?Chapter 676:


    “Ernest…?”


    Shock clouded Eric’s face, a thousand unspoken questions tumbling through his mind, none finding their way out clearly.


    Who exactly was the child inside? What was he doing here at Quentin’s? Why had Ernest been so secretive, so cautious—could the boy possibly be Ernest’s son?


    Reading Eric’s troubled expression, Ernest nodded with a faint smile.


    “Your guess is right. He’s mine.”


    “What?” Eric froze, his eyes widening sharply.


    How could this be possible?


    Then, it hit him.


    From the moment Ernest woke up, he had Quentin secretly tracking someone. Apparently, that “someone” had turned out to be this child—and, Eric suspected, probably the child’s mother as well.


    Linda’s vague suspicions shed vividly into his mind, suddenly making perfect sense.


    She had long suspected Ernest might have someone else, though she’d never found tangible proof.


    After silently gathering his thoughts, Eric faced his brother directly.


    “Ernest, what are you nning to do?”


    He reconsidered and rephrased the question.


    “Actually, the real question is, how do you intend to exin all of this to Linda?”


    Before Ernest could respond, Eric’s voice dropped, heavy with warning.


    “You owe Linda everything, Ernest—she’s the reason you’re still here.”


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    A shadow flickered across Ernest’s handsome features, his expression inscrutable.


    “Rx, Eric. I never intended for any of this to happen. Hurting Linda was never my goal, and I won’t abandon her now.”


    But was that genuinely Ernest’s stance?


    Doubt momentarily clouded Eric’s judgment, yet deep down, he trusted his brother’s integrity.


    ncing toward the closed door, Eric finally asked softly,


    “Ernest, what’s the real story behind all of this?”


    “Let’s talk somewhere quieter,” Ernest suggested, nodding toward the study.


    “I brought you here specifically to exin.”


    “I’m listening.”


    Everything traced back to the car crash Ernest had suffered years earlier. That devastating ident had rendered Ernest unconscious, leaving him helpless in a vegetative state—and it had never seemed entirely idental. Eric, along with N, had privately suspected foul y, investigating discreetly for years. Unfortunately, their attempts had uncovered little, and official investigations had simrly yielded no solid leads.


    Upon listening to Ernest now, Eric’s expression darkened sharply.


    “So they’re still out there, plotting against you?”


    Ernest remained perfectly calm, his eyes cold with determination.


    “It’s their bad luck—I survived. Now that I’m awake again, it’s time to repay old grudges and new threats alike.”


    As for the child, Ernest assured Eric that his existence had genuinely been unexpected. From Eric’s perspective, he couldn’t fault Ernest entirely, but whether Linda could see it the same way was another matter.


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