Daniel was first startled, then stunned when his eyes settled on the boy's stern face.
"Wh-what is this? Did the tyrant return to when he was a child? Or am I so hungry that my mind's now messing with me?" He mumbled underneath his breath, confusion written all over his face.
Jesse's shout had attracted the attention of those close to them, but when they glanced over and saw there was nothing happening, they naturally returned their attention to what they were doing.
Seeing him talk to himself, Jesse frowned hard and inwardly concluded he was mentally unstable.
So he turned abruptly and grabbed Keira by the wrist.
She already knew she was in big trouble, so she didn't fight him off and just went along with him.
Seeing them leave, Daniel shot out of his seat and rushed to block their way.
Instinctively, Jesse stood in front of Keira protectively and glared hard at Daniel.
The man blinked his eyes three times hoping he was seeing things, but each time he opened them, the sight in front of him remained the same.
Daniel wasn't very smart and thinking too much was frustrating and made him more confused.
Hence, he tried his best not to think too much about things he found confusing and didn't understand. But this sight in front of him, he was trying so hard to understand.
However, after a minute of trying to understand what was happening, he placed a hand akimbo on his waist and pointed a finger at Jesse frustratedly.
"Hey, kid! Tell me the truth now, did a man an inch taller than me give you a prosthetic mask to stick on your face to make me lose my mind?"
Jesse didn't retort, but Daniel could see the familiar judgmental look in his eyes Jett often had whenever he found a question too stupid to answer.
"Jesse, I think he's a retard." Keira mumbled as she poked out her head from behind Jesse.
Despite accusing him of wearing a prosthetic mask, Daniel didn't believe that was the case.
So he pressed his lips into a thin line and began thinking again.
What is this? Is his mind really playing tricks on him? Or is he getting it all wrong?
By any chance, did his brother have a woman the world didn't know about? A woman who gave birth to children that he had kept hidden from the world?
Given how reserved his brother was and how he didn't like the press so much, that must've been the case.
After all, the press has been all over his neck about getting married and would eat up the slightest misconduct he had with a woman.
How much more when they found out he had a son.
"Do you live in this building?" He asked Jesse again.
However, the boy still didn't retort. But Keira's mouth reacted faster than her brain.
"We live on the 49th floor!" As soon as the words rolled off her tongue, she gasped and clasped her mouth shut with both hands.
"49th floor? Seriously?!" Daniel's perked up brows instantly fell as he finally realized what was happening.
Jett built this apartment building four years ago. Each floor had fifty apartments in it, but only the 49th and 50th had an entire floor to themself.
Because he also refused to rent out the 49th floor to anyone, Daniel always asked him why, but he never gave him an answer.
But now it all made perfect sense.
After the place remained vacant for 2 years, he and a lot of people stopped asking Jett about it.
Jett must've used that opportunity to bring in his children and their mother. He waited for over two years to bring them in, that way, the public's eyes wouldn't be on them. How thoughtful!
All these years, he had taken him for a tyrant with a heart as cold as ice!
As that thought settled in his mind, Daniel beamed brightly and lowered himself to their height.
"I'm Uncle Daniel, my dear niece and nephew."
"Do you still not believe me? He has clearly lost it!" Keira urgently whispered to Jesse.
Jesse couldn't help, but nod in agreement. Only someone who has lost it would call kids he has never met before his niece and nephew.
He was about to walk away with Keira when Daniel spoke up again.
"What? Did I say something to anger you? Then, should I buy you something from the stalls? I'll buy you anything. You just have to name it!"
Hearing him, Keira's eyes shimmered brightly and Jesse didn't know when her hand left his.
She scurried over to Daniel's side and stared up at him inquisitively.
"You'll really buy me anything?"
Daniel huffed in disbelief and took out his wallet.
"You think I'm lying? Look what I have in my wallet. Not one or three credit cards, but six! And I have nothing less than 10 million in each of them!"
He took out all six of the cards and flexed it in front of Keira's eyes.
Her eyes glistened happily and she promptly slid her little hand into his. She then looked up at him with a charming smile and pointed at an ice cream stand.
"Let's get a vanilla ice cream first, Uncle Daniel."
Daniel froze. Then he returned her smile, his heart fluttering happily as he walked towards the ice cream stand with her.
"Ice cream? Of course I'll get you ice cream! I'll even buy the entire stand if you want me to!"
Keira giggled cutely.
Jesse sighed softly realizing there was nothing more he could do or say for Keira to come with him.
But it was a good thing they were in public. Once he bought them her the ice cream, he'd take her hand and go up to the elevator.
If this uncle refused to let Keira go, he'd shout for help.
With that plan in mind, he walked beside Daniel, his eyes pinned intently on Daniel's face.
After getting Keira what she wanted, Daniel turned to him and asked softly, "Which flavor do you want, my nephew?"
However, Jesse merely threw his face to the side and said nothing.
His frown was too identical to Jett's which scared Daniel a little.
"Why do you have to look every bit like him? Looking at you frown and glare at me is no different from looking at him do those. How scary!"
"I've almost forgotten you're a kid twice today. So answer me, which ice cream flavor do you want?"
Jesse still didn't respond.
Keira raised her eyes and answered in his stead, "Jesse likes mint chocolate chip."
"Mint? Why it? It totally tastes like toothpaste!" Daniel didn't know when he blurted out in disgust.
Jesse Sutton, who had been doing a good job ignoring him, finally erupted in anger hearing him.
"T-toothpaste? Don't you dare compare my mint chocolate chip to something so unworthy!"
Daniel turned to look at him, surprised that he finally said something else to him before he smiled broadly and pretended not to hear the seething aggression.
"What? I've taken it before and it's no different from toothpaste. You should change your favorite to something like salted caramel."
"Salted caramel? Why would I take salt in the name of ice cream?!"
"What's wrong with that?"
"Everything!"
Without knowing it, Jesse collected the mint chocolate chip Daniel was stretching towards him and began walking towards the elevator with the two in tow.
Once they were inside, he pressed the button labeled with the number 49.