CHAPTER 5: CHAPTER 5: PLAYING HARD TO GET?

Vivian’s face turned bright red.

Out of nervousness, a fine sweat appeared on her forehead, and her hands were pressed tightly against the wall.

Soon, she calmed down and pushed Caden Hawthorne in front of her away.

"Mr. Hawthorne, that night was just an accident, I’ve said before, I won’t make you take responsibility."

Caden saw Vivian admit it, his tone cold with a hint of sarcasm: "If I remember correctly, this is our second meeting, we haven’t even introduced ourselves. How come? You know me?"

Vivian steadied herself and cautiously replied: "Mr. Hawthorne’s name, who doesn’t know in The Aethelgard Circle?"

Caden reached out, lifted her chin, his eyes suddenly turning cold: "So, you’re admitting it?"

"Admitting what?" Vivian pretended to be unaware.

Caden’s lips curved into a dangerous smile, "Admitting you had planned this long ago."

Vivian turned her head, freeing herself from his grip, "Mr. Hawthorne, you might have misunderstood, I had no such thoughts."

"No thoughts? Then why were you in my room?" Caden pressed his advantage, leaving Vivian no chance to breathe.

Vivian took a deep breath and looked straight into his eyes, "Mr. Hawthorne, this is nothing but a misunderstanding."

Caden scoffed, "Misunderstanding? How can there be such a coincidence in this world?"

Vivian bit her lip, "Whether you believe it or not is up to you, Mr. Hawthorne. Anyway, I have a clear conscience."

"Clear conscience?" Caden reached out, clutching her neck, his eyes sharp as if trying to see through Vivian, "You went to great lengths to make me break my vow, wasn’t it just to climb into my bed?"

Caden pressed further, not giving Vivian any chance to breathe, "Now you’re pretending not to know me, what? Wanting to play hard to get?"

"Slap—"

Faced with Caden’s humiliation, Vivian couldn’t bear it anymore and raised her hand to give him a resounding slap.

"Caden Hawthorne, don’t go too far! I, Vivian Lynch, walk upright and sit with integrity, I’m not the kind of person you think I am!"

Caden was momentarily stunned by the sudden slap, a clear handprint instantly appeared on his face.

His eyes grew colder as he grasped her hand, "You dare hit me?"

Vivian’s eyes reddened, furious and ashamed, "It’s you who are bullying excessively!"

At this moment, footsteps were heard nearby, as if someone was approaching.

Vivian took the opportunity to break free from Caden’s grasp and turned to run away crying.

Caden stood in place, watching her departing back with a frighteningly grim expression.

"Master Hawthorne, what are you looking at?" Zachary Sutton followed his gaze, "Didn’t you say you were going to the bathroom? How come you took so long, I thought you fell in!"

Caden was now in no mood to listen to Zachary’s jokes, his expression grim, "Go check out that woman just now, within a minute, I want all her information."

"Woman? What woman?" Zachary looked puzzled, and upon noticing the red mark on Caden’s face, his face was filled with shock, "Master Hawthorne, did you just get hit by a woman?"

"Quickly go!" Caden shot him a glare.

Zachary saw Caden’s frighteningly grim face and realized the seriousness of the situation, he immediately replied, "Okay, okay, I’ll check right away."

The next day.

Hawthorne Group.

Zachary rushed to Caden’s office with the information.

"Master Hawthorne, found it, the woman who slapped you in the bathroom last night is named Vivian Lynch."

Caden sat in his office chair, his long fingers gently tapping the desk, seemingly thoughtful: "Vivian Lynch?"

"Continue."

"She is 20 years old this year, graduated from Aethelgard University, majoring in design, interning at a small company under your name."

At this point, Zachary paused, "As for her family, she is said to be an adopted daughter of the Lynch Family, and has a profligate younger brother named Finn Lynch. It’s heard that this Finn Lynch is addicted to gambling and has accrued considerable gambling debts. To repay her son’s debts, Mrs. Lynch intends to marry Vivian off to an ugly and fat man, the bride price has been received. However, for some unknown reason, Vivian ran away."

Caden chuckled coldly, "Interesting."

So, in order not to marry that ugly and fat man, she climbed into his bed?

"Master Hawthorne, the woman who made you break your vow, could it be Vivian Lynch?" Zachary speculated boldly, belatedly catching on.

If it wasn’t her, Master Hawthorne wouldn’t be making such a big deal investigating her.

Caden glanced at him without speaking.

"That Vivian Lynch, she seems to be quite pitiful, stuck with such heartless adoptive parents. If it were me, I would have run away long ago."

"Birds of a feather flock together, how can you conclude she’s not that kind of person?" Caden’s face was stern, even if she had a predicament, it didn’t change the fact that she seduced him.

Zachary shook his head, unable to resist saying, "Vivian Lynch doesn’t seem like someone who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals. It’s said she is independent and has rarely relied on the Lynch Family in these years, earning her own money for university."

Hearing this, Caden couldn’t help but frown.

Could it be, he’s misunderstood her?

"Master Hawthorne, if Vivian Lynch is indeed the woman from that night, what do you plan to do?" Zachary was particularly curious now, wondering how Caden would handle Vivian.

Caden stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the distant tall buildings, he spoke lightly: "No rush, let’s see what tricks she has up her sleeve first."

Sitting in the taxi, Vivian’s mind was still unsettled.

She looked at the business card in her hand and fell into contemplation. The Hawthorne Family, it was a wealthy family she never dared to think about.

She thought, after that night, there would be no further connection.

Unexpectedly, she encountered him at the bar last night.

Recalling his words, Vivian felt particularly humiliated, a tear slipped from her eye.

She instinctively reached to touch her lower abdomen, and when she thought about the small life growing inside her, her worries multiplied.

In the days to come, what should she do?

Should this child go or stay?

Vivian was still unsure about her decision.

Hawthorne Group.

At that moment, Caden’s phone rang.

Seeing it was Old Master Hawthorne calling, Caden impatiently answered, "Grandpa, what’s wrong now? If you’re going to ask me to come home for a blind date, it’s totally unnecessary."

"You brat, I have something urgent to tell you." Old Master Hawthorne’s excited voice came from the other end of the line.

Caden rolled his eyes, "What is it?"

"You’re going to be a dad." Old Master Hawthorne said excitedly on the phone.

"Grandpa, stop joking!"

Caden rubbed his temples, thinking it was another one of his grandfather’s schemes, his expression serious, "That joke is not funny at all."

Everyone knows, Caden Hawthorne’s heart is set on spiritual pursuits, he hasn’t even been in a relationship, how could a child suddenly appear overnight?

"No, you brat, Grandpa’s not joking with you. It’s..."

Before Old Master Hawthorne could finish, Caden replied lightly, "I have things to do at the company, I’m hanging up."

With that, Caden prepared to hang up the phone.

"The girl who slept with you that night, she’s pregnant!"