Chapter 1 You Can't Keep This Baby

In Okmore.

Layers of grey and fluffy clouds decorated the eastern sky. Soon after, it began to rain heavily.

Squalls were slamming fiercely against the windows. Stepping onto the three pregnancy test reports scattered across the floor, the man in the room said, "Tell me! Who is the baby's father?" His expression was terrifying.

The girl shook her head. She really didn't know!

Claud Lambert was furious. "Isabella McCoy, we've been together for so long. How did I treat you?"

How did he treat her?

Tears streamed down the corners of Isabella's eyes. All this while, Claud had showered her with passionate love and affection. He was always good to her.

Besides, he cherished and respected her. They never ever had sex despite being with each other for so long. He wanted to wait until she was ready.

"Why aren't you saying anything? I thought you're always expressive? Are you feeling guilty?"

"No!"

Isabella's breaths were turning heavy. She extended her hands and pinched his arm, trying to free herself from his grip.

Staring at the color draining from her face, Claud didn't have the heart to kill his beloved woman after all. The moment he let go of her, Isabella slumped to the floor and started to cough violently.

Claud unbuttoned his shirt and asked again, "When did you hook up with that man?"

When Isabella was back to her senses, she yelled at him in despair, "I've never betrayed you. Not even once! I have no idea why I'm pregnant! Isn't the Lambert family powerful? Go ahead and investigate! Prove to everyone that your girlfriend is innocent."

Isabella was pregnant, but she insisted saying she didn't know how she got herself into that state. It was too ridiculous. No one would believe it, not even herself, let alone Claud.

"You're saying this because you know I'm never going to find out the truth, aren't you?"

When Claud heard about the news back then, he had sent his people to dig into it. Yet, he found nothing. There was nothing about her checking into hotel rooms and sleeping with other men. There wasn't even any suspicious men around her.

However, her being pregnant was the truth. Two of the three pregnancy tests were done in Claud's presence. He watched from the doctor drew her blood and everything else, to the reports were printed out. There was no way the reports could be fabricated.

Staring at him, Isabella felt her heart had been shattered. "Claud, are you not willing to even trust me?"

Drops of tears coursed down the chin of the girl, who had just turned 19. A sharp pang of disappointment streaked across her flawless face, but she wasn't giving in.

Claud was frustrated. Turning around, he kicked the chair that was near to him. It flung off and smashed against the wall, breaking into pieces.

Isabella was startled. Shudders ran down her spine. It was the first time for her to see him like this.

After a while, he turned and flashed her a sharp glare laced with killing intent. "Isabella, you better pray hard I never find that man. If there is a day where I find out who he is..." Claud didn't continue with the rest of his sentence, but his wrath had made it clear.

After recomposing himself, his rage faded away. He bent and gently carried the girl from the floor, just like how it was when they were in their love bubble.

Isabelle wasn't accepting the sudden change in his behavior. Such a kind of person wasn't giving her any sense of security. "Let go of me!"

"No, Bella. You took the initiative to approach me. You have no right to push me away."

Indeed, she was well aware of it. Hence, she couldn't defy but allow him to put her on the sofa.

Crouching before her, Claud gazed at her deeply. "You can't keep this child."

She let out a soft gasp. However, she didn't say anything.

"Stay with me..."

When she was touched by his words, he added, "I have to hide you from the world."

He would definitely find that man through her. At that time, no one could protect him, not even Isabella.

Isabella's smile froze on her face.

She couldn't believe what she heard. She was the daughter of Averie McCoy, the mayor of Okmore! She was also Claud's official girlfriend. And now, he was going to hide her like he was ashamed of her?

"No way!" she said.

Upon hearing her rejection, Claud didn't reveal any of his emotions. He gently wiped the tears on her face. "Bella, don't push me."

"Keeping me by your side is just your way of taking revenge on me, right?"

Of course, she knew he was never a kind person. Isabella just never thought Claud could be this ruthless.

Pulling her delicate chin closer to him, he uttered, "Bella, I'm protecting you. Everyone in Okmore knows you've betrayed me. As long as you continue being by my side as my woman, no one would dare to hurt you."

"I can protect myself!" Isabella retorted. She wasn't a weak woman.

The man smiled, radiating a sense of sympathy. "Be a good girl, will you?"

Averie McCoy was now the head of the McCoy family. She preferred boys over girls. How could Isabella protect herself when she wasn't even favored in the McCoy family?

"No, I don't agree!"

Claud's eyes darkened when she wasn't submitting herself to him. Standing up, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of her room. "You don't have a say in this!"

She was frantic with fear. "Where are you taking me?"

"To abort that bastard child in your belly!"

The word "bastard" angered her. She gave her all to break free from his control. "Claud, since you don't believe me, then let's break up!"

Expressionless, he glanced at her. "You'd rather choose to break up with me than to abort that child?"

Claud believed he had already been very benevolent to Isabella. Why weren't she appreciating any of it?

"Whatever you think."

She was tired of explaining. After doing it for two days, there wasn't anyone who was willing to believe that she didn't betray Claud.

"Isabella McCoy!"

She didn't give him a chance to speak. "I'm leaving now."

Looking at the girl's retreating figure, Claud became very gloomy. She was getting more and more disobedient.

Even if it was raining outside, she still decided to leave his residence. Standing in the rain, she looked back at the villa. Flashes of their sweet memories reminisced at the back of her mind.

However, before she could get in the car, she was escorted back inside by several bodyguards.

Just like that, she was forced to stay in the villa. However, Claud was nowhere to be found.

As the night fell, Isabella lay on the bed, feeling both mentally and physically exhausted. She closed her eyes and rubbed her lower abdomen with her hand, immersing in her own thoughts.

Where did it go wrong? Why was she pregnant?

Firstly, she didn't lose her memory. Secondly, she had never got drunk and been taken advantage of. Simply put, she didn't have sex with anyone. Yet, why was there a baby in her belly all of a sudden?

She was only 19 years old and had just started her college life. It might sound ridiculous, but did someone cast a spell on her?