Chapter 434
“I’m living off my woman with dignity,” Bryan remarked. Of course, he wouldn’t let his woman exhaust herself; he could arrange everything smoothly.
Jacob clapped Josue on the back, adding, “He’s much more meticulous in his arrangements than you ever were.”
Josue sighed deeply. “Inviting you here was a blunder on my part. But can I at least hold my goddaughter?”
He rose to his feet and reached for Gabriela, cautiously glancing at Bryan for any sign of refusal.
Bryan, however, didn’t stop him but set a condition. “First, help me uncover the origins of Brandon’s finances and figure out the true identity of Travis’ father.”
Bryan only knew that Travis’ biological father was of mixed heritage and a foreigner.
Josue hesitated while holding Gabriela. “Where should I start with that?”
“Start with Lydia. My contacts say she’s overly cautious. Maybe bring in some of your associates from overseas. She’s good at hiding her true self, especially when she’s out at bars,” Bryan suggested, pulling a stack of photographs from his pocket.
The images showed Lydia, heavily made-up, her features altered to look about thirty—undeniably alluring.
“Damn!” Josue reacted. “Your stepmom is that flirtatious? Can’t believe your dad lets her go out like that.”
“Hmph!” Jacob scoffed. “If his dad’s not stepping up, why shouldn’t she find someone else? Remember, acquiring a son wasn’t without its costs.”
After a brief pause, Josue slapped his forehead. “Right, I’d forgotten. I’ll look into Travis for you as well. If I get a photo proving he’s mixed-race, it’ll confirm your father was cuckolded.”
They only had a handful of childhood photos of Travis. At ten years old, he had a distinct biracial appearance, almost doll-like with his delicate features. His hazel eyes didn’t quite fit the family’s genetics either. Of course, photos could be misleading—altered with filters or colored contacts. But what was clear was that he wasn’t Brandon’s child.
“Go ahead,” Bryan said. “See what you can find out.”
While Bryan had assigned Eileen to handle Zola as a way of training her, Brandon was a different matter altogether, one Bryan intended to manage personally, given the unknown forces backing him.
After giving his instructions, Bryan withdrew permission for Josue to continue holding Gabriela.
Josue protested with a pout. “That’s hardly fair!”
Gabriela, now sprouting two tiny teeth, giggled at the adults, her charm growing with each passing day.