CHAPTER 132: CHAPTER 132: YOU’RE GOING TO BE A DAD

Zoe Holden was immersed in the infectious joy of her mother and the initial success of the plan when her father suddenly asked her a question, leaving her at a loss for words.

Her eyes flickered, instinctively avoiding her father’s sharp gaze, and she stammered, "Uh, I haven’t had time to tell him yet, I wanted to surprise him."

Mr. Holden looked at her guilty demeanor and already understood in his heart.

He sighed heavily, put down his teacup, and his eyes were filled with disappointment and reproach.

"Foolish!"

At this moment, the sound of the door opening and footsteps came from the entrance.

Justin Holden had returned.

Mrs. Holden happened to be coming out of the kitchen with Leah Sutton, holding a cookbook in her hand.

Seeing her son, Mrs. Holden immediately went up to him with uncontrollable excitement in her voice.

"Justin, you’re back just in time. There’s a big surprise. Leah is pregnant, you’re going to be a dad."

Justin Holden paused in the middle of changing shoes.

He straightened up, his eyes coldly swept over his mother’s excited face, then fell on Leah, who stood behind his mother with her head slightly lowered, hands nervously clasped in front of her stomach.

His expression didn’t change at all, not even a hint of surprise.

He only let out a faint, cold laugh, his voice icy with undisguised sarcasm.

"Can she even have a baby on her own?"

Mrs. Holden’s smile froze for a moment, not understanding what her son meant.

"Justin, what nonsense are you talking about? The child is obviously yours."

Zoe, seeing this, hurriedly stepped forward and explained with a stiff voice.

"Justin, it’s true. Leah is really pregnant, it’s your child."

Her voice became lower and lacked confidence.

Justin’s gaze suddenly turned to Zoe, sharp as a knife.

He instantly understood. The last so-called "comprehensive check-up," that esteemed Senior Doctor Thorne, and Zoe’s unusual enthusiasm were all waiting for him here.

He curved his lips into a chilling smile, nodded, and said in a terrifyingly calm tone, "Good, very good."

He looked back at Leah, his eyes devoid of warmth, as if he were looking at an object unrelated to him.

"Since she’s pregnant, then let her give birth properly. The Holden family isn’t short of nutrition money."

Mrs. Holden was puzzled by her son’s unusually calm, almost indifferent attitude. She anxiously grabbed Justin’s arm.

"Justin, what kind of talk is that? There’s a child now; you have to take responsibility. When do you plan to get married? You should hurry up, or else when Leah’s belly gets bigger, it won’t look good in a wedding dress. The reporters outside will definitely write nonsense, saying it’s a shotgun wedding, how unpleasant that sounds."

"Shotgun wedding?" Justin repeated these four words, his gaze passing over Leah’s suddenly pale face, the sarcasm in his voice becoming more pronounced, "Isn’t that exactly the case?"

Leah was unbearably embarrassed, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.

Justin couldn’t be bothered to look at her anymore; his gaze returned to his mother, his voice indifferent.

"Mom, the Holden family doesn’t need to worry about supporting a child. Since she wants to give birth, let her. As for marriage,"

He paused, each word crisply clear.

"I currently have no plans for that."

Before Mrs. Holden could retort, he dropped another bomb, his gaze meaningfully sweeping over Zoe and Leah.

"Moreover, regarding this matter, I will consider pursuing legal responsibility of the involved parties."

"Legal responsibility?" Mrs. Holden was completely confused. She looked doubtfully at Leah’s pale face and then at Zoe, whose eyes were evasive.

"What legal responsibility, Justin, what exactly are you talking about? I don’t understand at all."

Justin had no intention of explaining further.

He coldly withdrew his arm from his mother’s grip, straightened his suit, and without looking at the varied expressions in the living room, he turned and walked upstairs.

The atmosphere in the living room instantly dropped to freezing point.

Mrs. Holden stood in place, bewildered and shocked, clearly not having recovered from her son’s words.

Zoe, seeing this, quickly stepped forward to smooth things over, forcibly changing the subject, her voice unnaturally urgent.

"Mom, is there soup simmering in the kitchen? I think I smell it, better not let it burn."

Mrs. Holden, reminded by her daughter, suddenly remembered.

"Oh, right, right, I forgot to add some herbs good for pregnant women, better go check it now."

At this moment, her mind was in chaos, and she couldn’t bother to think deeply about her son’s inexplicable words. She hurriedly turned back to the kitchen to instruct the maid.

In the living room, only Zoe and Leah, who was pale and on the verge of collapse, were left.

Zoe looked at Leah’s lost and helpless appearance, opened her mouth to say something, but it ultimately turned into a helpless sigh, speaking softly, "You should go rest in your room for a while."

Leah stayed alone in the guest room, with the door tightly closed.

She was restless, pacing back and forth in the room covered with a thick carpet, her fingers unconsciously gripping the hem of her clothes tightly.

Justin’s last words circled in her mind like a curse, he intended to pursue legal responsibility for her.

Did he find out, did he suspect the in vitro fertilization affair, or was he merely doubting that the child wasn’t his?

She found it hard to breathe, suddenly stopping in her tracks, her hand covering her stomach.

No way.

She forced herself to stay calm.

Zoe is involved too, Justin Holden couldn’t possibly send his own sister in.

At most, he’s trying to scare her.

But what if?

Justin is the type to cut ties mercilessly.

Her palms were sweating coldly.

What made her more desperate were the doctor’s words.

The embryo quality is extremely poor, with a high probability of a natural miscarriage, and even if the pregnancy is forcibly maintained, it’s very likely to be deformed or have severe genetic diseases.

She had no way out.

Having sacrificed so much, even risking her health, she couldn’t afford to gain nothing from it.

Now that Justin has clearly refused to marry her, the ’leverage’ in her belly might also disappear at any moment.

She must act quickly.

Leah walked to the window, looked at the neatly trimmed garden of the Holden family downstairs, and her eyes gradually turned cold and determined.

It has to be a big scene.

Use the media, use public opinion. Justin is a well-known lawyer, and the Holden family is a respectable family, valuing reputation above all.

As long as public opinion spreads, pressured by it, they would have to give her a legal status.

As for the child, as long as she stabilizes the situation before a miscarriage and secures the position of Mrs. Holden, there would always be a way in the future.

She took a deep breath, took out her phone, quickly swiped through the screen, and found a number marked "Reporter Wright." This person had previously benefited from her favors.

She drafted a message, sincere yet tinged with a hint of feeling "wronged," hinting that the young master of the Holden family got her pregnant but was unwilling to take responsibility, hoping the media could "seek justice."

Send.

She watched the message show as delivered, her heart pounding wildly, yet accompanied by a reckless satisfaction.

Justin, if you are ruthless, don’t blame me for being unjust.

In the evening, a servant gently knocked on the guest room door, inviting Leah downstairs for dinner.

The dining room was brightly lit, the long table filled with exquisite dishes, but the main seat was empty.

Mrs. Holden warmly invited Leah to sit beside her.

"Where’s Justin? Why hasn’t he come down for dinner?"

Mrs. Holden asked while serving soup for Leah, seemingly casually, but with a probing look in her eyes.

The servant beside answered respectfully, "The young master came back to fetch an urgent document, said there was an emergency at the law firm, and left in a hurry again."

Mrs. Holden’s face showed a trace of embarrassment, quickly smiling as she explained to Leah, "Leah, you see, he’s just this busy, very career-driven. It’s definitely not deliberate to avoid you, don’t take it to heart. He’ll be free once this busy period is over."

Leah lowered her eyelashes, taking the soup bowl, and said gently, "Auntie, I didn’t overthink it, work is important."

Mrs. Holden looked at her understanding demeanor, feeling more pity, and sighed.

"Alas, you’re the one being wronged. Initially, I thought of sorting your matters quickly while you’re newly pregnant. But seeing how busy he is now, it’s hard to arrange a wedding anytime soon."

Leah looked up at Mrs. Holden, her tone earnest and sincere.

"Auntie, the wedding isn’t urgent. I don’t mind those formalities. Actually, we can go get the marriage certificate first. The wedding can be held later. I just feel that the baby in my belly needs a legal status. It’s good for his future growth."

She gently stroked her still-flat belly, her eyes showing maternal concern.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Holden was taken aback for a moment, thinking she made a valid point.

Indeed, the child should be the primary concern. She instinctively glanced at Mr. Holden in the main seat.

Mr. Holden ate his meal slowly, without even glancing up, as if he hadn’t heard their conversation, making no indication.

Mrs. Holden, unable to get her husband’s support, could only smooth things over, her tone relaxed.

"There’s no rush for the marriage certificate either. Just focus on taking care of the pregnancy for now. Don’t worry, the Holden family will never mistreat you or the child in your belly."

She picked a dish for Leah, the smile returning to her face.

"Coincidentally, Zoe is also pregnant; you two can keep each other company at home, giving birth comfortably. I and Nanny Lawson will take good care of you, making sure both you and the babies are well nourished."

Leah shook her head slightly, her tone firm, "Thank you for your kindness, Auntie. But I still want to continue working. It’s still early in the pregnancy, and I feel restless staying at home. Working helps take my mind off things."

Mrs. Holden was somewhat surprised, then showed a look of admiration, "Oh my, indeed it’s rare nowadays to see a lady of your standards with such a strong career drive and ability to endure hardships. Alright, since you wish to go, then go, but make sure to take care of yourself, don’t overexert! Leave tasks to others, don’t do everything personally."

"Yes, I understand, thank you, Auntie." Leah nodded obediently.

Only Leah herself knew that she absolutely couldn’t resign at this moment. The internal competition within the Sutton family was fierce; her ambitious siblings eagerly awaited her to make a mistake to seize her position in the family business.

Once she leaves the center of power, trying to get a share again would be as difficult as climbing to the sky.

The title of Holden’s daughter-in-law is indeed important, but a career and voice of her own is her true foundation for survival and must not be lost.

She quietly ate her meal, playing the role of a gentle and obedient prospective daughter-in-law, while her mind rapidly calculated the next step of her plan.

The evasion and indifference from Justin forced her to accelerate the pace.

It’s time to add a bit of spice with the media.