Chapter 548

A speck of ash burned Lawrence's finger, abruptly halting his motion.

In front of Bob, Ishara's tears began to flow, "Bob, Lawrence, I swear I haven't lied to you.

"This baby is a real surprise. It happened that night last month when Lawrence stayed over."

Her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger. With her head bowed, she struggled to find the right words.

"Shut up!"

Lawrence, as if struck by taboo, was all too well about that night. He glared at Ishara with disdain. "I'm not sure whose child you're carrying, Ishara, but don't pin this on me. Father, her pregnancy has nothing to do with me. That's my final answer."

Ishara's face turned ashen, and tears started streaming down as she panicked. "Lawrence, how can you be so heartless?

"You spent a whole night with me and woke up in my bed the next morning. How can you deny it?

"I'm twenty-two, and I've never even held a man's hand.

"It wasn't until you said you liked me that I engaged myself to you. My world was filled with thoughts of you, and when you got drunk, I gave myself to you.

"And now, I'm pregnant, only to be met with your denial and blame-shifting. You can't do this to me."

Drunk, waking up in the same bed.

Bob grasped the weight of Ishara's words. His expression darkened as he confronted Lawrence, "A man must take responsibility for his actions. Ishara is making these claims in my presence, and I trust she wouldn't fabricate such lies. Did you or did you not spend the night at her residence half a month ago?"

Bryan's eyes darted around, and Jeremy knew all too well about that day.

Lawrence didn't answer. He put on a different expression, his cold smile embodying his ruthless nature, as he faced Ishara and Bob. "You insist on pinning this child with an unknown father on me. I can give you an answer.

"I don't want this child.

"Only Winnie's are mine. Any other woman's, I flat-out reject.

"You better get rid of it.

"If you have it, I might as well kill it myself.

"Or perhaps, after three months, the paternity test turns out negative, and you lose the baby anyway?"

His cold, heartless words cut through Ishara like countless knives, slashing across her face, leaving her pale and breathless from the verbal blows.

Everything he said made it clear that he was not going to take responsibility.

Ishara clutched her face and collapsed to the ground, "Bob, I might as well be dead.

"I can't face the elders of the Blanchet family, my parents, or my grandfather.

"Lawrence, you're so cruel. You might not take responsibility for me, but this is a tiny life, your child nonetheless."

Bob was visibly moved. Although he had always sided with Lawrence, he felt that Lawrence's attitude was far too callous.

"Lawrence, how can you say something so irresponsible?

"This child is my grandchild, a member of the Rodriguez family, and I will certainly keep it.

"We're in a hospital, don't make a scene.

"You and Ishara come back to the Rodriguez mansion with me. Let's discuss this properly."

Just as Lawrence was about to retort, his father grabbed his arm, turned his head, and spoke in a low, stern voice, "Lawrence, you haven't read the news.

"You don't realize the mess Eleanor has caused. Mars is exacerbating the situation. Do you understand?

"I had to seek you out because this issue has blown up.

"As the CEO of Rodriguez Enterprises, you have the eyes of shareholders and financiers glued to your every move.

"You nearly crossed the line into illegal territory today. Do you even realize that?

"Come back with me and sort this out. Do you really want to tarnish the reputation and influence of the Rodriguez family's leading name in one fell swoop?"

Lawrence's lips pressed into a thin line, tension evident on his features.

With his father laying down the law, the weight of authority left him feeling without options.

Since a while ago, his thoughts were flooded with Winnie. It was only upon thinking of her that his heart truly began to race with anxiety.

He was impatient to see her. The thought of her finding out this mess before he could tell her made him anxious.

Lawrence struggled to picture her reaction, his heart aching with a powerless sensation spreading throughout his body.

He didn't have a clue what new scandal was breaking.

The security detail of the Rodriguez family, known for their exceptional prowess, escorted Lawrence to the black sedan arranged by Bob.

Jeremy hurried out to the hospital, bending down to speak with Lawrence through the car window, "I stayed with the doctor to get the blood tests done for Ishara.

"The results came back clean.

"Ishara's pregnancy is too strange, too coincidental, and it happened right when you were planning to deal with her.

"That night you went to the residence, did anything happen between you and Ishara?"

Lawrence's mind was tangled in a web of confusion.

Ishara was indeed pregnant. While he maintained a calm exterior, beneath the surface, he was anything but composed; the startling news threatened to shatter his facade.

He started to doubt himself.

'Did I really not touch her that night?'

Lawrence's lips tightened, his gaze fixed straight ahead. "Jeremy, my gut feeling says nothing happened.

"Because I'm certain that there's something wrong with me, that my body only responds to Winnie.

"But there's more to that night. Ishara used some drug on me, I don't know what.

"Her pregnancy is part of her scheme; she knew she'd have no leverage after donating her spinal fluid.

"She's been scheming for a fallback plan all along."

It dawned on Jeremy, his eyes turning icy with realization. Ishara was quite young yet alarmingly vicious.

He was stunned by the traps Lawrence had walked into.

"I want to believe you."

Lawrence closed his eyes wearily. "I trust my own body.

"Regardless, go check on Winnie, delay her finding out for as long as possible."

Jeremy felt the panic and pain in Lawrence's heart.

The black sedan sped off.

Bob's authority was unquestionable, not to be challenged by Jeremy or anyone else. He turned to see Bryan standing motionless, both men wearing a grim expression.

Jeremy said, "Mr. Rodriguez claims he never touched Ishara, but what is she going to do? Lay an egg all by herself?"

"Yet if she got some guy to stand in for Mr. Rodriguez, the timing over these past two weeks is just too perfect." Bryan's face twisted with frustration as he recounted. "That morning, Mr. Rodriguez had his blood tested at the hospital. No trace of drugs in his system.

"Seems like Ishara played her cards really well. Mr. Jeremy, maybe, just maybe, Mr. Rodriguez's intuition was off.

"If he had accidentally taken some kind of medication, could he still have control over his own body?"

Jeremy's complexion turned a sickly shade of purple.

Bryan suggested, his tone leaning toward disbelief. "Was there something between Mr. Rodriguez and Ishara?

"As far as what happened that night, nobody but Ishara would know the truth. There were no witnesses, and Mr. Rodriguez was out cold."

A surge of anger took over him.

At the Rodriguez family's hospital, Melissa lay in deep slumber in her room.

The clock crept toward four in the afternoon.

Sidney had fallen asleep, cradled Winnie's arms.

She gently laid her son down, glanced at Olivia, happily occupied with her phone, and then quietly stood up. Rubbing her sore arms, Winnie stepped out of the room.

She needed to grab a bottle of water and make a call to Jeremy to check on Lawrence's whereabouts.

He had disappeared since noon, and Winnie understood he'd gone to deal with Ishara.

She wondered how their confrontation went, whether he had the heart to corner Ishara, driving her to desperation.

Suddenly, a news story airing on the TV in the hallway abruptly captured Winnie's attention.