Daisy chimed in, “Ms. Louise, is this decision of yours serious? Are you going to marry Adrien?”

“Ah!!” Emmeline was frustrated and made a groundhog-like cry.

“Emma, were you threatened by Julianna and others?” Abel asked coldly.

“Do you believe that’s possible, Abel?” Emmeline blinked and denied being threatened. A daredevil like her was impossible to threaten by others. She pointed out, “Adrien is the biological father of the triplets, so it’s only natural for me to marry him. Similarly, you are engaged to Alana since she is Timothy’s biological mother, right?”

“I haven’t,” Abel said calmly.

“Have you not?” She sneered, “But Alana has already announced your engagement on Twitter. Haven’t you clarified it yet?”

Abel was surprised by her deduction and attempted to clarify the situation. Should he admit that he and his mother had tricked his grandfather by delaying the engagement? Or that he was trying to distance himself from Alana during this time? He wondered if he was being sly, wicked, and cunning.

“But, Emma,” Abel tried to explain his engagement situation with Alana, “you have to believe me, I won’t marry Alana.”

“You liar! Why did you get engaged if you had no intention of marrying? Are you just wasting time?” She exclaimed, “I don’t want to be caught in the middle of you and Alan. I don’t want to become a scapegoat and suffer unredressed injustice. So, do as you please, and don’t feel the need to keep anything hidden.”

Abel frowned and said, “That’s my concern, but you don’t have to suffer for it, right? Even if you don’t choose me, you don’t have to make any sacrifices, do you?”

Emmeline questioned, “In what way am I suffering? Adrien is the biological father of my child, so it’s reasonable for me to choose him as my husband. Moreover, he has assisted me numerous times. You witnessed how he was injured in the Imperial Palace and even quarreled with his mother to safeguard the children and me. It was evident to everyone. So tell me, what’s wrong with me choosing him?”

Abel couldn’t refute her words and had to agree with her.

“The thing is, Mom,” Sun said, “we don’t want Adrien to be our dad.”

“And Mom,” Moon added, “we only see Abel as our dad.”

“Same here,” Star agreed. “Abel gave me a bone marrow transplant.”

The three kids expressed their feelings one by one, and both Emmeline and Abel were touched, their eyes welling up with tears. Despite their efforts to persuade her, she sniffled and fought back tears. She refused to be stuck in the middle of Abel and Alana, feeling repulsed by the idea.

Abel crouched down, opened his arms wide, and embraced the triplets tightly. “Just having you three is already a blessing for me.”

“But we won’t give up on you, Dad.”

“You have to convince Mom to choose you, Dad.”

“Don’t let Adrien take Mom away from you, Dad.”

Abel hugged them back, his eyes filled with tears, and nodded firmly. “Okay, okay! Dad promises that I won’t give up!”

“Abel, stop manipulating the children,” Emmeline scolded sternly, her face turning cold. “Their father is still Adrien, and if you keep this up, they’ll grow to resent you in the future.” These words left Abel speechless. He only wanted to strengthen his bond with the children, as they shared a biological connection. He had never considered the implications of his actions, and now he wondered if he was inadvertently causing a rift between the children and Adrien. After all, blood was thicker than water, and Adrien was the true father of the triplets.