The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 429

Dylan was startled by his grandfather’s reaction and, without thinking, called for the family doctor right away.

The doctor rushed over, and the whole household scrambled in panic as he examined and treated the old man. After giving him medication, they finally managed to stabilize him.

Not long after, Jacob Austin and Mrs. Austin arrived, both visibly anxious and still in the dark about what had triggered the old man’s sudden bout of high blood pressure.

Jacob walked over to Dylan, concern etched on his face. “Did you say something that upset Grandfather?” he asked, his voice tight.

After all, only Dylan and the old man had been in the room earlier.

Dylan didn’t answer.

The old man, having caught his breath, reached out with a trembling hand. His voice was weak, barely more than a whisper. “Dylan, is what you said true?”

It was clear he was still clinging to a sliver of hope that this was all just a terrible misunderstanding.

“What’s going on? What’s true?” Jacob and Mrs. Austin exchanged confused glances, completely lost as to what the old man was talking about.

Dylan remained silent, but there was a determined set to his jaw, his eyes unwavering.

The old man closed his eyes, and a single tear slid down his cheek, betraying the depth of his despair.

Jacob hurried to his father’s side. “Dad, what’s wrong? Please, you’re scaring me.”

The old man opened his eyes and gestured for everyone else to leave the room.

Once the others had gone and only family remained, he spoke, his voice heavy. “Dylan just told me that, because of injuries to his legs, he suffered damage that left him unable to have children.”

Mrs. Austin’s breath caught in her throat, disbelief and shock written all over her face.

She hurried to her son, her voice trembling. “Dylan, what do you mean you can’t have children?”

Dylan replied flatly, “Exactly what it sounds like.”

For a moment, Mrs. Austin simply stood there, reeling. The news was too much to process, and she swayed unsteadily, as if she might faint at any moment.

Dylan continued, his tone calm but resolute. “The reason I kept this from you was because I knew you couldn’t handle it. You pushed me to get married, so I did. But if you want me to have children, I honestly can’t.”

After all, theirs was a marriage of convenience—a contract with an expiration date.

Still, with the prospect of a fortune on the table, surely the Thomson family wouldn’t object. Or would they?

But before Dylan could finish, Mrs. Austin cut him off sharply. “Absolutely not! That is out of the question!”

She would never allow the Austin family’s fortune to go to Rebecca’s four illegitimate children.

Dylan had expected her refusal and said nothing more.

Mrs. Austin pressed on, her tone cold and determined. “If you’re worried about the family legacy, you can still have a child yourself. There’s still time.”

Her face was stormy.

Jacob looked even more uncomfortable, frozen where he stood.

He and Mrs. Austin hadn’t spoken much since their last argument; their marriage had been on ice for a while now. And, most importantly, Mrs. Austin had gone through early menopause—having another child of their own was out of the question.