Chapter 4
When Dad appeared, Mom immediately explained everything that had happened. Dad, who'd always doted on me, waved his hand dismissively.
"It's such a small matter. Why make such a scene?
"You guards, let them go right now! If word gets out, the media will twist this into some scandal about the Jackmans.
"Besides, Lyla said that Logan is Elara's friend. There's probably just been some misunderstanding."
The moment the tape was ripped from her mouth, Lyla seized her chance. In front of everyone, she announced loudly, "Ms. Elara, Logan is clearly your boyfriend! Why won't you acknowledge him?
"You agreed to let me bring him in, but the second Mrs. Jackman found out, you made me take all the blame..."
Logan caught Lyla's signal and dropped an even bigger bombshell. "Elara, just tell your parents the truth! We love each other. They'll let us be together!
"You're pregnant with my baby. How could they possibly tear us apart now?"
The revelation of my pregnancy sent shockwaves through everyone present.
The baby sputtered furiously in my mind. "That bastard! Mom, what did you ever see in him? I'm so angry! He's not my dad!"
Mom looked utterly bewildered. "You lying little punk! You're just trying to ruin my daughter's reputation! Guards, throw him out and don't let him near the Jackman residence ever again!"
Logan was determined to make me admit our relationship publicly. If I ran away with him, Lyla could take my place with the Clarkes.
He broke free from the guards and shouted, "If you don't believe me, just ask Elara! Ask her if she's pregnant!"
Lyla fanned the flames. "Ms. Elara, the pregnancy test is still in your bathroom trash bin. Stop hiding it!"
Dad turned toward me. "Elara, is what they're saying true? Are you actually pregnant?"
With everyone staring at me, I knew lying would be pointless. I nodded calmly despite the baby's wailing protests. "Yes. I'm pregnant."
Both Lyla and Logan looked triumphant. Logan even dropped to his knees in front of my parents, making promises.
"Mr. and Mrs. Jackman, don't worry! I'll treat Elara well from now on. I'll never let her suffer!
"I can give you 80 thousand dollars. If that's not enough, I'll make it 100 thousand!"
I nearly laughed out loud at the sum. Mom actually did laugh, mockingly.
"A hundred thousand? Elara's weekly allowance is more than that! And you have the nerve to say you won't let my daughter suffer?
"Let me make this clear. You will never marry my daughter. Dream on!"
However, Dad seemed like a completely different person. "Shut your mouth!
"You have no right to talk! Look at what kind of daughter you've raised. Pregnant out of wedlock! Do you know how humiliating that is?
"And she's already engaged to Silas Clarke. This ruins everything!"
Mom stared at him in disbelief. She shoved him, and her voice broke as she said, "What are you saying? How can you talk about our daughter like that?"
Dad pushed her away irritably. He was quiet for a long moment before speaking again.
"Since Elara's already carrying Logan's child, we might as well settle things between them. Otherwise, if this scandal gets out, it'll only shame the Jackman family.
"As for the Clarkes, we'll just have Lyla marry into the family in Elara's place..."
Just as everything seemed to be heading down the same path as my previous life, the villa's front doors suddenly burst open.
"My fiancee will only ever be Elara. And my child isn't going to call some other man 'Dad.'"
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