CHAPTER 133: CHAPTER 133: WHAT DO YOU THINK?

The door to Justin Holden’s office was gently knocked.

"Enter."

He didn’t look up, his voice cold.

The door opened, and a neatly dressed, sharp-looking middle-aged man walked in somewhat apprehensively.

It was Reporter Wright, who often worked the legal beat.

"Lawyer Holden, sorry to disturb you."

Reporter Wright’s face carried a respectful yet somewhat anxious smile.

Justin Holden glanced up at him, signaling him to sit: "What’s going on?"

Reporter Wright didn’t sit, but stepped forward a few paces to respectfully place his phone on Justin Holden’s desk. The screen was lit, showing a message sent log.

"Lawyer Holden, there’s something I feel I must report to you."

Reporter Wright’s tone was cautious.

"Miss Sutton contacted me yesterday, revealing some information about herself and you, as well as her current health condition. Subtly, she seemed to hope that our media would pay attention."

Justin Holden’s gaze fell on the message from Leah Sutton displayed on the phone screen, her words expressing grievance, and his eyes momentarily chilled, though his face remained expressionless.

Reporter Wright carefully observed his expression and quickly made his stance clear.

"Rest assured, Lawyer Holden, I, Old Wright, am not the type to be ungrateful or can’t distinguish between right and wrong. If it wasn’t for your help with our family’s lawsuit back then, we’d have been done for. I always remember this kindness. Regarding Miss Sutton, I absolutely will not turn it into an article or let any news unfavorable to you make it to print. I’ve already replied to her, saying verification is needed, and I’ve temporarily stalled her."

After hearing this, Justin Holden’s cold demeanor slightly eased.

He picked up the phone, deleted the message record, and then handed the phone back to Reporter Wright.

"Thank you for letting me know. I’ve noted this favor."

Justin Holden’s tone remained flat but carried a definite hint of gratitude.

Reporter Wright breathed a sigh of relief, bowed repeatedly: "You’re too kind, Lawyer Holden, this is what I should do. If there’s nothing else, I’ll stop disturbing your work."

Justin Holden nodded slightly.

Reporter Wright respectfully retreated, gently closing the door.

The office returned to silence.

Justin Holden leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping the desk subconsciously, his gaze deep and cold.

Leah Sutton had indeed started to act desperately.

Just then, the office door swung open boldly, and Samual Pryce barged in, wearing a hellish expression.

"Old Holden, is what Zoe Holden said true, is Leah Sutton really pregnant with your child?"

Samual Pryce rushed to the desk, leaning with both hands on its surface, eyes widened.

"When did you get involved with her? Didn’t you say you had no interest in her? What’s going on?"

Justin Holden glanced up, giving him a chilly look: "In vitro, I wasn’t aware."

"In vitro?" Samual Pryce lowered his voice, "How did she get yours?"

He asked halfway and then realized it himself, straightening up abruptly, cursing.

"Damn, was it from last time’s check-up, with Zoe’s help?"

Justin Holden said nothing, tacitly agreeing.

Samual Pryce inhaled sharply, paced around the office twice, and suddenly halted.

"This is outrageous, this is a violation of your privacy, fraud, sue her, you must sue her, I’ll help you with the case, make sure she pays dearly."

Justin Holden was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, emotionless: "Zoe Holden was also involved."

Samual Pryce was instantly stumped, as if doused with a bucket of cold water.

He opened his mouth, stammering after a long while: "Then, then what do we do? We can’t just accept it, can we? If she really gives birth to the child, won’t you be tied to her for life?"

Justin Holden’s gaze drifted out the window, his expression dark and unclear: "The child inside her won’t survive."

Samual Pryce’s heart sank, he quickly approached Justin, his expression becoming serious.

"What do you mean? What are you planning to do? I’m telling you, you better not do anything rash."

He lowered his voice, his tone urgent.

"There are so many eyes watching you now, you know that, although the Jennings family lost the second trial, they aren’t going to give up, just waiting to catch you making a mistake, you absolutely mustn’t mess up now, especially don’t cross any legal lines, got it?"

Justin Holden withdrew his gaze, looking at the anxious Samual Pryce, a faint smile forming at the corner of his lips.

"I know, I have a sense of proportion."

"You have a sense of proportion my ass."

Samual Pryce was so anxious he nearly jumped.

"I know you, when you get really ruthless, there’s nothing you won’t do. I’m warning you, Justin Holden, it’s not worth it to get yourself involved because of a woman, think about your law firm, think about the position you’ve worked hard to achieve."

Justin Holden stood up, walked to the liquor cabinet, poured two glasses of whiskey, and handed one to Samual Pryce.

"I won’t personally do anything." His voice was low, carrying an icy calmness, "The consequence she sowed will be for her to reap, that embryo has issues of its own, it won’t survive long."

Samual Pryce accepted the glass, stunned: "Issues?"

"Failed genetic screening." Justin Holden took a sip of his drink, his tone as flat as if discussing someone else’s affair, "Highly likely to miscarry naturally, even if forced to carry to term, it would be..."

He didn’t finish, but the meaning was clear.

The hospital wasn’t aware of the exact relationship between Leah Sutton and Justin Holden, naturally sending the same examination report to Justin Holden’s email.

He was the father of the child, of course, he had the right to know everything.

However, Leah Sutton thought he didn’t know and assumed her tactics were utterly clever.

Samual Pryce stared at him in shock, taking a long time to digest the information, and sighed complicatedly.

"What a mess."

He took a big gulp of his drink, shaking his head.

"Then you definitely shouldn’t bother, just wait, why dirty your own hands."

Justin Holden swirled the amber liquid in his glass, his gaze deep.

"I’m just ensuring there won’t be any miraculous attempts to save it. Nor will I let her have the chance to use a child that shouldn’t exist to create more chaos."

His words carried an indisputable decision.

Samual Pryce looked at him, knowing he already had a plan, further persuasion would be futile.

He could only remind him again.

"In short, be very careful, don’t leave any traces. I’ll keep an eye on those prying eyes outside for you."

"Mm-hmm."

Justin Holden responded with a nod, downing the drink in his glass.

After work, he did not return to his parents’ house, despite Zoe Holden sending him three urging messages consecutively.

When Justin Holden pushed open the door, the living room looked just the same as when he left.

Under the warm yellow light, Jean Ellison was sitting on the carpet, playing puzzles with Jesse.

Seeing him return from work, Jean Ellison raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised.

Why didn’t he go to accompany...

Jesse heard the commotion, immediately lifted his smiling face, and called out, "Uncle Holden," and Jean Ellison also looked up, offering him a faint smile.

Everything seemed very normal, too normal, in fact.

Justin Holden took off his coat, hung it up, and walked over to sit on the other side of Jesse, casually picking up a puzzle piece to help her find the right place.

His expression was calm, his demeanor natural, as if nothing happened today, as if Leah Sutton’s pregnancy news had never reached his ears.

However, Jean Ellison couldn’t remain as calm as he was.

Her gaze involuntarily drifted toward him, carefully observing his expressions, trying to find even the slightest anomaly beneath that stern exterior.

He showed no anger, nor irritation, let alone any distress.

Nothing, there was nothing. His calmness was unnerving.

This unusual calmness was more unsettling to Jean Ellison than outright anger.

She knew Justin Holden well; he was not someone who would easily succumb to coercion or scheming.

Her distraction was so obvious that even Jesse noticed it, "Mom, you got it wrong, this piece doesn’t go there."

Justin Holden’s gaze also turned toward her, brow furrowing, "Not feeling well?"

His voice was as steady as ever, yet held a hint of inquiry.

Jean Ellison snapped back to reality, instinctively shaking her head, avoiding his gaze.

"No... no."

Justin Holden observed her clearly distracted and somewhat flustered appearance, and after a few seconds of silence, he put down the puzzle piece in his hand, leaned back slightly, and focused his calm gaze on her face before suddenly speaking, his voice cutting through the air with clarity.

"Did you also get involved with what they did?"

Jean Ellison’s heart skipped a beat, immediately lifting her head to deny, her tone urgent.

"No, I really didn’t. I just... just knew about it."

She paused, seeming to make up her mind as she met his probing gaze, her voice trembling slightly.

"What are you planning to do? Will you keep that child?"

Asking this question nearly stretched her to her limits.

Justin Holden did not answer immediately.

He merely looked at her in silence, those deep eyes seemingly capable of seeing through one’s soul.

After a long while, he finally responded, his tone devoid of any discernible emotion, "What do you think?"

He tossed the question back, almost with a cruel calmness, symbolically passing the decision into her hands.

Jean Ellison froze at his question.

She looked into his eyes, trying to discern his true intentions.

She clenched her fingers, her nails digging into her palms, her voice hoarse.

"That’s your child; even a tiger does not eat its own cubs."

"My child?"

Justin Holden repeated softly, a mocking smile suddenly curling at his lips.

He looked at Jean Ellison, his gaze sharp.

"When did I ever admit that the one in Leah Sutton’s belly is my child?"

He paused, his gaze tightly locking onto her, every word seeming to come from an ice cellar.

"Or are you saying that in your heart, I’m so easily maneuvered that I’d even accept such an absurd scheme?"

Jean Ellison was stung by the coldness and sarcasm in his words, her face turning pale and her lips moving, but she couldn’t make a sound.

Justin Holden observed her pale, bewildered face, the suppressed cold anger in his heart and an unacknowledged sense of disappointment finally surged uncontrollably.

He had harbored a ludicrous expectation.

Expecting she might care even a little.

Even just a hint of discomfort or jealousy at Leah Sutton’s pregnancy.

But from her face, he only saw worry, fear, and a kind of detached "persuasion."

No trace of joy from the possibility of losing him.

She didn’t love him at all.

Perhaps she never had.

He suddenly stood up from the carpet, his long legs striding past her, creating a small breeze.

He did not look at Jean Ellison again, nor did he look at Jesse, only leaving behind a blunt, "You guys play."

Then turning around, he strode toward the study.

The study door closed behind him with a soft thud.

He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, outside was a dazzling city night scene, glamorous yet cold.

He stood straight with his back to the door, his shoulders tense.

After a long while, he suddenly flung his hand, throwing the glass he had been holding against the wall.

"Crack—"

The glass shattered instantly, fragments scattered, and water spattered in a large area.

His hand remained in the throwing position, knuckles turning white from exertion, faintly trembling.

In the darkness, his upright silhouette was so solitary.