330 Exposed

May 1, 20X2 (Saturday)

Various Places

In her anger because of the events that took place on the jewelry exhibit, Ye Lan had done the most idiotic thing that Li Nai Nai had suggested. Ye Lan hired a private investigator on her name to search for more information about Mei Lin from her past to the present. She had also demanded someone to tail Mei Lin's every move.

Li Nai Nai, once she heard Ye Lan talking to her about doing the things she had suggested, merely smirked, inwardly, as she congratulated herself for a job well done at manipulating her boss. Ye Lan was too desperate and trusting of her that she did not notice how easily it was to pick on her trail if she used other people to hire especially private investigators that are citizens of the country that does it as a legal business.

The said private investigator was camped like a paparazzi on top of the tree that overlooked the main entrance of Zhao Manor. With a camera on hand for evidence, the private investigator took photos of Jerome Bonaparte with a mask, taking Mei Lin out with the two kids and into the Zhao family car. Zhao Yang had already gone out to work. When the car drove off, the investigator instantly climbed down the tree and followed with his small motorcycle.

Arriving at the Xue Manor, the investigator was shocked. Who was that man with Zhao Mei Lin? Why was there no Zhao family member that was with them? Why were they in Xue Manor? What was their purpose? Was there a secret that these two families have that the public did not know? The private investigator realized why paparazzi liked their jobs so much.

Meanwhile, Jerome was holding Ling Ling in his arms like the little girl was his lifeline. He was ashamed to admit it, but Jerome was using Ling Ling's small body as a shield against his father's unnerving stare. The Xue Manor was silent and awkward.

"Where's Mei Lin, Dad?" Chang Min asked as his head turned to search for his younger sister.

Ling Ling uncovered her face on Jerome's neck, where she hid in shyness at the new environment. Although Ling Ling and Chang had come to Xue Manor before, they had not stayed enough to see it as a second home. Hearing their Uncle Min's voice, Ling Ling grinned and waved her hands. Chang Min grinned back and made funny faces, which made the little girl giggle.

"Mei Lin had to go to the bathroom. Chang is with her." Jerome replied at his son's questions, but his eyes were solely focused in front of him where her father was sat. He had only ever seen his father far away when his Commander Alfonsi had pointed it out. Never in his entire life would he dream of meeting Jean Bonaparte face to face like this in an intimate setting with the family that he had made for himself without his father's help or permission- not like he needed or wanted it.

Jean's eyes were glued at the little girl in Jerome's arms. Softly, Jean talked for the first time since meeting Jerome, "Is she Mei Lin's daughter?"

Jean and Jerome's eyes met, and the same pain flashed in their irises. It was Ling Ling that interrupted their silent gaze of trying to communicate nonverbally. She sat on her grand-père's lap with a broad smile, turning her body to face the people seated around the comfortable living. With her adorable braided high pigtails, Ling Ling broke the unnatural silence and vanished the purple elephant of awkwardness as she exclaimed, "I'm Wu Mei Ling or Ling Ling for short! I'm Mom and Dad's child from the orphanage."

Jean was an uptight and a bit arrogant man, but he was not without a heart. Ling Ling had a charm and a warm atmosphere that made one want to dote on her. Jean's hands itched to carry the little girl in his arms too. Jean had hoped for a daughter, he had prayed for a large family, but he, unfortunately, had lower sperm count than most men. Only two men could only be born from him each from different women.

When a pregnant woman waddled into the room with a little boy beside her carrying a large book, Jean gulped as she stared at her. His granddaughter had the facial structure of Xue Mu Lan but the coloring of an Alfonsi. Jean rubbed his hands on his tighs, nervous. His throat dried, feeling a little shock that Mei Lin was already pregnant.

Chang looked at the old foreign man in the room, and then he looked at his grand-père. For a moment, everyone was once again silent. It was Chang that broke this drought of noise by smartly saying to his mother, "He and grand-père are too similar looking. Is he our great grand-père?"

Mei Lin was like a deer caught in headlights. How was she going to answer a question that she wanted to ask too? Mei Lin knew nothing about who the man was. She had seen him on TV and news some times, but she never really thought they were even remotely connected."

Jean nodded without hesitation, "Yes. I am your great grand-père."

Ling Ling's and Chang's faces instantly light up. In Mei Lin's eyes, a flash of mirth could be seen as her lips turned upwards as she slowly sat beside her father. Mei Lin put her hand on top of Jerome's hands before squishing it a little and letting go to help Chang sit beside her.

"Can I call you 'grand-père'?" Mei Lin did not waste any second in asking, surprising everyone in the room. When she had discovered the truth about her connection with the Xue family, Mei Lin had been livid at first. It took time and Yang consoling her to settle her muddled thoughts before. Now, she was taking to it like fish to water.

Happy with Mei Lin's immediate acceptance of him, Jean Bonaparte nodded, enthusiastically, "of course! It is your right!"

Mei Lin's smile suddenly vanished as she sneered, her beautiful face scrunched up, "It was also my right to grow up with a family and not in an orphanage. Why? Why show up now when we are starting to piece back what is left of this broken family?"

Jean sighed, "Because whatever I do, whatever you do, you are still family. I want to recognize Jerome as my child. I have been planning to do so before he married Xue Mu Lan, but he had to run away into witness protection, so I cannot do it. There was no right time."

Mei Lin could see the same pain in her great grandfather that was also in her father's eyes. She could not say anything else to contradict it. Chang Min was listening, but his fists were closed and near the gun, hidden on his side.

Jerome wrinkled his pants as his hands gripped the fabric that covered his knees, "Why did you leave my mother, especially when you know she was with child?"

Jean sighed and told the truth without making excuses, "I was young, power hungry and greedy. I have been a bad father. No, I have not been a father at all, but I am willing to try again... if you take me. I am not going to force you; just know that my wife and my second son already know about this. Julien is expecting Jerome in France soon."

Jerome had to go out of the room; he had had enough of his father. Jerome needed time and space. Hurrying, Jerome shut himself on his usual room that he used to share with his wife. He grabbed the perfume bottle that Xue Mu Lan used to wear and sprayed it on the pillow. Jerome buried his face on those pillows and allowed his tears to fall.

The rest of the people in the living room allowed Jerome Bonaparte to process the information. Mei Lin and the kids, who were deprived of a family in the orphanage, quickly took to the foreign man. Jean Bonaparte must be a lucky man because he had caught Mei Lin on a calm and peaceful day on her pregnancy. Chang Min was on the side, sitting still beside his grandparents, still suspicious about the whole thing.

At the same time, Ye Lan and the private investigator that she had hired was busy selling to every media channel, outlet, agency, and interested parties the pictures that the investigator took in secret. Other reporters thought twice on what to write as they remembered what had happened to the affair scandal before. Most significant news media showed the pictures, but only made guesses and asked the Zhao family to answer who the man that Mei Lin was seen going out with.

On his hideout, David gritted his teeth. His eyes zeroed into the man that was with his precious Miss M and recognized the foreign man instantly. David's clenched hands tightened, and his nails began to dig into his palms in his anger. He knew who was selling these pictures!

Dialing Ye Lan's number, David shouted instantly as his call was picked up, "COME HERE AND BRING THAT STUPID DESIGNER WITH YOU!"