"Why not?" Aiden asked, as his eyes twitched shiftily to the side.
He couldn’t help but wonder if his mother knew that he was the one who had impregnated Emline. But that was impossible. They had kept it a secret from everyone. Even though there were so comnts on the point on social dia, it was quickly drowned out and taken down by the PR team at X’el.
Aiden made sure there was no more evidence left online for those who weren’t quick enough to catch the first round.
"Yes, I wish to know that as well," Charles seethed and slamd his hand against the leather sofa seat. "Why should we keep a harlot and her child? We’re not running a charity here!"
"Charles!" Catherine exclaid, flabbergasted. "No matter what, Emline is still our guest. Moreover, she is my goddaughter. Now that she has been cast out because of that witch Alia Kentwood, you can’t expect to watch her roam the streets with a pregnant belly!"
"To hell with her belly!" Charles roared. "Who knows which vermin’s kid she’s bearing? She ruined the reputation of both the Montgorys and the Hawthornes with her lies― and you still expect to house her here? Do you want the dia to storm our gates the mont she sets foot out of the hospital?"
Aiden winced slightly at his father’s words, but he cleverly chose to stay silent. This was not his battle to fight― and if he played his cards right, Emline and her baby would be out of the house and out of his life for good.
He knew that there would be consequences, but if Aiden had a chance to redo it, he certainly wouldn’t make the sa decisions. It wasn’t worth it.
"Let’s be rational, Mother," Aiden said. "Emline Hawthorne is currently public enemy number one. Housing her could directly affect X’el’s stocks. There’s a new competitor recently and it’s giving enough headaches as is."
"A new competitor?" Charles asked, temporarily distracted from Emline’s housing issue.
"Velorian Enterprises, or sothing like that," Aiden said, rubbing his temples as he slumped down into the plush couch cushions. "It’s a new company. I’m trying to find information on it, but it’s been difficult ever since Am―"
He stopped himself short. Bringing up Alia’s na was a bad idea with how his father was drunk and his mother was borderline psychotic right now.
Thankfully, Charles Montgory did not catch his blunder.
"Squash them," Charles Montgory said through gritted teeth. "There are plenty who have tried and failed to rise in the industry. Squash this new one like the rest of them."
"That was under Matteo’s leadership," Aiden reminded them. "My brother was the one who led X’el to its glory days. I am trying my best."
"Then try harder," Catherine snapped. Her eyes were red as she glared at Aiden and then at Charles. "Stop comparing yourself to that half-brother of yours and learn to stand up for yourself, for goodness sake!"
"I will be more than happy to," Aiden said, "if I was interested in taking over in the first place."
He turned his head to his father and harshly added, "I’m with you on this, Dad. I don’t see a need for Emline to stay here any longer. If you want to continue working at X’el, then she must leave this place. I’ll need ample rest if I am going to be working my ass off at the office, and her being a nuisance in my own ho will not allow for that."
Charles Montgory’s attention was returned to the topic at hand. He nodded, his face flushed red as he firmly declared, "Take her things and get rid of them."
He heartlessly added, "I don’t care if she’s still carrying the child or not, now that the whole world knows the baby isn’t Matteo’s. Whatever the case, I do not want her to be here in this house for a single mont more."
With that said, Charles Montgory retreated back into his room, the door slamming shut. Aiden let out a breath and slowly stood up, rising from the couch as his eyes fell on his mother, who stared listlessly in his father’s direction.
"She’s not worth fighting with Father for," Aiden said. "Just let her go. Her mother will look after her."
"Her mother?" Catherine echoed, slowly turning around to face Aiden.
"Annalise is still a Hawthorne," Aiden said with a shrug. "She’s married to Benjamin Hawthorne. Even if Emline’s father doesn’t care for her, her mother surely would."
"Annalise is as good as useless," Catherine seethed. "She has no place in the Hawthorne household, and now more so than ever."
"Don’t know, don’t care," Aiden said, his shoulders lifting and dropping. "It is what it is. Just let her be."
Aiden turned, prepared to leave the living room when suddenly, his mother’s words caused him to stop in his tracks.
"So you’re willing to let the mother of your child die just like that?"
All at once, Aiden’s blood chilled, the sensation carrying frost down to his bone. He slowly turned around and looked at his mother, his eyebrows wrinkling in surprise, doubt, and confusion. For a second, he wondered if he had heard the words correctly.
"Your father may not know it, but we both know the truth," Catherine said, her voice barely above a whisper. And thank goodness it was, for panic quickly rose in Aiden’s chest.
He looked around frantically. Seeing that there was no one around who could listen in to their conversation, Aiden closed the distance between them and grabbed his mother’s shoulders.
"What did you just say?"
"I saw the comnts, Son," Catherine calmly said. "So of the staff at X’el... They comnted that they overheard the conversation between the three of you. Tell truthfully, were they right? Were they telling the truth?"
Aiden chose to play dumb. "The truth about what?"
Catherine’s eyes were red with craze, her bottom lip shaking as she said, "They claim that you are the father of the child Emline is carrying. Is that true?"
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