CHAPTER 27: CHAPTER 27: THE YOUNG WIFE CRIES AGAIN, PRESIDENT HAWTHORNE FEELS HEARTACHE

"Alright, I’ll go back." Riley Hawthorne saw that Caden Hawthorne was really angry and didn’t dare to say more, so she turned around and left with a pout.

Caden Hawthorne watched Riley leave, feeling a wave of irritation.

He didn’t understand his feelings for Vivian Lynch. Seeing her being bullied made him angry and ready to fix everything for her. When he saw her cry, he couldn’t help but feel heartache.

Caden thought to himself that he must have been conquered by Vivian.

At first, he clearly disliked her, thinking that she approached him only for wealth and luxury, and that she was playing a cat-and-mouse game with him.

But later, from his grandfather, he learned that he had misunderstood her.

It seemed that his attitude towards her had begun to change.

Caden took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, then returned to his room.

The next day.

Due to her pregnancy, Vivian was sleeping heavily and didn’t wake up until a barrage of phone calls disturbed her.

"Hello..." In a daze, Vivian picked up the phone next to her and answered.

On the other end came the anxious voice of her best friend, Stella Fletcher, "My lady, how can you still think about sleeping? You don’t know that you went viral last night."

Hearing this, Vivian instantly woke up and jumped out of bed, "What? Went viral?"

Could it be that she and Caden were photographed when they went for a prenatal check-up? Was their flash marriage exposed?

While Vivian was secretly speculating, Stella said over the phone, "That’s right, it’s a scandal. Someone leaked stuff online, claiming you knowingly became a mistress and are being kept by an older man."

"Oh, that’s good." Vivian let out a slight sigh of relief; she thought her flash marriage with Caden was revealed.

"Vivian, are you okay? Aren’t you worried at all about being slandered like this?"

Stella was nearly frantic over the phone.

Vivian snapped back to reality, her heart sinking, her mind a blank.

Wait, she was slandered? Accused of being a mistress?

Realizing this, she hurriedly asked, "Stella, what exactly is going on? Who did this?"

Stella said anxiously, "I don’t know the specifics, though someone quickly took down the scandalous trending topic, the Internet is still buzzing. Our old school’s forum is spreading all sorts of dirt on you."

"Well, Stella, I’ll talk to you later, I need to see what’s going on."

"Alright, I’ll send you the screenshots."

After hanging up, Vivian quickly opened Weibo. Although she couldn’t find the scandalous trend anymore, screenshots were still online.

One glaring headline after another appeared, "Innocent Female College Student Becomes Mistress, Kept by an Older Man", "Unveiling the Distasteful Past of a Female College Student!"

Online, all the comments were scolding her, each more offensive than the last.

Stella also sent discussions from their school’s forum, and even in the classmates’ group chats, there were all sorts of forwards and mockery.

Seeing her former classmates not only not speaking for her but also joining in, some adding fuel to the fire, and some even sending her derogatory messages on WeChat.

She clutched her phone tightly, tears welling up in her eyes.

Who did this? Who on earth was deliberately smearing her online?

Vivian tried hard to calm herself and decided to first discuss a countermeasure with Caden.

Having made up her mind, Vivian quickly got up, not even bothering to put on slippers, and dashed out of the room barefoot.

The next second, Vivian ran straight into a solid chest.

She looked up and saw Caden Hawthorne, who was looking down at her, his hands holding her shoulders, frowning slightly, "Be careful, you are a pregnant woman now."

Vivian quickly stepped out of his embrace, her eyes slightly red, her voice tinged with a sob, "I’m sorry..."

Caden’s gaze landed on her, seeing that she rushed out barefoot with red-rimmed eyes, clearly having just cried.

Caden frowned; why was she crying again?

It seemed that ever since Vivian Lynch had moved into the Hawthorne Family, she had cried a lot.

And every time Caden saw her tears, his heart ached, completely unable to resist.

"Why did you run out without shoes?" Caden asked with concern.

Vivian hesitated, "Caden, I... I went viral in a scandal. Someone said I knowingly became a mistress and am kept by an older man. Now the internet and our school’s forum are in an uproar, and classmates are mocking and humiliating me. I don’t know what to do."

After speaking, Vivian lowered her eyes.

Caden’s eyes turned sharp, a wave of anger surged through his heart.

He had already suppressed the trending topic, just to prevent Vivian from seeing it and affecting her mood. She was a pregnant woman, unable to be agitated.

Thinking of this, he gently pulled Vivian into his arms, softly stroking her hair, comforting, "Don’t be afraid, leave this to me, I’ll handle it."

Hearing this, Vivian felt very secure; Caden’s embrace was so warm that she didn’t want to leave.

"Caden, thank you."

Upon hearing this, Caden was touched, involuntarily picking her up in his arms.

Vivian was startled by the sudden lift, instinctively wrapping her arms around Caden’s neck.

Looking at her, Caden said softly, "Let’s put on some shoes, then go downstairs and eat breakfast, Grandpa and the others are still waiting for us."

Vivian blushed instantly, murmuring, "Put me down, I can walk by myself."

Caden ignored her words and carried her straight back to the room.

Caden gently placed Vivian by the bed, then squatted down to get her slippers and personally put them on for her.

Seeing Caden’s gentle action, Vivian felt a surge of warmth in her heart.

"Alright, now go wash up, then come down to have breakfast. Forget about everything else, I’m here." Caden said, standing up, looking at Vivian with determination.

Vivian nodded and obediently went to freshen up.

When she finished and went downstairs, she saw Caden and Grandpa, along with Mrs. Hawthorne, were already at the dining table waiting for her.

Grandpa smiled as he saw Vivian coming down, "Vivian, come and have breakfast."

"Daughter-in-law, come over here." Mrs. Hawthorne also waved at her with a smile, "I don’t know what you like to eat, so I made some chicken soup myself to nourish you."

With warmth in her heart, Vivian walked over, sitting beside Caden, looking at them gratefully, "Thank you, Grandpa, thank you, Mrs. Hawthorne."

"You still call me Mrs. Hawthorne?" Mrs. Hawthorne said with a smile, serving her some chicken soup, "You and our Caden already have your marriage certificate, you should call me Mom."

Hearing this, Vivian couldn’t help but glance at Caden.

Caden nodded slightly at her, signaling that she could address his mother that way.

Only then did Vivian call out, "Mom..."

Mrs. Hawthorne was all smiles, placing the chicken soup in front of her, "Vivian, I just returned home, was a bit rushed, and haven’t had time to prepare a meeting gift. After breakfast, Mom will take you out for a walk."