Chapter 3 Refusing Their Favor

Three days later, at the international airport, Samantha wheeled the baggage cart forward. Her son was seated on top of the large suitcase on the cart, and he gazed around in wonder. Everything about Samantha's homeland seemed to pique his interest, and there was a curious gleam in his sparkly eyes. As she stepped out, she immediately spotted a group of well-dressed bodyguards entering from the entrance. They swiftly formed a line, creating a path through the crowd. From within, a man with a tall and dignified bearing emerged. His face was a deep, chiseled masterpiece, and his beauty was akin to a treasured work of art. The sunlight cast its radiance upon him, enhancing the handsomeness of his features. This man, reminiscent of the sun god Apollo, walked directly toward her, extending his hand. "Hello, Miss Woodword. I'm Joseph Xylon, the president of the Xylon Group, and the child your mother rescued years ago. I'm here to pick you up." Every gesture and step of this man exuded an aristocratic aura. Samantha's gaze lingered on his perfectly flawless face, momentarily leaving her in a state of astonishment. A few seconds later, she snapped back to reality, her cheeks faintly flushed. I can't believe I almost lost my mind looking at a handsome man. Samantha politely shook his hand, her clear eyes glancing, and she spoke very courteously, "Young Master Joseph, thank you, but I'm fine on my own." Of course, she knew that the boy her mother had saved years ago was the scion of the country's top financial conglomerate, the Xylon Group. She could also surmise that the Xylon Family had found her to repay the debt of gratitude. The fact that Joseph had personally come to pick her up was a significant show of sincerity. Regardless, she had no desire to accept. At the same time, Joseph scrutinized the woman in front of him carefully. The woman wore a white blouse and plain jeans. Her hair had been gathered at her nape, revealing a delicate and pretty face. Her skin was alabaster, and her demeanor somewhat leisurely as she maneuvered the cart. There was no doubt that her presence among the crowd was a dazzling one. He hesitated for a moment and then spoke again. "Miss Woodword, my grandmother would like to meet you." "Please tell Old Madam Xylon that it was my mother's duty to save others, and that there is no need to repay the deed, at least not to me." With that, she made to brush past the two men, pushing the cart toward the exit. Joseph watched her as she walked away with a hint of resignation. Suddenly, his gaze landed on the little boy who had hopped down from the carriage. He looked to be around four or five years of age, and he wore a gray sweater with joggers, his thick and soft hair flopping over his forehead. He might be young, but his features were finely chiseled, making him all the more adorable. At that moment, Samantha crouched down and helped the little one straighten his clothes; there was no mistaking the gentle and indulgent look in her eyes. Who's the kid? Is Samantha married? If so, then I won't have to marry her just to fulfill Grandma's wishes. With that in mind, Joseph watched as the taxi Samantha and her supposed child got into pulled away. Not long after that, his fleet left as well. They had barely covered any distance when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and greeted, "Hey, Mary." "Joseph, when are you coming to see me? I've missed you." Mary's coy voice whined on the other line. Until now, she still felt like she was living in a dream. Three days ago, a man who seemed like a heavenly figure suddenly appeared. He was holding a high-end men's watch that she had just sold and asked if the watch had been in her possession. She nodded through her guilty conscience. The watch wasn't actually hers. Five years ago, a staff member from Aurora Noctis contacted her, saying they found a watch in the private room she had booked and asked her to pick it up. Mary saw it was a high-end men's watch and didn't hesitate to take it back, leaving it in her cabinet without giving it much thought. Recently, she was strapped for cash. So, she decided to sell her jewelry, and in the process, she rediscovered the watch. Little did she know that an old watch would fetch her 75 thousand. When she saw the money in her account, she was overjoyed, thinking she could live lavishly for a while. Little did she expect that at that very moment, the god-like man appeared. It was only when he asked if she was the one in Room 808 at Aurora Noctis five years ago that Mary realized something was amiss. Isn't that the room I booked to frame Samantha? However, her intuition led her to continue nodding in agreement. What followed was beyond her wildest expectations. As it turned out, the man who slept with Samantha five years ago was not the gigolo she had hired. Instead, the man was actually the handsome and aristocratic man standing before her. Even more astonishing, this man was Joseph, the heir to the Xylon Group, a major financial conglomerate. Mary was so excited that she felt like she might faint. Although she was jealous of Samantha's luck, she immediately made a decision—she would replace Samantha as the woman of that night, make Joseph take responsibility, and become Mrs. Xylon. Since then, she had been whisked away to a luxurious villa with top-notch food, clothing, and everything else. Currently, she was enjoying a massage from her servants, feeling like she was on cloud nine. "I've been a little busy recently, but I'll see you as soon as I'm free," he answered, the bass in his voice prominent. "Promise?" Mary asked coquettishly. "Yes," he replied with forced patience. Meanwhile, over at Xylon Residence, a silver-haired old lady was sitting on the couch sipping her tea when she heard her subordinates' latest findings. She looked up in shock as she demanded, "What? Samantha has a child? Is she married?" "According to our investigation, the child's father never showed up, so we're assuming that she had the child out of wedlock." "Oh, that poor dear. To become a single mother at such a young age..." Elizabeth Xylon, otherwise more widely known as Old Madam Xylon, sighed. Guilt surged through her as she thought about the brave female police officer who had died after sustaining 18 fatal stabs from the ruffian who had threatened to hurt Joseph all those years ago. She was only just lamenting this when an elegant and towering figure sauntered into the living room. It was Joseph, and he had returned from the airport. "Come here, Joseph," Elizabeth said as she beckoned her grandson over. Joseph promptly took the seat next to hers and began to say, "Grandma, Samantha kept refusing our offer, so maybe I—" "I just found out that Miss Woodword is a single mother who had a child out of wedlock. You must take care of the poor mother and son, Joseph. It's your duty." Joseph gaped at the old woman speechlessly, stunned by her suggestion. He had thought that she would have given up on the matter, but as it turned out, she grew even more determined to see it through instead. Joseph frowned. He didn't think any good could come from a loveless marriage, but he couldn't even reject his grandmother's suggestion because he was set on repaying the sacrifice Samantha's mother had made all those years ago. Unfortunately, he had already found Mary, the woman he had harmed five years ago, and he knew he needed to make amends to her as well. That said, he had no plans to tell Elizabeth about this just yet, and he knew that even if he did tell her, it wouldn't dissuade her from forcing him to marry Samantha. After a sigh, he said, "I got it, Grandma." A satisfied Elizabeth waved her hand and said, "That's about right. Also, go and acquire the company where Samantha works right away. You need to pursue her earnestly." Joseph reluctantly agreed. "Alright." On the other hand, Samantha looked at her sleeping son in an apartment in Corynthea, with a smile on her lips The apartment had been arranged by Navette. Still, it had become a warm and sweet little home suitable for her and her son after two whole hours of tidying things up. Their journey here was long and exhausting. Unfortunately for her, although her body was exhausted, her mind was far from tired. Whatever had happened in this city five years ago still haunted her and made her stomach churn. Her best friend's betrayal, her stepsister's wickedness, and her father's ultimatum that resulted in her being exiled were like cuts that ran too deep to heal over. Frankly, she didn't know how she had managed to endure all the blows that kept coming over these five years. When she first arrived in Dovaria, she couldn't find her way to the design school. It was a kind-hearted person who showed her the way and even helped her find accommodation. Later, when she discovered she was pregnant, she jumped into an artificial lake in a fit of abject despair. It was that same person who rescued her and accompanied her to find a professor. Samantha was filled with gratitude as she thought about that person. Since then, she had worked relentlessly and, with a stroke of luck, made it to where she was today—with savings, a son, and a job that gave her the freedom she desired. Nonetheless, she was curious about how her father was doing. She picked up her phone and hesitated for a long time while looking at her father's number.