"Mr... Mr. Hawthorne..." Claire North stepped forward at this moment, trembling, yet her expression was resolute, her eyes filled with a desperate light: "I know what’s going on!"
"You know?" Vincent Hawthorne’s expression was cold, exuding the authority of a person in a high position. He scrutinized the unfamiliar young woman: "Who are you?"
"I... I am the birth mother of the baby."
"You’re the woman Elias married and brought into the house."
Claire North wished she could accept it immediately, but she didn’t dare. She shook her head: "No, Elias married my sister."
Vincent Hawthorne furrowed his brow: "Aren’t you the birth mother of the baby? How did he marry your sister?"
"This... it’s a long story." Claire North’s face turned slightly pale, her eyes full of bitterness. Original content can be found at novel⦿fire.net
Mrs. Hawthorne let out a sigh: "Let’s not dwell on these matters now. The most important thing is that the baby is safe and sound."
Vincent Hawthorne couldn’t help but frown. Before he even met Raina North, he had already formed a negative impression of her. He continued to ask: "Didn’t you say you know exactly what’s going on? Speak!"
"It’s actually all my fault." Claire North’s eyes welled with tears, her expression one of utter sorrow: "Due to a twist of fate, my sister married Elias in my place. She was dissatisfied that the baby was the little prince of the Hawthorne family, while her two children were just illegitimate children with unknown fathers."
"What two children? What illegitimate children with unknown fathers? What exactly is going on?"
Claire North stole a glance at Mrs. Hawthorne, seeing her giving a slight encouraging smile. Her courage suddenly surged, and she quickly narrated the matter briefly.
Of course, she cleverly left out the part about Raina taking her place in marriage.
Vincent Hawthorne suddenly stood up from the bench, his face filled with overwhelming anger: "Ridiculous! This is utterly ridiculous! My son actually married a woman who was unfaithful to her fiancé, messing around outside and giving birth to two illegitimate children! How does the North family raise their daughters!"
Claire North lowered her head, a gleam of triumph flashing in her eyes, yet her face was full of guilt and regret: "I’m very... very sorry. When my sister’s identity was exposed, she went from being a rich young lady to an adopted daughter. She couldn’t handle the drastic change, leading her to make mistakes. My parents were powerless as well, Mr. Hawthorne, please show some understanding."
"Understanding? How do you expect me to understand such a woman? She even tried to kill my only grandson!"
"Regarding that, I, like you, cannot forgive my sister. So, I want to ask you to stand up for the baby and ensure that those who have harmed him don’t go unpunished!"
"You don’t need to tell me that." Vincent Hawthorne shouted: "Someone, call the police, have them arrest the woman who dared to harm my grandson!"
The butler responded and was about to make the call, but was rebuked.
"Come back here! Old Mrs. Hawthorne, supported by Aunt Rivers, walked over: "Without a clear investigation, you want the butler to call the police and have someone arrested. What is this nonsense?"
Vincent Hawthorne furrowed his brow: "Mom, it’s clear that this Raina North doesn’t have good intentions."
Old Mrs. Hawthorne retorted rudely: "You’ve never even met Raina North, so how can you make such a conclusion? Don’t you need me to explain again the principle of seeing is believing and hearing is deceiving?"
"Grandmother, don’t blame Uncle Hawthorne. He’s merely making a logical deduction."
Old Mrs. Hawthorne suddenly turned her head: "Deduction? What deduction? Whose deduction is it? Yours? Who do you think you are, speaking so recklessly here?"
Claire North was so frightened that she stepped back repeatedly, her face drained of color, crystal tears streaming down her face as she choked out: "Grandmother..."
"Shut up!" Old Mrs. Hawthorne’s voice was stern: "I have no granddaughter as big as you! Don’t randomly claim kinship!"