With that, Joanne White fell into Austin Hale’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably, almost to the point of fainting.

Hearing what Joanne said, Austin Hale was finally moved.

’So that’s why...’ he thought. ’When we broke up, all those things Joanne said were just to make me angry. She only said them so our son could have a better life, to make me leave her on my own...’

Looking at Joanne’s tear-streaked face in his arms, Austin Hale was deeply touched. He and Joanne immediately made up.

Seeing that she had gotten away with it, Joanne finally breathed a sigh of relief...

At that moment, looking at the message from Austin Hale on her phone, Joanne rolled her eyes as she replied:

Honey, I really miss you. To be with you again sooner, I’ll definitely work hard to complete Godfather’s mission. You have to wait for me. Love you.

After sending the message, Joanne put down her phone. She let out an involuntary gag, feeling the bowl of chicken noodle soup she had just eaten churning in her stomach.

She was truly disgusted by the Austin of today!

Deceitful, sleazy, nothing at all like the campus heartthrob from their prestigious university days.

Besides, after being with Zane Simmons for so long, Joanne’s standards for a partner had long since risen. The idea of going back to a man of Austin’s caliber was completely unacceptable to her!

People strive to climb higher; only water flows downward!

However, Joanne also knew she couldn’t afford to burn her bridges with Austin right now, because he was Mr. Caelus’s godson.

Joanne had always known how to seek advantages and avoid harm. For now, she could only placate Austin and figure out another plan later.

Joanne sighed and lay back down on the bed.

She stared blankly at the ceiling as a thought suddenly crossed her mind: ’Compared to going back to Mr. Caelus’s side and facing Austin, maybe staying with the Sutton Family would be a better choice...’

******

Meanwhile, Austin Hale smiled in satisfaction when he saw the message from Joanne.

He thought for a moment and typed a reply:

My darling, the mother of my child, you must take good care of yourself at the Sutton Family’s place. During these two years of disaster, we were torn apart, but now we’re finally back together. This is heaven helping us.

When you come back, you can have another child for me. This time, we’ll raise the child ourselves, and I will definitely take good care of you and the baby.

After sending the message, Austin Hale put down his phone and smiled dotingly.

He had originally thought Joanne was a gold-digger who had abandoned him for a rich kid. But it turned out she had endured humiliation and laid low by Zane Simmons’s side all for the sake of giving their child a better life.

Understanding this made Austin Hale’s spirits soar. ’I knew it,’ he thought. ’Joanne couldn’t possibly not love me! There’s no way she’d abandon a premium man like me for a bit of money!’

’I’m a campus heartthrob from a top university, after all. Few women can resist my charm!’

Just as Austin Hale was basking in his own smugness, a fair, slender hand gently caressed his chest.

The woman lying next to Austin Hale leaned over, appearing soft and delicate. She caressed his bare chest and asked, "Mr. Hale~ Who were you chatting with just now?"

Austin Hale glanced at the equally naked woman beside him, gave a wicked grin, and answered in a low voice, "Don’t ask questions you’re not supposed to, little thing. I don’t like clever girls, understand? Besides, I have a wife now. You’d better know your place and not do anything unnecessary."

Hearing this, the woman leaning on Austin Hale’s chest almost rolled her eyes into the back of her head.

’This fucking asshole,’ she thought. ’His pants aren’t even on, and he’s putting on this deeply-in-love act? Fucking disgusting!’

Even though she was inwardly cursing his ancestors, the woman’s face remained impassive.

She put on a gentle, understanding smile and said in a cloying voice, "I understand, Mr. Hale~ Don’t worry, I’ll be good."

Seeing Austin Hale’s satisfied smile, the woman’s eyes darted as she pressed, "Mr. Hale, you told me before that you’d put in a good word for me with Mr. Caelus so he would accept me as his goddaughter... Is that still on the table?"

Austin Hale faltered for a moment, then rubbed his nose, looking a little guilty.

The naked woman beside him was a disciple of his godfather, Mr. Caelus. He had indeed promised her before that he would introduce her to Mr. Caelus to become his goddaughter... but things had changed. Mr. Caelus had already chosen Joanne White. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

The reason was simple: among all the female disciples, Joanne White was the most slender and beautiful. She was also clever, making her the most suitable for a honey trap.

And as for Austin Hale, it was a no-brainer. On one hand was the mother of his child; on the other, a casual fling. Of course he was going to side with Joanne.

So, this woman’s dream of becoming Mr. Caelus’s goddaughter was obviously not going to happen...

But looking at the woman’s expectant gaze, Austin Hale could only say vaguely, "...What’s the rush! Is my dad some ordinary person? He’s a demigod! These things take time... Don’t worry, I’ll keep putting in a good word for you! I’ll try to get him to accept you as soon as possible!"

Hearing this, the woman happily hugged Austin Hale, gave him a kiss, and cheered, "Thank you, Mr. Hale~ I knew you were the best to me!"

...

After seeing the woman out, Austin Hale got dressed and went to Mr. Caelus’s room.

They were currently living in a large, luxurious downtown penthouse, a duplex with the two floors connected, giving it the area of a villa.

It had been purchased for Mr. Caelus through the pooled funds of his disciples as a sign of their filial piety. The rooms were also stuffed with supplies they had brought him, with everything from coal and gasoline to seafood and meat.

Austin Hale walked to the door of Mr. Caelus’s room, knocked gently, and said, "Dad, it’s Austin."

A deep, magnetic voice came from inside the room. "Come in."

Austin Hale took a deep breath, put on a smile, and opened the door to enter.

Inside the lavishly decorated room, a middle-aged man was sitting upright on the sofa.

He looked to be in his fifties or sixties, with a square-jawed face, deep-set eyes, and a ruddy complexion. His slightly graying hair was meticulously combed back, giving him an air of solemn dignity.

He wore a set of retro-style casual clothes in a dark color. The cut was exquisite, exuding an understated luxury.

Over his clothes, he wore a soft Buddhist robe that gave him a dignified and sacred air. The edges of the robe were embroidered with gold thread that glittered in the bright light, adding to its magnificence and mystery.

He sat there quietly, a lit cigar held gently in his left hand while his right idly played with a string of Sandalwood Buddhist Beads.

Seeing this, Austin Hale quickly walked over, bowing as he greeted him, "Dad."

Mr. Caelus glanced up at Austin Hale and asked in his deep voice, "Austin, has all the incense money for this month been collected?"

Austin Hale hesitated for a moment, then said with some difficulty, "Only a portion has been collected, and most of it was government-issued disaster relief supplies... I had someone take them to the black market to exchange for cash. After the conversion, the money is only about a fifth of what we used to get..."

At this, Austin Hale secretly glanced up to check Mr. Caelus’s expression. Confirming that he wasn’t angry, he steeled himself and continued, "Dad, these poor bastards are probably really broke. There’s not much left to squeeze out of them..."

Mr. Caelus fell silent at his words. After a long moment, he gently shook his head and said in a low voice, "A pity. Anworth isn’t chaotic enough yet..."