Chapter 571 Joseph, You Heartless Bastard

At the Johnson villa, Chloe carefully retrieved the freshly washed clothes from the washing machine

and hung them methodically on the balcony. The gentle glow of the sun bathed her in warmth,

casting her as a virtuous wife attending to her household duties while eagerly awaiting her

husband's return. It was a warm and picturesque scene.

Catching sight of her, Joseph's heart skipped a beat. It had been a while since he had witnessed

such a scene. He turned off the engine, stepped out of the car, and made his way into the yard.

Chloe, who had just finished washing an apple and was about to take a bite, noticed the sudden

and unexpected arrival. Her heart raced, and she hastily put down the apple and darted upstairs to

change. The nightgown she had on at the moment revealed too much of her figure.

"Stay right where you are!" Joseph's deep voice resonated, demanding her attention.

Despite his command, Chloe panicked and hurriedly made her way upstairs. But with his long

strides, Joseph quickly caught up and grabbed her by the wrist. His large hand reached forward to

touch her belly. His eyes grew dark, a whirlpool of emotions stirring within them. His confident tone

carried a hint of surprise that was hard to miss. "You really are pregnant."

Chloe was bewildered as to how her secret had come to light. Her heart raced with panic, yet she

remained resolute, putting on a facade of denial, saying, "No, I just had a lot to eat tonight."

"When did this happen? How far along are you? And why did you keep this from me?" Joseph

interrogated her, completely disregarding her stubborn denial.

Chloe remained silent and kept her head down, fixing her gaze on her toes.

"Tell me," Joseph demanded, lifting Chloe's chin to force her to meet his gaze. The pressure applied

was just enough to restrict her movements without causing any pain.

"We've already broken up, so why should I tell you?" Chloe huffed, her frustration evident in her

words. "Besides, it may not be yours."

Joseph furrowed his brows, saying slowly and deliberately, "Can we please have a reasonable

conversation about this, Chloe?" No man would tolerate such insulting jokes, especially when they

came from the mouth of the person they loved.

"It's you who’s being unreasonable. It's you who chose Xavia's child!" Chloe pushed him away, her

eyes welling up with a mix of resentment and frustration. "You said it yourself that you didn't want a

second child at this time, and now you're questioning me? I don't want my child to have the same

father as someone else. I don't want their childhood to be like mine—neglected and

underestimated, growing up in a loveless family.

“I didn’t do anything wrong. Clearly, the one who’s in the wrong here is you, you heartless bastard!"

Chloe's anger intensified as she spoke. Her emotions were volatile during pregnancy, and the

weight of the negative feelings became overwhelming. Once it erupted, she could not control

herself. She cried as if she were a victim of mistreatment, feeling deeply wounded.

"I want the baby. As long as it's our child, I want it." Joseph embraced her tightly, his heart filled with

tenderness. He gently reassured her, "I promise you that those things that you’re concerned about

will never happen."

When it came to Chloe, he felt powerless. If anyone else dared to deceive him, they would

undoubtedly face the consequences they deserved. But when it came to Chloe, the only option he

had was to surrender to her tears

'Am I completely at her mercy from now on?’'

Upon hearing Joseph’s words, Chloe's tears abruptly ceased. "You don't want Xavia's child

anymore?"

A look of dilemma crossed Joseph's face. "She's already six months pregnant. We can't just

abandon the child."

"There can only be one of us in the Whitman family!”

"We can let Grandpa take care of her child."

Chloe paused, her eyes filled with curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"Grandpa suggested that for the sake of our relationship, he could raise that child so that they

wouldn’t affect us."

"So the child will still carry your family name?"

"Yes."

Even if the child was raised by Harold, it still did not feel right. Having a sibling who was also your

biological child? What kind of situation was that?

"What difference would that make?" Chloe sighed helplessly. "When Grandpa leaves us, won't the

child still come back to our family? By doing that, we’d only make the child resent us."

Having a biological father nearby but being ignored by him was a truly heart-wrenching thought. It

was a hundred times worse than being completely abandoned.