Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1652

The room was quiet for a long moment before one of Beatrix's classmates asked, "Beatrix is pregnant?" Winona nodded. "Yep! About two or three months along!" Beatrix's professor asked, "Is that true?" Winona nodded earnestly. "Of course it's true. I wouldn't joke about something like that." The professor immediately looked at Beatrix. "My dear, why didn't you say you were pregnant? If I had known, I wouldn't have given you such a demanding research workload." Her classmates chimed in, "Yeah, if we'd known you were pregnant, we would have looked out for you more. We wouldn't have let you do any heavy lifting." Tate Joubert was ecstatic. "Beatrix, you're pregnant? Really? Are you really pregnant?" Beatrix’s breath came in ragged hitches, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. Just as she was about to deny it, Winona cut in, "Yes, yes, it's true. If you don't believe it, you can get a paternity test later. The baby is yours." Tate Joubert was so moved he started to cry. "I believe you! I believe you! Beatrix is a good girl, she's only been with me... Beatrix, I'll take such good care of you. I'll take care of our baby. Trust me, I'll work hard and earn money, and I'll make you both happy!" The professor and classmates were incredibly touched and started cheering again. "Marry him, Beatrix!" "Beatrix, you should say yes! Don't leave him kneeling there. The baby might not like you torturing his daddy." The crowd laughed good-naturedly, but Beatrix was panicking, completely at a loss. She was backed into a corner with no way out. If she refused, she'd expose herself as a user who had been taking advantage of Tate Joubert, and her professor and classmates would despise her. If she didn't refuse, her chance with Keaton… "Beatrix!" Sophus Sutton’s voice thundered through the room. Only then did Beatrix see him, and her fear intensified. "Dad…" Sophus stormed over and, in front of everyone, demanded, "Whose baby is that in your belly?" Beatrix bit her lip, not daring to speak. "..." She knew in her heart that if Winona was bold enough to say it, she must have proof. If she tried to lie and say it was Keaton's, Winona would immediately shut her down with evidence. Sophie had also walked over, fuming. "Tell us, is it his, or…?" With tears in her eyes, Beatrix lowered her head and remained silent. "..." Sophus already knew the answer, and he looked like he was about to collapse. They didn't know Tate Joubert, but they knew one thing for sure: he wasn't from a wealthy family. He was so poor that someone else had to buy his suit and the bouquet for the proposal! Her son-in-law was supposed to be the wealthy heir Keaton, and instead, he turned out to be some broke guy? The contrast was too much. They couldn't accept it, absolutely couldn't accept it! Consumed by rage, Sophus raised his hand and slapped Beatrix across the face. "You shameless bitch!" Seeing this, Tate Joubert rushed to block Sophus and dropped to his knees before him. "Sir, please, give us your blessing. I know my background isn't good enough, I know you look down on me for being poor, but please give me a chance. I truly love Beatrix!" "Please don't try to break us up anymore, we have a child together! I'm begging you!" Look down on him for being poor? Break them up? This just made the Suttons look like a bunch of gold-diggers! Sophus got even angrier, kicking Tate Joubert aside. "Get away from me!" Sophie confronted him publicly. "Who said we looked down on your background? Who tried to break you up? We don't even know you, so stop slandering the Sutton family!" Winona interjected, "So what you're saying, Mrs. Sutton, is that you don't look down on him? You approve of this marriage?" Sophie froze for a second before quickly adding, "I didn't say I approve! I mean we don't know him at all! So there's no question of us looking down on him or trying to break them up!"