Karen’s Position in Lake’s Heart

One week later.

Lake flew back to Quantico Military Base from Texas with General Ross.

"Remember to keep this a secret."

"…I know."

"I’m afraid you don’t know."

"…"

As the plane neared Quantico Base, General Ross unbuckled his seatbelt, moved to Lake’s side, and woke Lake, who was fast asleep, saying with a serious expression.

Lake opened his mouth.

General Ross said, "Rachel from The Sun."

Lake let out a sound and said, "Don’t worry, I know what I should say and what I shouldn’t."

Ross said expressionlessly, "I’m talking about other things."

Lake got up and looked at General Ross suspiciously. He couldn’t tell if it was his imagination, but it seemed like General Ross had gone offline, and his foster father, Ross, had come online.

What the heck?

Lake thought for a moment, "Other things, there shouldn’t be any more, are you talking about Betty and that Dr. Banner?"

"I’m talking about you and Rachel."

"…"

Ross shook his head, somewhat speechless, and said to Lake, "When you were attacked in Texas, I had already sent people to bring Skye and Rachel to Quantico Base for protection. Karen also knows about Rachel. She’s very angry, but I haven’t told you because I’ve been busy."

Lake’s mouth widened, "Karen knows… what?"

"What do you think?"

Ross glanced at Lake. "Everything. We’ll be landing in ten minutes. You’d better think about how to comfort Karen, she’s very sad."

After saying that.

Ross stood up, preparing to go to the cockpit, but he was thinking to himself.

Knows what?

Good heavens.

It’s just that Rachel is pregnant, isn’t it? Does this kid have other little secrets hidden in his heart?

Lake also looked at Ross’s retreating back, his thoughts racing.

Karen knows everything?

What?

Rachel is pregnant?

Lake knew about this. After all, Ross had said it when he rushed over from Quantico. So, Karen knowing Rachel was pregnant was within his expectations.

But… she knows everything?

Did Theron get exposed?

Or have Emilia and his little cotton-padded jacket been exposed too?

The rebellious son?

That guy doesn’t count. He has no place in my heart. I raised him for twenty-one years and then kicked him out, letting him fend for himself.

Lake’s eyes flickered.

Inside the cockpit.

Ross was having an encrypted satellite call with Karen.

Soon.

Ten minutes later.

The plane landed smoothly at the airport of the rebuilt Quantico Military Base.

Five minutes later.

Inside the hangar.

Lake was deep in thought, feeling that the possibility of Karen knowing about Emilia and his little cotton-padded jacket wasn’t very high.

But…

Lake looked at Ross, who kept glancing at him, seemingly with a mysterious smile, and felt that it was possible.

Just then.

Rachel, not far away, saw Lake walking off the plane and ran over to hug him.

Lake snapped back to reality.

Not far away.

Skye also pulled Rachel’s adopted daughter, Josie, over.

Skye didn’t just smile and greet Lake like Rachel did.

Lake returned a smile.

"Are you alright?"

"I’m fine."

Rachel, after letting go of Lake, said, "I’ve been so worried these past few days," and then immediately gave him a passionate kiss.

Skye’s mouth twitched, and then she directly pulled Josie, who was staring intently, to turn around.

Hey, hey, hey.

There are two minors here, is it okay to be so unrestrained?

Ten minutes later.

Base dormitory.

After Lake got out of the car, he hugged Karen, who was waiting at the door as if he had seen her before, and then looked at Karen’s somewhat guilty gaze, glancing around: "Where’s Betty?"

Let’s put it this way.

Lake might turn back time for Karen, but he wouldn’t necessarily turn back time for Ross.

Of course, this was just a metaphor.

Karen said, "Still in the lab. Come in, I think we need to have a serious conversation."

Lake said, "I’m going to…"

A serious conversation.

This familiar feeling, can I not go?

Karen interrupted directly: "It doesn’t matter if you go later. Rachel, you take the two children to the backyard first."

Lake looked at Rachel.

Rachel mouthed an apology to Lake, then called out to Skye and Josie who were not far away, and took Skye and Josie into the house first.

Lake and Karen followed closely.

"Sit down, son."

"…Thank you."

Lake felt guilty listening to Karen’s serious words as soon as she entered the house, and could clearly sense the sadness… and disappointment radiating from Karen.

Good heavens.

It’s all exposed?

How could it be.

Impossible, my security work was quite good.

"When did this happen?"

"Ah."

Lake snapped back to attention and looked at Karen, who was sitting on the opposite sofa, having transformed from prosecutor Karen into a psychological counselor, and casually opened the growth talk book between Lake and Betty. He raised an eyebrow: "You mean Rachel, you found out when we were on vacation in Los Angeles."

Karen nodded: "Why didn’t you say anything?"

Lake’s thoughts raced: "I wanted to say something, but after we got back from Los Angeles, this happened. I was originally planning to take Rachel back for Christmas this year."

I’m so smart.

"Really?"

"Of course!"

Lake said to Karen, "I wouldn’t lie to you, even if I lied to Betty."

Karen chuckled: "Alright, this time you went too far. Is there anything else? Speak."

"Anything else?"

"Should I say it?"

"No need."

"Then you say it."

Lake quickly waved his hand, looking at Karen’s serious expression, hesitated for a moment, and then thought: "Katherine?"

Forget it.

It’s going to be brought back for Karen to see sooner or later anyway.

Lake didn’t tell Karen before because he couldn’t make it in time then. If it had been exposed, it would have affected Emilia. At the very least, if he had brought her back then, turning the VAM Consortium into the private assets of the Immortal Royal Family would not have gone so smoothly.

Karen raised an eyebrow.

There really was something.

Karen thought about her husband Ross’s words on the satellite phone. She had intended to tease him, but she hadn’t expected it to actually come out.

"Cough, cough!"

Karen cleared her throat and looked at Lake. "Continue."

Lake glanced at Karen suspiciously this time.

He clearly caught a hint of nervousness, surprise, and guilt on Karen’s face for a moment.

Damn.

Was she flustered by concern and got tricked?

But…

Lake thought about it and decided it didn’t matter. He leaned back on the sofa, shrugged, and smiled. "Katherine is your granddaughter."

"Pfft!"

"…"

The lemonade Karen had just been drinking sprayed out. "What did you say?"

Jesus God.

What had she just heard? She had originally thought Lake had another woman named Katherine, but it turned out…

Lake got up solicitously and handed Karen some tissues from the coffee table.

He didn’t want Karen to choke to death because of this matter. If she had to go to hell for choking, Mephisto would probably feel wronged.

Karen took the tissues and pointed at the sofa. "Sit properly and explain everything to me, from the beginning."

Lake shrugged. "From the beginning? That would probably take a while."

Saying that.

Lake briefly explained how he met Emilia in Budapest, then the birth of Katherine, and then how Lake went to Budapest every year.

Karen interrupted, "So, you lied to your sister every March, saying you were going to Europe?"

Lake nodded.

Karen covered her forehead, looking at Lake, who had caused such a big situation without a word, in disbelief. "How old is she?"

"Fourteen, one year younger than Skye."

"Wow."

Karen gasped in surprise, then seemed to recall something. "But, you don’t seem to have gone this year or last year. Why?"

I went.

I left a clone there.

Lake thought to himself, but he certainly wouldn’t say that. He directly said, "Emilia came over at that time."

Karen nodded.

The next second.

Karen looked back at Lake. "But, didn’t you ever think about telling me? When were you planning to tell me, after Ross and I died?"

These were words meant to strike at his heart.

Lake quickly said, "How could I?"

Karen said, "Oh, then when were you planning to tell me, Lake? Do you remember the note about coming of age that I gave you and your sister when you were sixteen?"

Lake nodded.

"What did it say?"

"Honesty is the best policy. Your family will always be your most trustworthy."

Honesty is the best policy, and family will always be your most trustworthy.

This was a gift Karen had given Lake when he turned sixteen. If every family had a backbone, then Karen was undoubtedly that person.

Karen valued family very much. She might not require everyone to return for ordinary holidays, or even her own birthday, but Thanksgiving and family reunion days were mandatory.

"So, did you do it?"

"I’m very sorry."

Lake sincerely apologized to Karen. "Actually, I wanted to bring her back to meet you from the beginning, but there were some things I had to handle properly."

Karen looked at the expression on Lake’s face. "What about now?"

Lake said, "If you’re willing to see them, I’d be happy to have them come over."

Karen didn’t answer immediately.

Her disappointment was solely because Lake hadn’t told her about her granddaughter Katherine’s existence. She wasn’t disappointed that Lake had silently conceived a child with a foreign woman.

Karen had always educated Lake and Betty in a rather hands-off manner, but she always kept the reins in her hands.

Love was always wild and unpredictable.

There are plenty of federal agents who don’t take responsibility for their children after having them. Aren’t there also many cases of people eating forbidden fruit only to lose control?

If Lake said he had never visited his daughter, Karen would be disappointed and very angry.

Karen shook her head, "Are they still in Budapest?"

Lake nodded, "Emilia is still there. Katherine is currently studying in Forks Town, Washington, in the Federation."

Karen: "…"