Chapter 422 Compromise and Secret Marriage
Cassius's voice was all shaky, "Dad, don't do that."
"Then talk to me like a grown-up," Hugo shot back, staring him down.
"We can get hitched, but can we wait until we actually like each other before popping out a kid? Right now..." Cassius trailed off.
"If you can get married, having a kid is the next step, right?" Hugo said, ice-cold.
"But..." Cassius was at a loss for words.
Hugo's face got even darker.
Cassius didn't dare say another word.
He shot a desperate look at Alaric.
Wasn't Alaric supposed to have his back?
Why was Alaric acting clueless at this crucial moment?
His whole future was about to go down the drain!
Alaric caught Cassius's look, put down his coffee, and turned to Hugo, "Mr. Blackburn, pushing Cassius like this isn't gonna solve anything."
"If I don't push him, he'll never learn!" Hugo snapped.
"True," Alaric nodded.
"Alaric," Cassius couldn't help but call out.
"Who said you could call Mr. Whitaker by his name?" Hugo barked.
Cassius clammed up.
"But they say to start a family before a career. I think your dad's plan makes sense," Alaric added.
"What are you even saying?" Cassius yelled at Alaric, feeling like he was about to lose it.
"Shut up!" Hugo scolded him harshly.
Cassius felt totally wronged.
He just couldn't wrap his head around it. He just had a one-night stand!
"Wedding's on the 6th of next month. And the kid? It's happening," Hugo declared.
Cassius didn't dare say a word.
"Your name's Lily, right?" Hugo turned to her.
Lily was just as stunned.
Wasn't she supposed to get an abortion today?
Now, no abortion, and her future was getting trashed?
If she'd known, she might've let that creepy old guy have his way that night.
"Yes," Lily quickly replied, scared stiff by the Blackburn Family's reputation.
"Where's your home, and who are your folks? Let them know we're visiting tomorrow," Hugo ordered, not caring about anyone's opinion.
Lily hesitated for a long time before answering.
Compared to how he treated Cassius, Hugo was way nicer to Lily.
"Because of personal stuff, I'm not on good terms with my family. I'm not from Serenovia City; I'm from a small town. My parents don't support me being in the entertainment industry; they think I'm dreaming too big. So, I haven't talked to them in ages," Lily explained.
"Go on," Hugo said coldly.
"Do I really have to have the kid?" Lily really didn't want to.
Sure, she'd feel bad about ending a life, but she wasn't that noble. She didn't want a kid with someone she didn't love and who didn't love her.
"Yeah, you really have to have the kid," Hugo confirmed.
"Can we skip the marriage part?" Lily asked cautiously.
Hugo frowned. He didn't expect Lily to have so many demands.
Even though Hugo didn't look down on Lily for being the type to mess around with Cassius, he didn't think any decent woman would refuse to marry him.
At that moment, Hugo gave Lily a look of newfound respect.
"What I mean is, I'll have the kid and give it to you, but I won't marry Mr. Cassius Blackburn," Lily quickly explained when she saw Hugo staying silent.
"So, you're saying you want your and Cassius's kid to be born without a mom?" Hugo's face showed clear displeasure.
Lily bit her lip. Yeah, that was what she meant. But it was obviously too selfish.
"I won't allow that. You must marry Cassius," Hugo said firmly.
Lily didn't dare argue. She turned to look at Cassius.
Cassius was on his knees, not daring to say a word. Usually, he was so cocky outside. It showed how formidable Hugo was.
After a few seconds of silence, Hugo asked, "Any more questions? If not, on the 6th of next month..."
"Wait," Lily mustered up the courage again.
Hugo surprisingly didn't get angry, "What other requests do you have?"
"I just said that my relationship with my parents isn't good, and I don't want to go back to see them for now."
"You mean I don't need to visit your parents?" Hugo asked.
"What I mean is, since my parents won't attend, can we skip the wedding ceremony? I'll marry Mr. Cassius Blackburn now, but can we keep it a secret for now?" Lily asked cautiously.
She was really afraid Hugo would get angry.
Hugo frowned deeply.
Cassius quickly chimed in, "Dad, we're agreeing to get married and have a kid. Can you agree to one request of ours? Lily and I really don't know each other well. If we can't get along, I'm saying if, of course, we want to give the baby a complete family, but who knows if we are compatible? If we really can't make it work, keeping our marriage a secret would be less harmful to both of us."
Hugo thought for a moment and didn't speak. Cassius didn't dare to say more, and Lily stayed silent. They just waited for Hugo to speak.
After a while, Hugo took a sip of coffee and then said, "Alright, we'll do it your way."
Lily breathed a sigh of relief, and Cassius followed suit. Finally, it wouldn't be public. As long as it wasn't public, it would be much easier to divorce later without worrying about gossip.
"But there are some things I need to tell you," Hugo immediately asserted his authority.
Lily and Cassius both looked obedient.
Hugo said, "First, since there's no wedding, get the marriage license tomorrow. If it weren't for the wedding preparations, I would have set it for tomorrow. Second, Lily, starting today, you'll move into the Blackburn Mansion and share a room with Cassius. I'll arrange for someone to pack your things. Third, Cassius must be home by 6 PM every night..."
"Isn't 6 PM too early!" Cassius was about to cry. "Dad, you know our night business starts at 7 PM. If I come home at 6 PM, how can I work?"
"Don't try to deceive me here. I know all about your nights spent drinking and womanizing at the clubs. You never manage the business. I'll arrange for others to handle it," Hugo said coldly.
Cassius, feeling emotional, said, "Then what will I do? Will I just stay home and do nothing?"
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