CHAPTER 104: CHAPTER 104: BLOOD TIES

Returning to the Holden family, their villa was right next to the Caldwell family’s.

In the neighborhood, it seemed that apart from Claire Caldwell’s place, nothing had changed. The shops were still the same, and the houses remained as they were.

The living room was spacious and bright, with afternoon sunlight streaming through the spotless floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow on the carpet.

Mr. Holden was reading a newspaper with his reading glasses on, while Mrs. Holden was arranging flowers nearby, creating a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

There was a noise at the entrance, accompanied by the brisk sound of high heels.

Zoe Holden walked in, carrying a latest limited edition handbag, radiating excitement. Behind her, a bodyguard was loaded with shopping bags from various luxury brands.

"Dad, Mom, I’m back."

Zoe spoke cheerfully, tossed her coat casually to the approaching servants, and ran into the living room, snuggled beside her mother, affectionately wrapping her arms around her.

"I’m so tired from shopping today, but I got plenty of great finds."

Mrs. Holden put down the flowers and patted her daughter’s hand indulgently, "You’re so grown up, yet you still act like a child. Next time, take more people with you, so you don’t have to carry everything yourself."

"Oh, I know."

Zoe giggled and suddenly remembered something, saying.

"Oh, right, Mom, something really interesting happened at the mall today."

"I saw a little girl, oh my, she was so cute, could totally debut as a child star. The key is, her eyes, nose, and brows looked just like Justin’s when he was a kid, almost as if they were carved from the same mold."

"When I bumped into her, she was buying food on her own, around three or four years old, speaking crisply and smartly, like a little adult, so adorable."

Mr. Holden looked up from his newspaper, and Mrs. Holden’s flower arranging paused.

Zoe noticed none of her parents’ subtle reactions and continued talking enthusiastically.

"I think her name was... Jesse? Such a nice name, and she’s well-behaved. Her mother seemed to have a lot of character too. Mom, isn’t it strange? How could there be a child who looks so much like Justin?"

As she spoke, a thought suddenly crossed her mind. Everyone knew Justin was adopted, but it was rarely mentioned.

She lowered her voice a bit, speaking with a speculative tone.

"Justin... he’s not your biological child, and the orphanage only said he was abandoned."

"Do you think this Jesse... might have some blood relation with his original family? Like maybe she’s the child of a sibling or something?"

Mr. and Mrs. Holden exchanged a glance, their brows furrowing slightly.

Mrs. Holden put down the scissors, her tone somewhat heavy, "That child you mentioned... we met her too today."

"Ah? You met her too?"

Zoe widened her eyes in surprise.

Such a coincidence, she thought, but it made sense. She had encountered that child near the Grandview Mall, and Leah Sutton had accompanied their parents to Grandview Mall today.

"Yes," Mrs. Holden nodded, "Right by the home goods store at the mall. It was a journalist from Leah’s magazine, last name Yu, and her daughter is indeed named Jesse. That child does... resemble Justin when he was young."

"I don’t think there’s any relation; I asked the child’s mother, and she said their ancestors are from Mount Pullen and have never been to Kingswell City. There shouldn’t be any connection with Justin."

She recalled her feelings at the time, that inexplicable sense of familiarity resurfacing.

Her daughter’s words made her uneasy.

If the child were truly some blood-related relative of Justin’s, and those people came looking for him with a firm stance demanding a reunion, as his foster mother, she couldn’t stop it.

Mr. Holden also took off his reading glasses, with a more serious expression, "That child is indeed well-behaved and clever. Her mother raised her well. But..."

He pondered, his daughter’s words reminding him, "Zoe’s speculation isn’t entirely impossible. Justin’s background has always been a mystery. If there really is a blood relative coming forward or they just happened to meet..."

Mrs. Holden’s expression also grew more complex.

If the child really did have a blood connection to Justin, then... wouldn’t that mean...

Just then, there was more noise at the entrance.

A tall, imposing figure walked in.

Justin Holden wore a perfectly tailored dark gray suit, with a matching cashmere coat over it, obviously just returning from a formal event or the office.

His face was expressionless, his eyes deep and calm, exuding a cold aura that warned others to keep their distance.

As he walked in, he unfastened the buttons of his coat.

The servant stepped forward to take his coat.

Justin’s gaze swept across the three people in the living room, keenly sensing that the atmosphere was somewhat unusual, but he didn’t ask much, simply greeting, "Dad, Mom, Zoe."

He was about to head toward the stairs when Zoe couldn’t hold back and called out to him quickly, "Hey, Justin, you came back at just the right time; we were just talking about you."

Justin stopped in his tracks, turned to look at her, his gaze questioning.

"We ran into this little girl at the mall today, named Jesse, and she looks just like you did when you were little."

Zoe gestured animatedly, her tone exaggerated, "Mom and Dad saw her too, and we’re all wondering if that child might be related to your original family. Isn’t that something?"

Justin’s pupils contracted a bit, yet his face remained calm and unruffled.

He was silent for a couple of seconds before speaking in a steady voice, "You’ve seen Jesse?"

"More than just seen."

Zoe hadn’t noticed her brother’s overly composed reaction and continued.

"The child looks just like you. If we didn’t know better, at first glance, one might think she was your own daughter."

Her tone was joking, with a hint of teasing.

Justin’s gaze slowly moved from his sister’s face to his parents, whose faces showed curiosity and a touch of worry.

His expression remained unchanged, but his jaw seemed to tense for a moment.

The living room fell quiet as if awaiting his response.

After a moment, Justin spoke in a low, clear voice, devoid of any emotion, "Could be."

Those two simple words left Mr. and Mrs. Holden and Zoe stunned.

Mrs. Holden was the first to react, showing surprise and confusion, "Could be? Justin, you... what do you mean by that? What could be?"

Justin’s gaze settled on his mother’s face, his tone as plain as stating a fact, yet it carried an inexplicable depth.

"Jesse could be my daughter. If that’s what you’d like to think."