Chapter 319: Her Warning
"You probably don't know this, but the hospital where you had the paternity test done is under my control," Polly sneered. "I'm curious to see how you, shameless wretch, will try to wriggle out of this."
A genuine chill ran through Yvonne. She instinctively looked for Aiden, but he was engrossed in the report, his eyes sparkling with interest. Yvonne felt her world crumbling. The ideal outcome she'd envisioned was ruined by this despicable woman.
"No," she thought. Then, bursting into tears, she cried, "How could this be? It's a lie, Hubby! It must be a lie! She's framing me; she works at the hospital, so it's easy for her to slander me. You believe me, don't you?"
Ralph stood stupefied, but others remained unconvinced. Polly seemed so self-righteous, armed with what appeared to be concrete evidence. Furthermore, nobody knew yet that the child had been miscarried. They believed Polly had no reason to fabricate such an easily verifiable lie. Many, instead of focusing on the main issue, turned their awestruck gazes toward Isabella.
The news had initially blindsided them, but now everyone had processed the situation. The gossip, coming from Polly ("Gossip Queen"), was considered truth. Verification was deemed unnecessary; they began to ponder Polly's words.
If the child wasn't Ralph's, then someone within the Burke family was cuckolding the family head! And they expected Ralph to raise this illegitimate child! It must have been a power struggle over the family fortune—a scenario they were sadly familiar with. They'd almost celebrated a similar case prematurely recently.
Roland sneezed, then continued watching with the others. Elijah's expression, however, was particularly intriguing. He wasn't sure he wouldn't be exposed. He hoped that if things escalated, Yvonne would firmly accuse Aiden. Aiden had been drinking that night and might not remember anything. Given their history, Aiden couldn't easily prove his innocence. These factors were the only things keeping Elijah calm. Many were trying to determine who had cuckolded Ralph.
Aiden was the least suspected. His love for Ines was well-known; those who'd competed with him for her affection had failed, making him a less likely suspect.
One after another, people stepped forward, demanding, "Ralph, what's going on?"
"We must clarify this matter; otherwise, our Burke family's reputation will be at stake."
"It has nothing to do with me. Today was my first time meeting my new sister-in-law."
The accompanying women cast suspicious glances at their partners. The Burke family followed the principle of "more sons, more blessings," resulting in more illegitimate children than in other families. Aside from Aiden, there were no other obvious suspects within the Burke family at the moment. Despite their dishonesty, this situation was outrageous.
Yvonne, trembling and crying, finally said, "If you doubt me, let's get a divorce. Let whoever wants to be your wife do so; I don't care anymore." She looked heartbroken and started to leave.
Well, you do have some acting skills, the narrator thought. Troublemakers aren't pushovers.
However, nobody was buying her act, especially Polly, who was simply seeking revenge and had no intention of getting back together with Ralph.
"Why the tears?" Polly asked. "I wouldn't falsely accuse you. If necessary, we can get a new assessment. If I've wronged you, I'll kneel and apologize." Turning to Ralph, she added, "After all, we were once married. I heard you were injured and can't have children anymore. I couldn't bear to see you kept in the dark, so I warned you. The one betraying you is right beside you—just be careful not to become someone else's substitute father."
Note: The original text contained some unfinished sentences and typos, and some phrasing was awkward. The cleaned-up version aims for improved clarity and flow. The use of "d*mn" was removed for broader audience appeal. Some narrative voice sections, indicated by italics, were added for clarity.