Chapter 227 Engagement Ruined
"I want to tell you, little one, that I will only have one engagement ceremony in my life, and I only want to walk down the red carpet with one woman."
"Mr. Harrington, Mr. Harrington, let's not talk about these things, okay?" Winnie's heart was pounding, afraid that their relationship would become strained.
Luckily, he quickly let go of her, sighing helplessly. "You are too guarded in matters of the heart. It seems impossible to impress you with sweet talk. So, I can only win your heart instead. Fortunately, I will have plenty of opportunities in the future. Take your time, to consider me, a high-quality man."
Winnie couldn't help but laugh silently, as the atmosphere lightened with his words. She thought for a moment and asked, "Is everything normal at the Harrington Group these past few days? And what about you? Is there anything suspicious going on around you? Arrange some additional security for tomorrow's engagement ceremony."
He narrowed his eyes in thought and asked, "What are you worried about?"
Winnie thought about what happened at the bridal store that day, Lawrence R's threatening words, and felt a faint unease. "Nothing, just be careful, that's all."
"I know what you're afraid of, and I'm not a pushover either. The Harrington Group has power in Lymington, and both my company and I have not done anything illegal. Even if someone wants to cause trouble, they will need to find a good reason," Rock said calmly.
Winnie breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but yawn. "It's getting late, Rock. You should go back."
He was very satisfied with the nickname and held her hand. "I'll pick you up tomorrow, my fiancée."
There were bodyguards, arranged by him at the door, making Winnie feel assured as she closed the door. Even so, tonight was destined to be sleepless as she barely closed her eyes, at least not until dawn.
Rock arranged the engagement ceremony at the Hilton Hotel near his villa. He didn't want her to go through any trouble and cause her to be tired.
Winnie arrived early, but Olivia suddenly called her, "Winnie, I found that girl from the hospital! I have to go see her. I'll come to your engagement later."
This was the good news they had been waiting for. The truth about Darcy's kidney donation surgery would, hopefully, be revealed through talking with this girl. Winnie knew she couldn’t give away this news, as she remained calm, and followed Rock into the banquet hall of the hotel.
The engagement ceremony was arranged in a low-key manner due to the influence of the Harrington Group. Some media outlets were invited, and some shareholders sat at the lower table.
The important uncles of the Harrington family and Mr. Harrington and Madam Rodriguez sat separately at the high table.
"This is really a very simplified ceremony. I know you don't want to make a fuss, but there is some necessary promotion needs that have to be done properly," Rock explained gently.
Winnie knew he was under a lot of pressure from the old Mr. Harrington and Madam Rodriguez, and that was why he arranged it so hastily. She had just a light covering of makeup on, with a faint smile on her face, and willingly looped her arm through his.
"To a pleasant cooperation, Rock." She said.
"It's a pleasant engagement, my girl." His eyes shimmered as he gazed deeply into hers, showing that he was in a great mood today.
As soothing music played, Winnie walked hand in hand with him on the red carpet. The ceremony was designed in a Chinese style, and they were going to serve tea together. With each step, they were nearing the end, She had a smile on her face, but her heart was quietly shedding tears.
Winnie was finding it difficult to reach the bottom of the red carpet. In her mind, the image of a man flashed for the last time. He was noble and mature, and the things he had done for her, both the ones that showed his care and the ones that hurt her, one by one they came to her.
She knew it was time to say goodbye, this was the moment that she truly let go. She was stepping into a new chapter in her life, as Laura said, maybe she really can leave the sea of love's pain behind.
‘There is no him anymore, Winnie, you have to get used to it.’ She chastised herself inwardly.
The emcee handed the wine glass to Winnie, shocking her back to reality. This was her first time seeing the old Mr. Harrington, and he was very dignified.
Rock chuckled beside her, "If you don't feel comfortable calling him 'Father,' then call him Uncle Li."
"Mr. Harrington, Mrs. Harrington, cheers!" Winnie smiled. The two elders looked her up and down, finally resting their satisfied gazes on her belly.
"You're due in two months, right? If it weren't for the video that was leaked, I would have thought Rock was fooling around with women without any responsibility. I didn't know he took action without consulting us! You've been through a lot these past few months, but once the child is born, our Harrington family will treat her well!"
Winnie's body stiffened slightly, and Rock embraced her protectively. After the tea ceremony concluded, as they were getting up, the large screen behind them suddenly switched to a photo that captured everyone's attention!
The relatives of the Harrington family below were shocked and turned their gazes towards the two elders. "Mother, father, look behind you!"
The two elders turned around in confusion, looking at the large screen. Winnie also hurriedly lifted her head, and when she saw the intimate photo of her and Lawrence R on the bed, she froze!
That was a photo she had taken to show Darcy, with her and Lawrence R covered only by a blanket, completely naked! This photo had been edited with a timestamp, one week ago, and her bulging belly could not be concealed!
"Oh my god, what is going on here?" inquired one of the relatives of the Harrington family. The two elders had gloomy expressions on their faces.
Rock's expression changed drastically, and he looked at Winnie in disbelief. For a moment, his expression was complicated. Reacting swiftly, he commanded the emcee in a deep voice, "Turn off the screen!"
The emcee rushed to turn off the power while being shouted at. However, the large screen had been tampered with, and it didn't obey their commands. Even if the network was shut down, after the photo, a paternity test report appeared.
The words "Prenatal Genetic Testing" were written on it. The patient was Winnie, and the paternity test showed a father-son relationship with Lawrence R.
The old Mr. Harrington was dumbfounded for a moment, then suddenly slammed the table, and looked at Winnie and Rock, "What on earth is going on?!"
Winnie's face turned incredibly pale, and she could hardly stand as she looked at the test report. Rock supported her, his usually gentle face turning icy cold. Despite taking every precaution, and investigating every staff member in the hotel, he still missed something.
"The hotel screens were hacked and out of control! Lawrence R even produced these unbearable photos! Father, please listen to me."
"Do you think we're fools? Who is this woman exactly? Is this child really yours?!" Old Mr. Harrington trembled with anger. A young voice sneered from below. Rock turned his head and saw Jason.
Jason's father, who competed with Rock for inheritance, had no luck as Jason was not competent. Therefore, the power of the Harrington Group remained in Rock's hands. Jason grasped this opportunity, he couldn't just let things settle.
He sarcastically said, "Grandfather, don't you know? This Miss Anderson is Lawrence R's ex-wife. And yet, Rock kept all her news tightly sealed. Since you never ask about real matters, it's difficult to know the truth. Look at the date in the photos, Miss Anderson was still in bed with her ex-husband the week before!”
“She is carrying her ex-husband's child, entangled with him, while also causing a scandal with her brother-in-law in a salacious video. I don't know what kind of spell was cast, but it made Rock willingly accept this illegitimate child as his own. It's just a source of joy for our grandparents, but now we've been humiliated today!"
"Shut up, Jason." Rock's voice turned cold.
The scene became chaotic, though the Harrington family knew about Winnie from before, nobody dared to speak up against Rock's influence in front of the old man. Now, there were discussions and insults directed at Winnie in all directions.
The old Mr. Harrington saw the media below capturing everything, and in his frustration, he stood up and stared disappointedly at Winnie and Rock. Suddenly, he clutched his heart and collapsed to the ground.
“Father?!” Rock’s face turned pale.
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