Thousands of Brilliant Stars: You Deserve the Best!-Chapter 102: Jude Hawthorne, You’re Not Even Human
Lachlan Wyatt’s approach was noticed, causing Iris Crawford’s eyelashes to tremble slightly. Yet she didn’t resist; in situations like this, whoever first pulls away admits their lack of confidence. So as she watched Lachlan sit beside her, Iris remained indifferent.
Instead, Orion Crawford, on the other side of Iris, spoke with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh my, who do we have here? Isn’t this the ex-boyfriend?"
Lachlan laughed right away, "Orion Crawford, would I die if you didn’t get sarcastic every day?"
Orion waved his hand by his ear, "Tsk tsk, hear that? Such manners, no wonder my sister broke up with you!"
He seemed quite pleased. With Iris newly single, Orion Crawford was probably the happiest of all!
The hostesses saw Lachlan approaching and instinctively made space, glancing at each other with obvious fear in their eyes.
This newcomer was undeniably handsome, the kind who stands out even amidst a crowd of handsome men. However...
His aura was intimidating. They dared not come forward, let alone speak to him.
Lachlan didn’t mind being viewed this way. He casually picked up a shot glass and downed its contents in one gulp, his sexy Adam’s apple moving visibly. After drinking, he looked at Iris, "Where are you heading tonight?"
Iris didn’t even blink, "Back to The Crawford Family house."
Lachlan smiled with deep meaning, "Not going home with us?"
Iris’s heart fluttered slightly; she feigned a smile, "Our home? I don’t understand that term."
"The house is still yours. You say drop it, and that’s it?"
Lachlan bluntly laid it out, leaving no room for negotiation. He made the decision, "Drink less. I’ll take you home tonight."
His voice was so powerful in the noisy bar, deep and resonant, it made Iris’s eardrums ring more than the low frequencies of electronic music.
Upon hearing this, Iris let out a mocking laugh, "Such a pretense."
Lachlan raised an eyebrow, indifferent to her words, as long as Iris’s anger faded.
He downed another drink, considering this alcohol child’s play; it seemed he could drink endlessly without getting drunk. Sitting there with a hunched back, the curve from his neck to his spine was remarkably attractive. Even without seeing his face, his posture alone revealed him as a handsome man. Squinting, he said, "My patience is limited."
"So is mine."
Iris’s eyes were on Lachlan, but her gaze seemed unfocused, possibly due to intoxication or maybe Lachlan had lost his appeal to her. She laughed heartily, "I’m the one Young Master Wyatt abandoned; how about having some pity on me?"
She was stunning, yet her words carried thorns.
Lachlan’s fingers clenched slightly, about to retort when suddenly Seraphina Colbert, beside Iris, faltered.
Lachlan raised an eyebrow, being the first to notice Seraphina wasn’t feeling well. He glanced at Jude Hawthorne and withdrew his gaze, "Keep an eye on Seraphina beside you."
Iris was momentarily confused; the topic had shifted dramatically. But in the next moment, Seraphina grabbed Iris’s skirt tightly, her face pale. The action startled Iris, "Are you okay? Drank too much?"
Seraphina forced a smile, her lips tightly pressed, as the bar lights masked her true complexion, she simply shook her head, "I’m fine, just drank too quickly."
But upon closer inspection, it seemed Seraphina was subtly trembling.
Iris instinctively felt something was off, yet couldn’t pinpoint it; perhaps alcohol dulled her judgment, so she trusted Seraphina’s words. However, Jude on the side gripped Seraphina’s shoulder, saying, "Stop acting here; if something’s wrong, speak up. Looking like death won’t earn you extra sympathy."
Seraphina felt cold sweat trickle down her forehead, but Jude’s words hurt her heart more. She could only nod, "I understand..."
"If you understand, why not smile for me?" Jude leaned in, whispering in a voice only Seraphina could hear, tightening his grip on her shoulder, seemingly upset that Seraphina was embarrassing him among rare friends at the gathering.
Women are troublesome; next time, he wouldn’t bring her along.
Iris didn’t hear Jude’s words, still believing Seraphina was fine, watching her raise her glass and begrudgingly apologize to Jude.
Why should she apologize to him?
Before Iris could finish her thought, Seraphina quivered and collapsed right into Iris’s arms.
The hostesses nearby thought Seraphina was simply drunk, joking about her poor alcohol tolerance, but Orion Crawford touched Seraphina’s forehead and instantly stood from the sofa!
"Take her to the hospital!" Orion shouted, "Seraphina’s fainted!"
What?! Jude’s eyes constricted, fainted?
This woman... How could she faint without warning?!
******
When Seraphina awoke from the darkness, the first face she saw was Iris Crawford’s.
She was stunned, seeing Iris Crawford’s face still with makeup, obviously staying by her side without even removing it, making Seraphina Colbert’s heart ache.
Waking up alone in the past, now someone cares for her, this feeling is truly wonderful...
Seeing Seraphina Colbert’s eyes turn red, Iris Crawford’s eyes followed suit. She grasped Seraphina’s hand and said, "Why are you so foolish? You’re pregnant and didn’t say anything!"
Pregnant?
Those two words slashed through Seraphina Colbert’s body like a knife, and she gasped, "Pregnant? I didn’t even... know..."
Iris Crawford’s expression changed, she immediately looked towards the door, "Brother, let Jude Hawthorne in!"
Jude Hawthorne and Lachlan Wyatt were outside watching, but Orion Crawford wouldn’t let Jude Hawthorne in because Seraphina was pregnant. Orion was infuriated, neither of them realized she was pregnant, yet they went out drinking!
Upon hearing Iris Crawford’s voice, Orion Crawford finally let Jude in. Once inside, Jude was livid, his fierce gaze stabbed straight at Seraphina’s face, "Are you pretending to be dead? Pregnant and didn’t say anything?"
Startled by Jude’s yelling, Seraphina Colbert clutched the blanket tightly, "I didn’t know myself..."
"You couldn’t know?"
Jude Hawthorne pointed at Seraphina, Iris Crawford stood up and countered Jude, "And you! You didn’t know? You did this and didn’t take precautions? Now Seraphina is pregnant, and you blame her first. Are you even a man!"
For once, Jude Hawthorne didn’t show Iris any respect, instead raising his voice, "It’s not even my damn child, why should I show any respect!"
Iris’s body stiffened, she looked back at Seraphina in disbelief, her voice hoarse, "Seraphina, are Jude’s words..."
"True." Seraphina’s face turned pale, as if all the blood had been drawn from her in an instant, she covered her face with her hand, "Last month he sent me to accompany another man... I got careless and forgot to take the contraceptive pill."
Jude Hawthorne, this seems... already my third abortion.
Iris Crawford couldn’t believe her ears, what situation is this? Seraphina was treated by Jude as a tool, even sending her to different men’s beds, and this time she’s even pregnant!
Jude stepped forward, grabbing Seraphina’s collar, "Last month? I got it, it’s the Caine Family’s child, right?"
Seraphina was bloodless. Last month, Jude sent her to the Caine Family, then for some reason got furious and no longer sent her to accompany anyone else. Recent attempts to send her were blocked by Iris Crawford, so it could be concluded it’s the Caine Family’s child.
"Wanted to keep the Caine Family’s child, but you ruined it by drinking." Jude didn’t release Seraphina’s collar, "Otherwise, you could’ve used the child to blackmail the Caine Family."
She was pregnant, drank alcohol leading to signs of a threatened miscarriage, and Jude, the man she’s been with for so long, spoke of using the child to blackmail the Caine Family.
Seraphina felt she couldn’t even see Jude’s face clearly, his features were extremely wild, a face that should be ostentatious and beautiful to women, but why..."How can your heart be so vicious..."
Hearing Seraphina’s unconscious muttering, Jude laughed, "First time knowing me? Without me, you’d have died long ago, returning gratitude to your lifesaver is reasonable, isn’t it? I’ll call a doctor to monitor this pregnancy well; it’s such timely news, Seraphina."
Seraphina shook her head frantically, "I don’t want to give birth, I... I don’t want to..."
"Giving birth might just let you marry into a wealthy family." Jude released his grip, staring at Seraphina’s beautiful yet pale face, "Use this child as leverage, and you could thrive in the Caine Family, restrain them for me. Seraphina, shouldn’t you be grateful for your rise through childbirth?"
"I don’t want it at all!" Seraphina seemed pushed to the limit by Jude, especially as she had drank alcohol, this child couldn’t be kept. Even if born, it would be a tool used by Jude; she didn’t want this child at all, "You’re forcing me, Jude, you’re not human, forcing me to accompany others, now forcing me to bear another’s child!"
Jude’s next words made Seraphina’s blood solidify, he stared unmoved at the nearly deranged Seraphina and said, "Otherwise? Do you imagine bearing my child? No way, Seraphina, your body is too filthy."
Too filthy.
Those three words shattered all of Seraphina’s defenses, she said with reddened eyes, "Filthy? Who made me this filthy, who let me accompany so many men! Now you call me filthy!"
It was rare to see her so sharp, Jude felt a stab in his heart, "You dare to retort me?" 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
"Hahaha, I’m too filthy, Jude, you’re not worthy of being human! You’re the one who dirtied me! You never called me filthy when you sent me to others, now you want to hit me where it hurts!" Seraphina threw everything she could grab at Jude. Iris, seeing this, felt heartache and quickly held Seraphina, "Listen, Seraphina, listen to yourself, we’ll abort the child, and don’t contact Jude anymore!"
"How can there be no contact, how can there!" Seraphina’s eyes were bloodshot, "He took my photos, my videos, he watched coldly as I was humiliated by others, he imprisoned me, owns every leverage against me, I’ve died in his hands long ago! How am I any different from being dead!"
Even Lachlan Wyatt standing outside subconsciously blinked hearing this, looking towards Orion Crawford.
Orion Crawford was weighing whether to rush in and separate Seraphina and Jude, when Lachlan Wyatt grabbed him, "Iris will handle it."
He truly believed in Iris.
Orion Crawford lowered his voice, "If you dare make my sister so sad..."
Lachlan Wyatt laughed, playful and carefree, "Sad? Orion Crawford, your sister couldn’t wait to hang celebratory fireworks after leaving me."
Why couldn’t he show a trace of care for Iris on his face?
Or rather... Lachlan Wyatt never lets anyone see what he cares about?
Lachlan Wyatt is just like that; the more he cares about something, the more he gives it up. People with no weaknesses can abandon anything without a trace.
Orion Crawford’s gaze was deep, standing at the door observing developments inside, ready to intervene at any sign of trouble.
