The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride novel Chapter 1862

The question hit Damon like a freight train, snapping something deep inside him. His normally stoic, handsome face contorted with an uncontrollable twitch. His clenched fist, resting on the table, was white-knuckled, the bones pressing hard against the wood. "What did you just say?"

Nathan, too consumed by his own nerves to notice the storm brewing in Damon, repeated his question hastily: "I said, could Anya possibly be your daughter with Yulia?"

He couldn't finish his sentence before a solid punch collided with his face. His nose felt like it was about to shatter.

"Damn it." Nathan clutched his throbbing nose, bending over and tears streamed down his face. It wasn't the pain that made him cry. It was totally sheer reflex.

Damon had no sympathy for him, stepping closer as Nathan stumbled back, pleading. "Hold on, hold on, man, this really sucks."

Anya, perched on the table, blinked her wide eyes, not quite grasping the situation. She'd assumed they were just messing around.d1

As she turned to follow Nathan's retreat, confusion clouded her gaze. When she saw the blood trickling between Nathan's fingers, she let out a startled yelp. "Don't be mean to Nathan."

Anya scrambled to her feet, flailing her little arms, jumping anxiously on the table.

Nathan, noticing the blood gushing from his nose and Damon still fuming, backed away, looking for an escape. "I was just asking. Just tell me yes or no. Even if she is your daughter, I wouldn't tell Chloe, man."

Damon's face went from dark to downright thunderous.

Nathan sighed desperately, nearly in tears as Damon closed in on him.

"We're blood, man. If I keep mum and you keep mum, and Yulia keeps mum, Chloe will never have to know. We're all family here, right? What's yours is mine, right?"

Damon shut his eyes tight, took a step forward, and grabbed Nathan by the collar, followed by another punch to the gut.

"What's mine is mine, and yours..." He paused, his entire body tensed, his lips pressed together.

Just the thought of Nathan associating him with Yulia sent him into a rage, itching to turn this fool into pulp.

Did Nathan not get it? How could he picture his woman with another man?

"Damon, chill out, you've gotta stay cool. I messed up, I really did. I shouldn't have asked."

It took every ounce of Damon's willpower to suppress the fury inside. He raised his eyes, and those dark, menacing orbs sent shivers down Nathan's spine.

"Just tell me, does Anya really look like you? I'm just being realistic here. Isn't it better to know if there's any legacy of your wild days?"

"Are you brain-dead? She looks like me? Have you ever considered who you look like?!"

"Like dad, duh." Nathan blurted out, then took a deep breath. "You're not suggesting that Anya's dad's love child?"

The sound of Damon's teeth grinding was all too audible.

Nathan's skin crawled. "Can I... can I go clean up this bloody mess?" He figured if he stayed any longer, he might not make it out alive.

Damon gave him a cold stare but didn't let go.

Gathering his courage, Nathan gently grasped Damon's wrist and nudged it aside. "You don't want the blood to dirty those pristine hands."

When Damon didn't budge, Nathan grew desperate. "The smell, man. You don't want Chloe to catch a whiff, do you?"

That struck a nerve. Damon abruptly let go, and Nathan seized the moment, sprinting for the door.

"Nathan! Nathan..." Anya fretted on the table, watching Nathan run with his bloody nose until he was out of sight.

Then, she slowly turned to Damon. They were left alone in the study. Damon also turned around, his piercing gaze meeting Anya's wide-eyed look.

She shivered, blinked back tears, but they swelled over the brim. Without a need for pretense, the moment Damon stepped toward her, Anya burst into tears.

The volume of a child's sudden crying had an indescribable piercing power. Damon felt momentarily deafened.

Downstairs, Yulia and Chloe were chatting when Anya's cries startled them. Realizing it was Anya, they hurried upstairs.

"Chloe, you stay here. I'll check on her."

Anya looked up, puzzled. "Then what are you?"

Tension crept onto Yulia's face. Chloe tugged at Damon's sleeve, signaling him to tread carefully.

Damon glanced at Yulia, who was clearly nervous, and paused before speaking. "Nathan was asking me if Anya is my daughter, born from some fling."

Chloe blinked a few times, digesting his words before she couldn't contain her amusement any longer.

Yulia's face turned a shade of red. She was angry at Nathan for his presumptuous chat with Damon, and embarrassed that Nathan had suggested Anya was her child with Damon. What was this madness?

"I told him she looks just like me, and he had an epiphany."

Yulia clasped her hands together on her lap, her palms sweating.

Damon pinched the bridge of his nose. "Then he figured she might be my father's love child."

Stunned, Yulia gaped at Damon. Finally catching on, she grimaced, her cheeks flushing even redder.

This infuriating man. How twisted could he be?

Chloe burst into laughter.

Anya's bright eyes turned to her, filled with innocence.

Continuing to chuckle, Chloe said, "How dense can he be? Taking it this far off track? A secret daughter. No, I need to call your Mom and Dad."

She wasn't just saying it—Chloe pulled her phone out from under a cushion. Dialing Elizabeth's number, she glanced at Yulia with a faint smile. "I guess since you both showed up together today, you must've talked everything through, right?"

Yulia pressed her lips together, not responding.

Chloe went on, "I bet Nathan actually knows, but he just can't put two and two together. Or maybe he can't believe he has a daughter this big. Things have come this far and he's pretty much figured it out. His Mom and Dad have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Might as well let them officially meet their beloved granddaughter today."