Chapter 207


    Judith and Melissa''s brows furrowed more deeply, while Timothy and Ronald''s faces darkened.


    "Has Arabe lost her mind?!" Ashley looked at Arabe in the video with disgust, which was quickly


    masked by anger. "Not only is she pregnant before marriage, but she now wants to pin the me on


    Percival to make him the fall guy?!"


    Ha!


    As if she were even on his level!


    A man like Percival was beyond Arabe''s wildest dreams!


    Ashley sneered inwardly but put on a face of grievance. "Mom, Grandma, this scandal has spread all


    over Havenwood. What if it reaches Rivenwood? What will people think of our family? My reputation


    will be ruined too! People will think I''m just as promiscuous as Arabe because we''re cousins!"


    Judith, of course, had thought of this as well. Just as she was about to reassure Ashley, Ronald''s cell


    phone rang.


    "It''s Grandpa." Ronald''s face turned grim, but he sighed and reluctantly answered the call.


    Sure enough, Baron’s furious roar came through the phone. "What the hell is Arabe thinking?!


    Pregnant before marriage is bad enough, but she''s now trying to pin the me on Old Richard''s


    precious grandson?! She''s got some nerve!"


    Baron was livid. Ever since Arabe was epted back into the family, he had been constantly


    bothered by Richard. The old man would often show up at his nursing home to taunt him.


    Unfortunately, Richard was always in the right, leaving Baron no choice but to swallow his pride.


    He knew many old friends in the nursing home, and every time Richard came, they would gather


    around to watch the drama, enjoying how Richard scolded him like a wayward grandson.


    He felt like his stay at the nursing home was anything but restful.


    Arabe, his newly recognized granddaughter, was literally driving him to an early grave!


    After a harsh scolding from Baron, Ronald didn''t dare argue. He could only nod and agree.


    By the time Ronald hung up, Judith''s face was ashen. She said to Timothy, “Call your older brother.


    Ask him why he didn''t suppress the news when he was there. How did he let it spread like wildfire?


    Even the old man knows about it now!"


    "Right."


    Timothy quickly called Scott to ask what happened. When he hung up, he frowned and exined to


    Judith what he had been told. "Mom, big brother said he tried to suppress the news immediately, but


    the Ellington family stepped in."


    The Brooks family fell silent. They were no match for the Ellingtons.


    Arabe being exposed for her premarital pregnancy was bad enough, but she even tried to pin the


    baby on Percival.


    Did she know who Percival was?


    He was the next head of the Ellington family. He stood at the top of Rivenwood''s Four Prominent


    Families.


    If Percival decided to teach Arabe a lesson, they would be helpless.


    "Mom!" Ashley checked her phone and groaned at Melissa. "Arabe''s scandal has spread to our


    school! My ssmates are asking me about it! There are even rumors on the school forum saying that


    I''m the one who''s pregnant!"


    She gritted her teeth in anger, knowing that Arabe''s mess would tarnish her own reputation.


    "Thank goodness you''ve already graduated." Melissa patted her daughter''s hand, trying tofort her.


    "By the time you start college, this will all be over."


    Ashley''s face turned even grimmer.


    She was a bit resentful that the Brooks were so biased towards Arabe, who had not only caused


    such a scandal but also damaged her own reputation. Yet they asked her to keep the peace.


    Ashley was a girl Judith had watched grow up and loved. How could she not understand the grievance


    in her granddaughter''s heart?


    After a moment of silence, she said, "Let''s wait until Scott and Arabe get back. Then we can figure


    out what really happened."


    Just as she finished speaking, Scott walked in with a downcast Arabe. When they saw everyone''s


    eyes on them, Scott knew they were waiting for them.


    "Grandma, Uncle, Aunt." Arabe''s pale face looked even paler as she called out cautiously.


    "Sit down." Judith pointed to the couch.


    Scott sat next to Timothy, and Arabe tried to sit next to Ashley.


    But as soon as Ashley saw hering, she got up with a dark face and moved to sit next to Melissa,


    not giving Arabe any face.


    Arabe''s gaze darkened for a moment, but she quickly covered it up with a pitiful look.


    "Arabe, the news said you''re pregnant. Is it true?" Judith asked in a deep voice.


    Arabe nodded pitifully. She had no choice but to admit it. She had seen the news.


    Her visits to the gynecologist had been exposed, and the Brooks family could easily find out the truth


    with a simple investigation.


    "Whose child is it?" Judith asked, barely suppressing her anger.


    "It''s… It''s Paul''s..." Arabe''s gaze flickered as her voice grew smaller and smaller.


    "What?!" Scott''s brows furrowed. His face was a mix of shock and anger. "When did this start?"


    "When I first went to Rivenwood..." Arabe''s words were vague. She acted like she was a poor girl led


    astray. "I didn''t know anyone, so I was scared, but Paul was so nice to me, so I just..."


    "I see!" Judith retorted furiously as herughter gradually grew tainted by anger. "Old Richard dares to


    pick a bone with our family?! This is all his grandson''s fault! He caused this mess!"


    Ashley, however, nced at Arabe with a hint of confusion.


    She had never noticed Arabe being shy or reserved when visiting Rivenwood. In fact, she was quite


    the bold, dominating force.


    Moreover, Ashley didn''t think Arabe was romantically interested in Paul. It was quite the opposite.


    Arabe had always seemed to have an eye for Percival, a fact Ashley had witnessed numerous times.


    Why would Arabe allow herself to get pregnant with Paul''s child if she was smitten with Percival?


    "Call Paul right now!" Judith thundered while addressing Arabe. "He''s responsible for this mess, and


    he owes us an exnation!"


    Obediently, Arabe dialed Paul''s number.


    He arrived quickly, his face stern and cold.


    His demeanor towards Arabe was far from the usual affectionate attitude. Instead, it was filled with a


    sense of distance and irritation.


    After exchanging pleasantries with the Brooks family elders, Scott asked him, "Arabe ims she''s


    pregnant. Is the child yours?"


    Paul cast a disgusted nce at Arabe.


    Arabe stared back at him with eyes filled with a stern warning.


    Irritated, he had no choice but to nod and confirm it. "Yes."


    A sigh of relief escaped Arabe. She knew she could persuade Paul to take the fall, using the promise


    of benefits.


    Upon leaving Cloudcrest High School earlier, she had already devised this n to deal with the Brooks


    family''s interrogation.


    She''d sent a message to Paul, informing him that she would marry him if he agreed to im her unborn


    child.


    Being the most cherished daughter of the Brooks family, the wedding gift she''d bring to the Ellington


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    family would certainly benefit Paul. Not to mention, the Brooks family would no doubt support him in his


    rivalry with Percival for the headship of the Ellington family.