The door was opened by Graven. "Get inside," he said.

Sir Nicholas looked at the guard. "What is it, guard? Why you look so flustered?" he asked. ​​

"Sir, there was a woman and her two children outside the gate begging for food, they said they are very hungry. The woman revealed that they are Sir Cooper's children. She told as to inform Sir Cooper that if he won't come to visit their rented home tonight, she will kill the children and commit suicide and hunt Sir Cooper as a ghost for eternity. I can tell you that she was wearing a serious expression in her eyes when she told me those things! She looks like she's telling the truth!" the guard said.

Both Sir Nicholas and Graven's eyes widened in surprise.

"Whaaaat?" Graven exclaimed in astonishment.

"Is...is... this true?" Sir Nicholas asked Graven. He was stunned by the sudden news.

Graven was silent for a minute or two. "The woman could be telling the truth. We can talk to her and interrogate her. We will know if she's is telling the truth or not," he suggested.

"So, what we're going to do now?" Sir Nicholas asked in alarm. He was taken aback by the sudden news. He doesn't know how to react.

Graven looked at the guard. "Go to the stable and inform my driver to prepare the carriage and bring it in the gate. I will give the poor woman and her children a ride to her place and asked her questions. Don't tell anyone about this incident. Keep it a secret to you only. Do you understand me, guard?"

"Yes, Sir! I'll take my leave now," the guard said and left the house going to the stable.

Sir Nicholas looked at his son. "What if Laura will learn about this? There will be no wedding anymore?" he asked worriedly.

Graven sighed. "Father, you need to go with me for a ride. We will ask the woman about the truth, okay?" he said.

"Yes, I want to see the children too! They could be my real grandchildren!" Sir Nicholas replied.

"Okay, let's go!" Graven said.

The men left the study room and went downstairs, going to the gate.

While they were approaching the gate, they're bombarded with apprehension in their heart.

They finally saw the pitiful looking woman and the two children sitting on the ground outside the iron gate, eating the food with gusto using their bare hands.

Graven and Sir Nicholas looked at each other.

"What do you think, Father?" Graven asked.

Sir Nicholas's eyes were glued on the little boy's face. "Oh my..." he murmured. His heart was beating faster in his rib cage. "That boy looks like Cooper when he was around that age!" he said in a shocked tone.

"Hmm, if that is the case, the woman could be telling the truth!" Graven spoke.

A few minutes later.

The carriage finally arrived with the driver. Sir Nicholas boarded the carriage.

Graven looked at the guard. "Open the gate," he commanded.

The two guards opened the iron gate.

The carriage exited the gate and stopped a few meters away from the woman and her little children.

Graven approached the woman. "Miss, please get inside the carriage. I will bring you and your children home safely," he said, trying to soften his voice and facial expression to avoid alarming the woman.

The woman hesitated, fear was leaping from her eyes. She looked at the guards for help on what to do.

The guard who gave her food went to her side. He introduced the two to each other. "Miss, this is Sir Graven, Sir Cooper's brother. And inside the carriage was Sir Nicholas, their father. He is waiting for you. You can tell him your problem. There is no need to feel worried and afraid of their presence. I can assure you - they are good people. They will listen to your problem with an open mind. Even if Sir Cooper doesn't want to marry you, at least the children's grandfather can provide them security and a better future. Think about the future of your children! No need to commit suicide," he said, trying his best to convince her.

The woman was still hesitating. "I'm afraid that Cooper will get mad at me for coming here. He warned me not to come here no matter what happened," she finally expressed her fears.

Graven sighed. "Miss, no need to worry about my brother. We will try to help you. We will bring you home. We will discuss your problem along the way. We will try to solve this problem properly. Please come with me - the children's grandfather is already waiting for them inside the carriage," he said.

Gathering her strength, the woman released a deep sigh and walked bravely towards the carriage. Graven picked up the boy and carried him in his arms.

The driver assisted the woman in boarding the carriage safely.

Graven and the boy followed inside.

A few minutes later.

The guards watched the moving carriage fading away from their vision - shaking their heads, remembering the troubled expression on the woman's face and her children's tragic condition. They can only hope for the best for them. To change their destiny, it's now up to Sir Nicholas's hands.

~

Inside the moving carriage.

Sir Nicholas asked the woman. "What is your name? When did you meet my son Cooper? And what is your arrangement with him?" he began his interrogation in a soft voice.

The woman took a deep breath. "My name is Sarah Harding, an orphan. I met him five years ago in a brothel. I'm a newcomer to that place at that time, and he is my first customer. He showered me with material things and lavished me with money, I got hooked. When he promised to marry me, I accepted. He rented a small house for me outside the town, he visited me there once a week or sometimes twice, but he doesn't stay more than two days. He gives me money for my daily needs until I give birth to our son. He seemed happy, then next, our daughter arrived in this world. I thought we are a happy family, but he changed completely. He seldom visits me anymore and no longer gives me money. I don't know where and how to find a job to feed my children. My condition is very hard right now..." she broke down in a heart-wrenching sob.

Graven and Sir Nicholas looked at each other, they were deeply moved by the woman's pitiful flight.

They allowed the woman to cry for a few minutes in front of them, to help her get rid of her turbulent emotion that is torturing her heart and mind.

Sir Nicholas handed his handkerchief to the woman. "Please take this..." he offered.

"Thank you!" Sarah accepted the handkerchief and wiped the tears from her face.

After seeing the woman starts calming down, Sir Nicholas continue interrogating her. "How old is the baby girl? and the boy?"

"My daughter Nikka is one year old, and my son Nicholas is four years old," Sarah replied.

"Oh, you named him after me?" Sir Nicholas asked, smiling a bit.

"Yes. Cooper insisted that we will name him Nicholas," Sarah responded.

Sir Nicholas summoned the boy. "Come here... little boy... come to grandpa!" he said, beckoning the child to his side.

The boy stared at the old man wide-eyed, not moving, then he looked at his mother in confusion.

"Go to your grandfather! He is your father's father," Sarah coaxed her son.

The boy finally obeyed and reluctantly went to the old man.

Sir Nicholas picked up the boy and placed him on his lap. He hugged the boy for a few minutes. He feels his heart beating enthusiastically for the boy. Instant bond connected them. Right now... he knows that the woman was telling the truth about the children being Cooper's offspring.

They shouldn't be neglected and abandon!

He gritted his teeth in anger for his son.

Graven noticed the glimmer of anger flashing on his father's face. He rubbed his back to soothe him. "Father, the baby girl is cute," he said to divert his attention.

Sir Nicholas's eyes landed on the baby girl.

Sarah gave her daughter to the old man.

Sir Nicholas holds the baby girl in his arms and gazed into her angelic face. The baby smiled and tried to touch the beard on her grandfather's face with her cute chubby fingers. Instant bond connected them.

Sir Nicholas smiled broadly. "Hello, granddaughter! Grandpa is here!" he said, smiling brightly.

The baby girl smiled and wriggled, reacting positively to her grandfather's presence.

Graven observed that his father was warming up to the kids quickly and becoming attached to them in such a short period.

While he watched the touching reunion unfolded inside the carriage, his mind drifted on Laura. She's with Cooper right now shopping for a wedding dress in town. She has no idea about this woman and the children. And now these things happened out of the blue? He was wondering how is his father going to handle this big problem?

He sighed inwardly, his brother sure knows how to make a big mess with his life!

After a while, Sarah cleared her throat and spoke. "I...I'm afraid that if Cooper will know about this...he will get mad at me..." she said in a quivering voice laced with fear.

Sir Nicholas looked at her. "Why is that so?"

"Because...he warned me not to come to the mansion. He doesn't want you to know about me and the children. He told me that you will never agree of him marrying a poor orphan like me," Sarah explained tearfully.

Sir Nicholas sighed upon remembering Laura - Cooper's soon to be wife. He doesn't want to entertain that big problem yet. He wants to enjoy the company of his grandchildren first. He will deal with Laura's problem later.