Chapter 199


    Chapter 199 Mr Winters Is Your Father


    At the Winters Estate..


    The bedroom was pitch ck, with tightly drawn curtains blocking out any trace of light.


    The tall figure of a man leaned in the corner with a pile of empty wine bottles surrounding him. He had


    been drowning his sorrows in alcohol all day.


    He shut himself off in this dark world, neither eating nor drinking, using alcohol alone to numb himself.


    Elias feltpletely useless….


    His father was gone. His grandfather was gone, and now the entire Winters Family relied on him alone.


    He had to confront the entire board of directors.


    Yet he still had to handle his grandfather’s funeral, and he felt that he could no longer shoulder these


    responsibilities.


    At that moment, amotion could be heard outside.


    Elias furrowed his brow impatiently. Now, any sound he heard would only irritate him.


    “Mr. Elias, please open the door. I have something to say to you. Please open the door!”


    Oscar’s voice echoed from outside the bedroom. He had been loyal to Howard for many years and was


    unwaveringly devoted to him.


    Now that Howard was gone, Oscar’s grief was probably no less than his own.


    However, he had no mood to see anyone now, not even Amanda if she were toe.


    The knocking on the door continued incessantly. Each knock felt like a hammer striking his head,


    causing it to ache as if it were about to explode.


    Oscar kept calling from outside and asked him to open the door….


    Elias’ headache was intense. He struggled to get up, walked to the door, and opened it. He recked of


    alcohol and angrily shouted, “Get lost! Go as far away as possible! Now that Grandpa is gone, why are


    you still lingering in the Winters Family? Go live your own life! There’s no one here for you to serve


    every day anymore!”


    When Howard was alive, Oscar practically revolved around him every day. Oscar had followed Howard


    for most of his life, and their bond was no less than that of a grandson.


    Tears streamed down Oscar’s face as he pleaded, “Mr. Elias, I want you to investigate this matter


    thoroughly. Old Mr. Winters couldn’t have inexplicably fallen down the stairs!”


    “What do you mean?” Elias looked at him with a deste gaze and sensed that he had something


    more to


    say.


    Oscar wiped away his tears and sobbed. “I always felt that something was amiss with this incident.


    Today, Old Mr. Winters was still looking for people everywhere to help you find the child. In the middle


    of it, Miss Bailey came to the manor looking for him. I told her that he was at the estate, and she went


    there. However, the estimated time of death determined by the autopsy coincides exactly with the time


    when Miss Bailey arrived at the estate. She was also the first person to discover Old Mr. Winters’ body.


    How


    could such a coincidence happen-”


    Oscar wanted to continue exining his suspicions, but Elias couldn’t listen any longer and angrily


    interrupted, “Enough! Shut up! Get out!”


    With a loud m, the door was shut.


    Oscar continued banging on the door from outside while passionately sharing his viewpoint that the


    incident where Howard fell down the stairs was definitely not that simple..


    Elias stared at the closed door, his mind in chaos. He didn’t want to entertain these thoughts at all.


    It was impossible. He knew Amanda. It couldn’t be.


    After turning around with the stench of alcohol on him, he returned to the pile of wine bottles. He picked


    up a half-empty bottle and guzzled its contents. He neither wanted to stay sober anymore nor wanted


    to face the gruesome reality.


    Suddenly, another round of knocking sounded from outside.


    This time, it wasn’t Oscar’s voice, but a cute little voice. “Uncle Elias, it’s Aiden. I’vee to see you.”


    Elias abruptly turned his head and was stunned for a moment. Then, he walked over and opened the


    door without thinking.


    Sure enough, his son stood outside while holding hands with Amanda.


    Elias had locked himself in the room for a full day and night, so seeing this mother and son again gave


    him a feeling as if they had been separated for a lifetime.


    Amanda looked at the man before her. It had only been a day since theyst saw each other, but how


    did he be so haggard? His eyes were filled with destion, and a stubble had grown on his chin.


    It felt like he was encapsting himself in a dark world where no one was allowed to enter.


    “Uncle Elias…”


    Elias, who had always appeared as a well-dressed and elegant gentleman in Aiden’s eyes, now looked


    so deste that it scared Aiden a bit.


    “Baby, go and hug Uncle Elias. He’s not feeling well. Let’s keep himpany, okay?” Amanda


    squeezed her son’s small hand.


    Aiden looked up at his mommy, then opened his arms and hugged the man’s long legs while saying in


    a childish voice, “Uncle Elias, everything will be okay. I’ll always support you. Cheer up…”


    These words were clearly taught by Amanda.


    A smile tugged at the corners of Elias’ mouth. He slowly knelt on one leg and looked at this little boy.


    Aiden looked just like himself. Apart from him, this boy was the only bloodline left of the Winters Family.


    Fate had been kind to him. At least he still had his son by his side….


    Tears welled up in his eyes. He had always believed that men shouldn’t easily shed tears, but these


    past few days, he had shed quite a few.


    It was because his pir of strength had left…


    Elias asked, “Aiden, can you call me ‘Daddy”?”


    He had been looking forward to this day. At first, he thought there was no need to rush as his son


    would gradually recognize him as his father.


    He had thought that Howard would get to witness this scene, but….


    Aiden blinked his round, grape-like eyes. “Why?”


    He didn’t want to call just anyone “Daddy.” It took him a long time to consider Simon as someone


    suitable for his mommy after all.


    Before the man could say anything. Amanda also crouched down and gently stroked her son’s furry


    little head.


    “Aiden, Uncle Elias is your daddy. You can call him ‘Daddy, okay?”


    As soon as these words were spoken, Elias’ gaze turned toward her. His expression wasplex and


    it conveyed a wealth of unspoken emotions.


    Even Amanda hadn’t expected herself to say such an important thing in such a casual tone as if she


    werementing on the weather.


    As expected, Aiden widened his eyes. “Mommy, are you serious? Uncle Elias is my daddy? Didn’t you


    say that Uncle Elias knew Daddy?”


    Amanda continued, “I’m sorry, I haven’t been honest with you. Uncle Elias is your daddy. I selfishly


    wanted to keep you all to myself. I was afraid that your daddy woulde and take you away, so…”


    “Mommy, I understand.”


    He understood?


    Could a three-year-old really understand?


    She was a bit surprised. Did this little guy really know what she was talking about?


    Aiden earnestly stepped forward and hugged Elias’ neck, pressing his small face against his shoulder.


    He solemnly called out, “Daddy.”


    Elias’ body trembled, as if a ray of light had finally pierced through the darkness of his world.


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    He tightly embraced his son in his arms while inhaling the scent that belonged exclusively to Aiden.


    He really called me Daddy…


    With this little guy anchoring him in this world, how could he just fall like this?