Chapter 337: Chapter 337: She Is the Only Wife I Will Ever Have
Upon hearing this, Laura Quinn’s expression grew somewhat unpleasant. "How long do you intend to protect this woman? You are the heir to the Hawthorne Family; your other half cannot be a woman who has had a child with another man!"
"Back then, she never got pregnant while she was with our family, but as soon as she left, she had someone else’s child and gave birth! What does that tell you? She never cared about you, nor the Hawthorne Family, you..."
"Mother!" Cyrus Hawthorne cut off Laura’s words sharply, suppressing the surge of pain in his dark eyes. "We once had a child."
"Wha- what?" Laura was stunned, thinking she must have heard wrong, and instinctively denied it. "That’s impossible!"
Ann Vaughn could never have gotten pregnant!
No one knew this better than her!
At these words, Cyrus narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Laura with an inquisitive gaze. "Mother, what do you know?"
Laura then realized her reaction was too extreme, quickly composing her expression, and advised earnestly, "Think about it, if she really was pregnant, why didn’t she ever reveal even a hint of it?"
At this point, Laura let out a cold laugh. "It shows she has ulterior motives and a hidden agenda, wanting to use the child to claim part of the Hawthorne family’s wealth in the future!"
But the more she spoke, the more intense the sinister aura around Cyrus became, making it hard for people to even breathe.
"If she wants it, I would willingly offer the entire Hawthorne Corp. to make her smile, what’s the harm in that?" Cyrus’s thin lips curled up with a hint of nonchalance, but the clarity in his eyes unmistakably conveyed a fact to Laura.
He was serious.
As long as she wants it, as long as he has it, he will give it, that’s all.
This instantly rendered Laura speechless, her eyes widen with shock.
What kind of spell did Ann Vaughn cast on him, that he would even utter such frantic words of offering Hawthorne Corp. with open hands!?
Laura simply couldn’t understand what was so special about that woman Ann Vaughn, making him love her unto death?
"Cian, you need to calm down." Laura paused, so as not to let her thoughts be swayed, then said, "The point now is that Ann Vaughn has already had a child with another man. Are you going to accept her and that child?"
"Even if you say you once had a child together, but look at this child’s age. Regardless of who’s the father, he cannot possibly be yours. Think clearly!"
In the photo, Kenny only showed a side of his face. Born weak and suffering from premature birth, he had endured a lot.
Clearly almost four years old, he appeared very small and frail, resembling more of a child of just over two.
That’s why, when Cyrus first heard Ann Vaughn’s explanation about Kenny’s age, he didn’t suspect anything, for this reason.
Even if he harbored suspicions, an impossibility is still impossible.
But if that really is Ann Vaughn’s child...
"So what?" Cyrus finally lifted his gaze toward the pile of scattered photos on the table, his expression indifferent as if Laura were merely talking about the weather. "As long as it’s her, that’s enough."
"You—"
"Furthermore, the reason I’m patiently sitting here listening to Mother’s nonsense is not to discuss anything with you but to warn you, Ann Vaughn is mine. If you intend to do anything to her, you are crossing me."
"You’re my child! And now you’re actually threatening your mother for an outsider!?" Laura could hardly believe that the person in front of her could be her cold-blooded, emotionless son!
"She’s not an outsider." In Cyrus’s deep-set eyes, there was an imperceptible hint of tenderness, as if the first thaw of spring snow had softened his stern and sharp face a bit. "She is the only wife I’ll have in this lifetime."
With that said, he no longer cared to see Laura’s expression, which looked on the verge of madness, and strode toward the stairs.
He had already made his point, regardless of whatever bias Laura had against Ann Vaughn.
He would not allow the incident from four years ago to happen again.
If Ann Vaughn were in the villa right now, she would surely find that the room she once lived in hadn’t changed at all since she left.
Originally, the Hawthorne Residence should have moved to Aethel Bay two years ago, but for some reason, the plan had been postponed until now.
It’s as if worrying that the lost person wouldn’t find their way home.
Cyrus unlocked a door he hadn’t touched in four years and stepped inside, still as clean and orderly as before, showing that the servants had regularly cleaned it.
From the greenery by the window, the trinkets on the dressing table, and the throw pillow by the bed, traces of Ann Vaughn’s life there were faintly visible.
At that moment, an unfamiliar scent came from within the room.
Suddenly, Cyrus narrowed his dark eyes, his keen gaze shooting towards the silhouette lying on the bed.
"Mmm..." The person seemed to have just woken up, their expression bewildered with sleepy eyes.
It was Jane Sheridan.
Upon seeing Cyrus standing not far from the bed, Jane’s face showed panic. She quickly got out of bed and awkwardly explained, "I’m sorry, Mr. Hawthorne. I didn’t know this was your room. Seeing so many women’s items, I thought it was Vera’s."
"Auntie asked me to fetch something here. I don’t know how I accidentally fell asleep. I’m really sorry."
After speaking, Jane took a deep breath and bowed profoundly towards Cyrus.
Because Ann Vaughn used to stay alone in this room, the traces of her life were naturally more intense, with cozy little details of her life everywhere. It’s understandable if someone made a mistake.
Moreover, Jane’s face showed fatigue and sleepiness, making her words more convincing.
Were it someone else, Jane’s excuse would have been flawless and impeccable.
However...
"Get out." The word spilled slowly from Cyrus’s thin lips, cloaked in icy coldness as if wrapped in an icy blade, his demeanor cold and unemotional, with a faint hint of displeasure.
In the natural world, the most capable beasts often hold territories very dear, not hesitating to fight and kill any male trespasser. However, females are often treated with kindness and accepted.
But the beast before Jane had only two gender distinctions in its mind.
Ann Vaughn and male beings.
Frightened by the chilling aura emanating from Cyrus, Jane dared not hesitate to leave, only assuming she genuinely didn’t know who the owner of this bedroom was.
"Do you know how your sister got disfigured?"
Suddenly, Cyrus’s nonchalant voice came from behind.
Jane thought of Cynthia Sheridan’s face, which had been treated with scar-removing ointment yet showed no improvement, causing her steps to halt abruptly as she turned her head unnaturally, "What, what are you trying to say?"