Love's Change of Heart

Chapter 816 Doubts of Sanity

Half an hour ago, Sheila received a call from Rowan's mother.

The tone and attitude of the other party were deplorable as she callously remarked, "My son has so many people vying for him, and there's no need to pick up someone else's castoff shoes!"

Sheila's anger surged within her. Before she could gather her thoughts to argue back, the other person abruptly ended the call.

After some time had passed and her anger had somewhat subsided, Sheila geared herself up to confront Rowan's mother.

However, Zoe intervened and gently guided her to the sofa. In a calm but firm tone, Zoe stated, "I was just being honest. We can't keep it a secret forever."

Sheila was momentarily stunned, taking a few seconds to grasp the true meaning behind her daughter's words before replying, "But you can't just—"

"Should I wait until we're married to bring it up?" Zoe interjected.

With a cold expression, Sheila sat there and remained quiet.

Sensing her mother's turmoil, Zoe hugged her and said, "Alright, Mom, don't be angry anymore. If this doesn't work out, we'll find the next one. You've already introduced me to so many blind date candidates. I'll meet them one by one over the next few days. If I can't finish meeting them, I won't leave."

Sheila pondered for a moment, her anger still lingering. "Look at what you've done. You're making me the target of ridicule. She—"

"Why do you care about them? We live our lives for ourselves. Besides, Rowan's mother is so controlling. Do you really think I'll have a good life if I marry into their family?"

Sheila didn't want to engage in further conversation and went to bed.

Meanwhile, Zoe returned to her room and sent a message to Rowan. 'I shared all this with you because I value the honesty and sincerity we've established throughout this blind date. However, apart from you and your mother, I don't want to hear about it from anyone else. You're a university professor, and I believe you care about your reputation more than I do. My life is my own, and it has nothing to do with others. My parents are old, I don't want them to be subjected to vulgar words.'

In essence, if she wasn't happy, neither would he.

Ten minutes later, Rowan finally responded with a simple "Okay."

Zoe attempted to reply with a smiley face. To her surprise, she discovered that the message couldn't be sent to the intended recipient.

She smiled knowingly, tossed her phone aside, and settled down on the bed.

Throughout the remainder of the day, Sheila continued to completely ignore Zoe and did not even bother to take her meal.

Zoe's father, Matthew Hart, vaguely knew that the blind date between Zoe and Rowan had not gone

well, but he was unaware of the specific details. Offering words of comfort, he assured Zoe that the next opportunity would be better.

After enduring a day and night of being ignored and given the cold shoulder at home, Zoe received a call from Logan and hastily made her way to the hospital.

Upon her arrival, Logan handed her the paternity test report. Zoe held her breath and anxiously asked, "Mr. Powell, how is it?"

With a reassuring smile, Logan replied, "Open it and see."

Zoe's hands trembled slightly as she carefully untied the string on the kraft paper bag. Never before had she felt such intense nervousness.

The moment of truth was imminent, and the outcome would soon unveil the final answer they sought.

With utmost caution, Zoe retrieved the document from the bag and fixed her gaze upon the test results.

The paternity test confirmed an undeniable 99% biological relationship.

Upon reading those words, she couldn't help but take a deep breath. As she leaned against the wall, her eyes welled up with tears of relief and joy.

The confirmation aligned precisely with their suspicions—Louis was indeed William's child, sharing the same parents as Leanna.

Seeing her reaction, Logan asked, "Zoe, if you don't mind me asking, who did you do this for?"

Zoe composed herself and carefully placed the document back. "I did it for a very close friend of mine. She's currently in a difficult situation, and..."

"Judging by your reaction, it seems to be good news. You should inform your friend promptly," Logan deduced.

Nodding appreciatively, Zoe replied, "Thank you, Mr. Powell!"

With a sense of urgency, she swiftly retrieved her phone and captured a photo of the test results to send to Leanna.

Zoe: The results are out! I knew it! What incredible news!

In the distance, Keaton discreetly stood behind a wall and silently retreated into the shadows. Then, he took out his phone and dialed a number.

Speaking on the phone, Keaton said, "President Pearson, Miss Hart has received the test results. Mrs. Pearson should know soon."

On the other end, Aidan's voice remained calm as he replied, "Alright. You can come back now."

...

Meanwhile, in the city of Highside, Leanna's phone buzzed several times in a row. She picked it up and noticed multiple messages from Zoe.

Although she had mentally prepared herself, her hand trembled slightly as she opened the image.

When Leanna saw the final result of the paternity test, she suddenly smiled.

It had turned out just as she expected.

Louis was her younger brother, with no biological connection to Jethro whatsoever.

Leanna gazed at the picture for a prolonged moment before dialing Louis' number. "Louis, if you don't have classes tonight, come over for dinner," she invited warmly.

"It's not the weekend today. Is something special happening?" Louis inquired.

"Nothing in particular. I just miss you. Come over, and I'll prepare your favorite dish," she replied.

Louis found himself momentarily speechless, contemplating the unexpected invitation.

After a brief hesitation, he agreed and responded, "Okay, I'll go."

Soon after Leanna hung up the phone, she received a call from Aidan.

In a low voice, Aidan asked, "Are you busy?"

"Not particularly. What's going on?" Leanna inquired curiously.

Aidan's lips curled into a knowing smile. "You sound so happy. What's the good news?"

Leanna's eyes gleamed mischievously as she playfully tapped her nose with a paintbrush. With a smile, she answered, "I won't tell you just yet."

"Then let's talk when I come back. I have to work overtime tonight, so you don't have to wait for me for dinner," Aidan suggested.

"Alright. I've already invited Louis to come over for dinner later, I'll save some food for you," she replied warmly.

The prospect of Aidan's absence gave Leanna an opportunity to have a private conversation with Louis.

"That's good," Aidan responded.

Setting her phone aside, Leanna got up and headed to the supermarket to buy groceries.

...

After receiving the results, Zoe was in a good mood and bought a lot of snacks from the supermarket downstairs.

As soon as she returned home and opened the door, her eyes were immediately drawn to an unfamiliar pair of men's shoes placed just outside.

Had things escalated so rapidly? The transition seemed almost seamless.

From the living room, intermittent voices of conversation could be heard.

Amidst the voices, her mother's laughter, which carried a subtle blend of restraint and shyness, stood out.

Zoe couldn't believe her ears. She had never heard her mother laugh like that before. Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

Tentatively, she stepped forward and cautiously asked, "Mom, Dad, what's going on—"

Before she could finish her sentence, her eyes widened in disbelief. Holy crap!

Upon catching sight of her daughter, Sheila rose from her seat and approached her with a radiant smile. Speaking softly, she introduced the man by her side. "Zoe, you're back. Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Daniel. I twisted my ankle on the way, and he kindly helped me. He's quite the handsome gentleman."

As Sheila spoke, her gaze shifted toward Daniel once more, and her smile grew even brighter. "Dan, this is my daughter, Zoe Hart. Isn't she beautiful? I wasn't exaggerating, right?"

With utmost politeness, Daniel stood up and replied, "You're right. She is very beautiful."

Then, he glanced at Zoe, raised an eyebrow, and extended his hand. "Miss Hart, nice to meet you. I'm Daniel. I'm delighted to get to know you."

Zoe took a deep breath, and her body instinctively stepped back in surprise.

Sheila took hold of her hand and reached out toward Daniel, urging, "What are you waiting for? Go

ahead and say hello!"

Caught off guard, Zoe attempted to retract her hand. However, before she could do so, Daniel swiftly stepped forward and firmly clasped her hand with a mischievous smirk on his face.

Zoe felt as if a lightning bolt had struck her head. She froze in place, questioning her own sanity at that moment. Am I losing my mind, or has he completely lost his?