Scarlett absentmindedly caressed her slightly protruding belly, a hint of mockery crossing her mind.
She smiled at Olivia, pausing after each word. "The child I carry in my womb belongs to the Xuereb family. If you were to cast me out now, I wonder what the outside world would think. In the end, Justin will be labeled as a man who abandoned his wife and child, a heartless and ungrateful person. With such a stain on his reputation, do you think he still has a promising future?"
Olivia's body trembled violently.
It was she who arranged for her son to marry this woman; it was she who cornered her two sons.
If Justin insists on divorcing Scarlett, his reputation will inevitably be damaged.
As a doctor, trust and prestige are crucial for his patients.
If this affects his future, I would have to accept my share of the blame.
Seeing Olivia scared, timid, and retreating, Scarlett couldn't help but chuckle lightly. "Dear mother-in-law, you were unwell just now and said some things you didn't mean. Looking at you now, it seems you've improved quite a bit. Now that you're lucid again, could you please clarify things for me? I really don't want to become a target of public criticism and tarnish Justin's reputation."
Olivia slowly clenched her fist.
She was solely focused on severing her son's ties with this woman, but she hadn't considered that the woman was currently carrying a child of the Xuereb family in her womb.
Am I destined to be blackmailed by her for the rest of my life, helplessly watching as she ruins the Xuereb family?
I've already realized my mistake. Can't fate give the Xuereb family a break?
After a few seconds of silence, it seemed as if Olivia had compromised, slowly closing her eyes.
I have never despised the baby in Scarlett's belly as much as I do now.
Because of this baby, the entire Xuereb family is in dire straits, unable to resist.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the press, my apologies. I wasn't thinking clearly just now, and I did something that may have caused a misunderstanding. Lettie is my son's wife, married into the Xuereb family through a formal wedding. She wouldn't harm me. Her hitting me earlier was only because I—"
"Since everyone is here, I would like to make an announcement today."
Suddenly, Justin's voice cut in, interrupting his mother's unfinished words.
Everyone turned to look, only to see Justin walking over from the front yard.
Olivia's eyes widened, worried that her son might do something drastic to anger Scarlett, resulting in a lose-lose situation for both of them.
She quickly yelled at Justin, "Justin, don't—"
"The child Scarlett is carrying isn't mine. Therefore, even if I divorce her, I won't have to bear the stigma of 'abandoning my wife and child'. Also, the person who originally got the marriage certificate with Ms. Fletcher wasn't me. It was just someone with the same name and surname as me."
His words struck like a bolt from the blue, causing a huge uproar and leaving everyone's heads buzzing.
This included Scarlett.
After hearing his words, Scarlett staggered back two steps, her pretty face instantly drained of all color.
Is Justin joking with me? Or is he joking with the reporters?
The baby in her belly isn't his?
Isn't he the one who got the marriage certificate with her?
How ridiculous!
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