Chapter 118
“Helena,” he said curtly. “What do you want? I thought I made it clear. I have and want absolutely nothing to do with you p>
Her voice came through syrupy sweet, the kind of false charm he’d learned to despise.
“Oh, Jake! Don’t sound so harsh. I understand your anger, but it’s totally not my fault, you know that, right? If it wasn’t for your brother p>
He exhaled through his nose, already annoyed. “What do you want, Helena?” he repeated, his tone clipped and sharp.
“Why don’t you relax? I’m not calling to talk about that, I promise,” she said, the feigned innocence in her tone grating on his nerves. “I just called to check on you. I saw what happened p>
Jake’s brows furrowed. “What happened p>
His gut tightened. Had something else gone wrong? Something he wasn’t aware of? He thought, glancing towards Raymond.
Her voice dipped, now dripping with false sympathy. “Oh! You haven’t seen it? I didn’t realize. It’s all over the news p>
Jake’s patience snapped. “What are you talking about, Helena? If you don’t want to say it, then just hang up p>
She let out a soft, mocking laugh. “Oh, Jake. You really haven’t seen it? Someone’s trying to pin a child on you.” She chuckled lightly. “I mean no harm. I just thought you should know before it gets worse. It’s everywhere on social media p>
Jake’s heart stilled. “Pin a child on me?” he repeated slowly, his voice dropping to a dangerous calm. “What are you talking about p>
“Oh, Jake,” she crooned, enjoying herself far too much. “So you really didn’t know. Then isn’t it a good thing I called to tell you p>
“Helena p>
“I’ll send you the link if you haven’t seen it. Take care, love,” she quickly cut in and then, hung up the call.
Jake lowered the phone slowly, confusion clouding his features. Even though he didn’t want to admit it, her words had shaken him. What the hell did she mean by pinning a child on him? Who was she talking about?
“What was that about?” Evelyn’s voice broke through his thoughts, soft but concerned.
Jake blinked, still processing. “She said… someone’s trying to pin a child on me p>
Charles frowned deeply. “What p>
“I don’t know what it’s about yet,” Jake muttered, tension threading through his voice. “She said it’s on the news p>
Raymond, who had been silent till now, stood abruptly. “Let’s see it p>
Before Jake could even search, his phone buzzed again. It was a message notification from Helena.
When he checked and clicked the link, a cold chill swept through him.
The screen displayed a photo of him, Bella, and Timothy, taken right outside the school earlier that day. Timothy was holding Bella’s hand and Jake stood beside them. To anyone else, they looked like a family. But Jake knew what it was.
Evelyn leaned closer, her face draining of color. “Jake?” she whispered. “What is that? You have a child and you hid it from us p>
“What?!” Jake snapped, staring at her in disbelief. “Timothy’s not my son!” His brows drew together tightly. “Why would you even think that p>
Evelyn hesitated, her expression torn between confusion and maternal hurt. “He… he looks so much like you when you were little. Those eyes, Jake. They’re almost identical p>
Jake’s grip tightened around the phone. “I know but he’s not mine. He can’t be mine. He’s not even Bella’s son. He’s her nephew p>
Raymond exhaled, relieved but equally bewildered. “Then why would anyone say otherwise? Besides, who was this person and why would they be so sure the child could be yours p>
Jake didn’t answer because at that moment, Raymond was already reading the caption aloud in disbelief.
“Billionaire CEO Jake Stones manipulated by single mother! Sources claim Isabella Howells, his assistant, is using her son to win his sympathy and secure her future. Insiders suggest the boy could even be Jake’s child p>
“That seemed pretty sure to me. I think whoever posted that must have some sort of proof or something,” she said, believing it could be true especially since the child looked very much like Jake’s younger self.
“Mom, please. That boy is not mine. He can’t be,” Jake said, irritated that his mother couldn’t even believe him on this.
Charles’s expression hardened instantly. “If he’s truly not yours, then who would post such rubbish p>
Jake stared at the photo, his pulse pounding in his ears. The image was already spreading, the view count rising, comments exploding across the feed. His and Bella’s names were trending side by side.
Every word, every assumption, every cruel twist of truth was all there. He felt sick just by reading through the comments and the thought that Bella’s reputation was getting ruined.
Why would anyone even think that?
When had Bella ever used Timothy for anything? When had she ever tried to secure her future through sympathy? Bella was too proud, and independent for that.
Raymond looked at him, unease flickering in his eyes. “Didn’t you say Helena called right before this? How could she know so quickly if she wasn’t involved? If you ask me, I think she’s involved p>
Raymond said, recalling he’d asked Helena to go see Jake, Bella and Timothy. She must’ve tried to twist the truth to cause commotion. He thought.
A part of him wanted to tell Jake about that but the part that felt ashamed he’d done so many bad things and wouldn’t want to face the shame for a second time convinced him to stay quiet.
Jake’s jaw tightened, fury simmering beneath the calm mask he wore. “She wanted to get to me, that’s fine. But now she didn’t only drag Bella but now Timothy, too.” His voice lowered, dangerous. “She’s gone too far this time p>
Evelyn looked heartbroken. “That poor woman… and the child. I can’t imagine how she must be feeling right now. And Timothy’s mother she won’t take this lightly. What about his father, do you know him p>
“No. He’s not in the picture. And please, don’t ask me about it now.” His tone was final.
He looked down at the photo again.
The same picture that had felt so pure, so ordinary a few hours ago. Just a picture of a boy smiling, Bella laughing faintly beside him, glad he’d stood up for Timothy. But now, it was no longer a moment but was now an headline.
A lie at that.
“I really hope Helena didn’t have anything to do with this, otherwise, I’d never let her off,” he murmured, his voice quiet but full of fire.
The warmth that had filled the Stones mansion earlier vanished.
Silence hung in its place.
Jake’s reflection shimmered faintly on the phone screen, his gray eyes dark and steady.
Helena thought she could humiliate him. That she could paint Bella in filth. That she could toy with a child’s image for revenge.
But this time, she’d underestimated him.
“You should go check on Bella,” Raymond said quietly.
Jake nodded, his expression set. “I will p>
He looked at his parents. Evelyn still pale with shock, Charles grim, Raymond tense and then sighed. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ.net
“Don’t worry,” he said softly. “I’ll handle this p>
“Be careful, son,” Evelyn murmured. “And… take care of her too p>
Jake gave a small nod, his jaw tightening once more before he turned and strode out, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the silence.
Whatever peace had existed between their families… Helena had just shattered it.
Rachel’s voice trembled as she showed her the screen. “Not just you. But you and Timothy p>
Rachel’s words echoed in the quiet living room, slicing through the calm like glass.
Bella blinked, confused. “What do you mean I’m in the news? And Timothy too? What is it about p>
Rachel, still breathless, handed her the phone with trembling fingers. “Just… just see for yourself p>
Bella took it slowly, a deep frown lining her face as she glanced down at the screen. But the moment her eyes fell on the image, the color drained from her cheeks.
There it was. A picture of her, Jake, and Timothy. The same one Jake had seen.
Not just the picture, but the headline beneath it made her blood run cold.
[Billionaire CEO Jake Stones manipulated by single mother! Sources claim Isabella Howells, his assistant, is using her son to win his sympathy and secure her future. Insiders suggest the boy could even be Jake’s child p>
Bella’s breath caught in her throat. “Oh my God she whispered, her fingers tightening around the phone.
The room spun. Her heartbeat thundered in her chest, too fast, too loud. The words blurred on the screen, cruel and venomous.
“How—” her voice broke, “We were being followed all along?” she asked in disbelief. “Who would post like this? And how could they be so sure p>
She could barely hear herself. Her thoughts were a mess, colliding, tangled, and scattered.
What if Jake had already seen it?
What if he thought p>
Her stomach dropped at the thought.
Rachel was watching her anxiously. “Bella?” she said softly. “You’re shaking p>