hope.

"Aunt Nancy, these results are accurate."

Jared Hawthorne’s words were like a bucket of ice water, completely extinguishing her last hopes. She turned her head to look at Brandon Linton, at the face that bore a slight resemblance to her own, unable to accept that the person before her wasn’t her son at all.

Brandon Linton, who had been so sure he had a winning hand, was now in a full-blown panic.

’He’d clearly bribed the doctor, who promised to falsify the report for him. How could this have happened...?’

"Mom, someone must be trying to stop me from rejoining the family! They’re pulling strings behind the scenes to keep us apart!" Brandon Linton gripped her hand, his voice urgent. "There has to be something wrong with this report!"

"An imposter like you dares to spout such nonsense here?" Aidan Hawthorne cut in, his voice sharp and his eyes dripping with disdain. "Just because my mother is desperate to find her son doesn’t mean you can just waltz into the Hawthorne home and try to swindle us. Now, tell me, who put you up to this?"

Brandon Linton forced a calm facade, looking at Aidan Hawthorne and adopting the tone of an elder brother. "Brother, I know my return makes you feel threatened, but we’re family. Why are you coming after me like this?"

"Who’s your brother?" Aidan Hawthorne sneered. "You’re not one of the Hawthornes. What right do you have to call me brother?"

Nancy Linton’s mind was in turmoil. She instinctively looked to Vesper Grayson, hoping she would say something to set things straight.

Vesper Grayson simply looked back at her, gave a slight shake of her head, her gaze firm and calm.

’She could doubt Kevin Hawthorne, she could doubt Aidan Hawthorne, but she would never, ever doubt Jared Hawthorne and Vesper Grayson.’

’So... Brandon Linton really wasn’t her son.’

She slowly withdrew her hand. All the tenderness and heartache from moments ago vanished, replaced by a cold, hard glint in her eyes. "Who are you, really?"

"Mom, it’s me, Brandon! I’m your son!" Brandon panicked, not expecting Nancy Linton to turn on him so suddenly.

"You’re not!" Nancy Linton snatched up the report and hurled it at him, her voice filled with anger and pain. "Why did you lie to me? What did you want, getting close to me?"

"Aunt Nancy, your real son and this man were both at the Sunshine Orphanage," Jared Hawthorne said, his tone quiet but every word crystal clear. "Someone saw your notice about your missing son and got an idea. They had him impersonate your son in the hopes of enjoying the Hawthorne family’s wealth and status."

The color drained from Brandon Linton’s face.

"Then what about my son?" Nancy Linton’s voice trembled with desperation as she grabbed Jared Hawthorne’s arm. "Elias, have you already found him?"

"I have."

"Where is he?"

"Calm down. Once we’ve dealt with the matter at hand, I’ll take you to him." Jared Hawthorne’s dark eyes, cold and sharp, fell on Brandon Linton. "Brandon, are you going to confess on your own, or should I have someone help you?"

Brandon feigned composure. "I don’t know what you’re talking about!"

"It seems you won’t talk until you’re forced to."

Jared Hawthorne shot a look at Maxim Chandler.

A moment later, Quincy Jarvis was brought in.

The moment he saw Quincy Jarvis, Brandon Linton’s pupils shrank, and he blurted out instinctively.

"Auntie..."

"It was all my idea! I must have been out of my mind..." Quincy Jarvis began to panic the moment she entered, confessing everything through her tears. "I was the one who instigated this whole thing, who pushed him to come here! Please, I’m begging you, let Brandon go..."

Nancy Linton trembled with rage. Looking at the pair, her voice was like ice. "You’re worse than animals!"

’How dare they trick her with something like this, getting her hopes up for nothing.’

’If Elias hadn’t been cautious enough to suggest a second paternity test, she might have actually fallen for it.’

"Mom, don’t be so upset. There’s still time. You can keep looking..." Aidan Hawthorne stepped forward, feigning consolation, but Nancy Linton had already seen his true colors and wasn’t buying it.

"Elias just said he’s already found him! You can drop the act."

Aidan Hawthorne’s expression froze.

"Uncle Kevin, there’s another report. I don’t believe you’ve finished reading, have you?" Jared Hawthorne spoke up at the opportune moment.

Kevin Hawthorne laughed. "What’s there to see? Aidan and I are obviously father and son. He..."

His words caught in his throat, and the laugh died on his lips.

He stared at the results, again and again, his expression growing darker and darker.

"This is impossible!"

’He’d raised Aidan for more than twenty years, and he wasn’t even his son.’

’Shirley Langley had lied to him!’

"Dad, what is it?" Seeing the strange look on his face, Aidan Hawthorne stepped forward to ask, only to be shoved violently away by Kevin. Kevin stared intently at Aidan’s face. "Whose bastard are you? Shirley Langley’s and who else’s?"

Bastard...

Nancy Linton froze for a moment, then, as a realization dawned, she let out a cruel, mocking laugh.

"Kevin Hawthorne, this is karma! HAHAHA... You lost your own biological son, only to spend decades raising another man’s child. You’re nothing but a chump who took the fall, a complete and utter fool!"

Aidan Hawthorne hastily grabbed the report. After reading it, his face paled as he said, "Dad, I am your son. There has to be some kind of misunderstanding."

Blinded by rage, Kevin Hawthorne couldn’t hear a word he was saying. He spun around and stormed out.

’He was going to find that bitch and demand an explanation!’

Aidan Hawthorne hurried after him.

"Take these two to the police station and let the authorities handle them according to the law."

Once only the four of them were left in the living room, Nancy Linton spoke, unable to wait a moment longer.

"Elias, can you take me to see my son now?"

Jared Hawthorne replied calmly, "I’ll arrange for you to meet him another day, at a suitable time."

"Why another day? If you don’t have time, just tell me who he is, and I’ll go find him myself." She couldn’t wait another minute; every second of this was torture.

Vesper Grayson pursed her lips and said softly, "You should just tell her. They have to meet eventually."

After a second of silence, Jared Hawthorne handed her a file.

Nancy Linton quickly took the file. After reading it, she began to cry with joy. "Dad, we found him this time, we really found him! Take a look, his name is Luke Lockwood! He’s my son..."

"Since you’ve found him, bring him home this weekend so I can meet him."

"Yes! I’ll go find him right now..." Nancy Linton said before rushing out, unable to wait any longer.

"What a mess. That second son of mine is so foolish." Zachary Hawthorne rubbed his temples, then remembered something. "Didn’t you say you had a surprise for me?"

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