Chapter 3 A Father's Doppelganger: A Mother's Dilemma

One could tell at first glance that the man was not to be confused as he had an imposing presence. Still, Nicole straightened her back and stepped forward, blocking his path. "Hey you! Were you the one who bullied my son?" As the man was very tall, she only reached his shoulder height, despite wearing high heels, which somehow made her feel a little weaker.

Upon hearing Nicole's voice, Colton turned to look at her. The woman had stunning features, but her palm-sized face had fury written all over it. Holding her small chin high, she looked wild and intractable. However, Colton was a little lost in thought when he smelled the barely noticeable perfume on her. This smell... It seems a little familiar...

Suddenly, a child's crying voice broke him out of his thoughts. "Mom, it was him!"

A flash of contempt passed through Colton's eyes, which were as deep and fathomless as a frozen lake, when he saw the boy clinging to Nicole's pant leg. Women nowadays are becoming more and more skilled with each other in tricks to get closer to me. And to think that this woman is capable of finding a child who looks so much like me! If it weren't for me being certain that Queenie is the only woman I've ever touched, I would have suspected he was my son...

"Apologize to my son, sir!" Nicole demanded, keeping her head high as she tried hard not to appear shy. "Don't you feel ashamed to bully such a small child as a grown man?"

Colton's eyes narrowed slightly; His voice was deep and smooth, like a barrel of well-matured wine. "He didn't tell you what he had done?"

Naturally, Nicole sided with her son. "Tell me then, what did my son do to make you bully him like that?"

Colton let out a cold snort before lifting his foot. "Now you understand?"

Nicole looked at the man's incredibly long legs until she saw a damp spot at the hem of his pants. Could that be... A bad feeling rose in her stomach. As she lifted her son, her throat felt a little dry. "What did you do?"

Hayden replied sadly, "Nothing. I just peed on him by accident, so he wanted to hit me."

Nicole's initially heightened anger immediately disappeared and she rubbed her nose in embarrassment. Is it too late for me to start apologizing now? Why didn't this little rascal tell me sooner after doing something wrong? "I'm sorry," she said apologetically with a complete change of attitude as she looked down at the man's pant legs. The man's clothes were unbranded, but she could tell from the fabric that they must be very expensive. "I will compensate you for..."

Colton hated these disgusting, obsequious ways of talking to someone. He coldly interrupted Nicole, saying, "Just manage your son so he doesn't call any man he comes across 'father.'" This way of talking to someone is really old-fashioned. And besides..." He paused for a moment before continuing in a voice as cold as a deep lake that had existed for 1,000 years, "There is no way you can make up for my clothes." With that, he walked away.

Talk to somebody? Is there no way to make up for his clothes? Nicole was shaking with rage. What kind of man is he? Well, I admit that this guy is incomparably handsome, but he's not so charming that women fall for him at first sight, is he? Although her son was wrong in this matter, she couldn't help but despise the man for his arrogant way of speaking and arrogant manners. What an ill-mannered and rude upstart! What a waste of such good looks!

"Mother." Hayden looked up with a hurt look in his eyes.

Seeing her son's appearance, Nicole couldn't scold him. She pinched his soft cheek, asking, "Did you call him 'father' just now?"

"Yes," Hayden muttered in dismay.

A hint of helplessness flickered across Nicole's face when she heard Hayden's response. "Didn't I show you photos of your father? Your father is an idiot!" She never hid Hayden's paternity from him and showed him photos of Joseph, but he never believed her. Whenever she showed him Joseph's photo, he would retort, "There's no way my father could be so ugly! I'm so handsome, so my father must be handsome too."

Nicole was speechless. Joseph was a flirt, but he wasn't bad looking.

Raising his little face, Hayden stubbornly replied, "That's impossible! Mom, don't you think the guy is my father now? We are exactly the same!"