Chapter 295 The Grand Finale

Chapter 295 The Grand Finale

Alvenia, the Lawson Mansion, Gordon's study.

Gordon sat in an old-fashioned armchair, the tea in front of him already cold.

He had been silent for a long time after hearing Richard's report.

Richard stood across from him—he didn't dare to sit down.

"Is the information reliable?" Gordon asked.

Richard nodded. "Reliable. Word from the hospital—Hannah is definitely pregnant, and the child is Ethan's."

Gordon's fingers tapped on the armrest, once, twice.

He picked up the phone and dialed Hannah directly.

The phone rang a few times before someone answered.

"Mr. Lawson." Hannah's voice was calm.

"You're pregnant? The child is Ethan's?" Gordon got straight to the point.

Hannah didn't deny it. "Yes."

Gordon's voice slowed, his tone certain.

"Since you're pregnant, the Lawson family can accept you. Have your grandfather arrange a meeting between our families to settle the marriage."

He assumed Hannah had gotten pregnant to marry Ethan, and his tone carried arrogance.

"Don't worry, if you have the child, the Lawson family won't treat you badly."

Hannah's voice remained calm. "I don't need the Lawson family to take responsibility, and I never planned to marry Ethan because of this child."

"I'll raise this child myself. The Harvey family can afford it, and so can I."

Gordon fell briefly silent, a hint of impatience creeping into his tone.

"Ms. Nguyen, you're a smart woman. This kind of opportunity doesn't come to everyone—you should know how to choose."

"You need to understand, Ethan marrying you is the Lawson family doing you a favor. Don't refuse something that's obviously good for you."

Hannah's tone grew cold.

"I think you've got something wrong. I never planned to marry into the Lawson family."

"I'm the child's mother. I won't let anyone take him away from me, and I won't let anyone use 'the Lawson family' to define his life."

Silence fell on the other end of the line.

Hannah continued, "Do you think I'm waiting for the Lawson family's approval, or using the child as a bargaining chip?"

She laughed—not with joy, but with the calm that comes after complete clarity.

"I don't need the Lawson family's recognition, and I never planned to use the child as leverage. As for the Lawson family's approval, that's not something worth looking up to, is it?"

This time, Gordon was completely silent.

"I can take care of myself. I have my career, I have my child, and my future is mine to shape—and I have options."

Hannah's tone was steady, confident and firm.

"I don't need the Lawson family's approval or elevation, and I don't care about your so-called 'good treatment'."

"And one more thing you might have forgotten. If we're talking about leverage, my company can't compare to the Lawson Group—but the Harvey family's power is a hundred times stronger than the Lawson family's. I have money, resources, and ability, and plenty of excellent men who want to pursue me. Tell me, why would I need to marry into the Lawson family, suffer humiliation, and be treated as a breeding tool and a bargaining chip for a marriage alliance?"

Gordon was stunned. He had never imagined Hannah didn't want to marry Ethan, much less that she would say these things so directly, leaving no room for retreat.

"Don't you think about the child?"

"Think about the child?" Hannah's voice remained calm.

"It's precisely because I'm thinking about the child that I'm this clear-headed."

"I won't let this child enter a family that's arrogant and disrespectful—that would only ruin his life."

Gordon was speechless.

Hannah continued, "The child will take my surname when he's born. I'll allow Ethan to visit, but I won't allow him to take the child away. And you can't take him either. If you don't believe me, you can try."

"This is the only arrangement I can accept. You don't need to negotiate with me, because I'm not making a deal with you."

She hung up.

She wasn't negotiating—she was notifying.

She was no longer the Hannah who needed to watch anyone's face.

Hannah put down her phone and walked to the window.

She placed her hand on her belly. Nothing showed yet, but she knew there was a tiny life inside.

A child she thought she'd never have in this lifetime.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Whether the Lawson family agreed or not, this child was hers.

This child belonged to her, and no one could take him away.

Footsteps sounded behind her. Hannah didn't turn around—she knew Ethan had arrived.

Ethan walked to her side and stood shoulder to shoulder with her.

Neither of them spoke as they looked out at the night.

After a long while, Ethan spoke.

"My grandfather agreed. The child will take your surname. I'll move in. Do you agree?"

He had just received Gordon's message, but his heart wasn't excited.

He knew very well that whether Hannah was willing to marry him had nothing to do with the Lawson family's attitude.

Hannah turned to look at him.

His eyes were still bloodshot—he probably hadn't rested properly in days—but he was smiling.

His smile held bitterness and hope as he looked at Hannah.

Ethan blinked. "I'll move in and live with you, so I can take care of you. Do you agree?"

Hannah looked at him, suddenly remembering when they first met.

She remembered seeing him for the first time in that floral shirt, casual and carefree, saying ridiculous things.

She remembered Ethan at the orphanage, helping her fight off the people who tried to kidnap her.

She remembered him helping her find evidence, accompanying her to that village, and shielding her when they were chased on the highway.

She remembered him standing downstairs, calling her name.

She remained silent. She knew that if she agreed, their families would be tied together again.

Ethan took a step forward, his voice very soft, carefully pleading.

"I won't force you to marry me, and I won't force you to give me status. I just want to stay by your side."

"If you don't want to live together, I can move nearby. I won't disturb your life. When you need me, I'll come right away."

"When you don't want to see me, I'll keep my distance. When you need me, I'll appear immediately."

Hannah looked up at him and finally sighed.

She didn't immediately distance herself like before, but she didn't soften and nod either.

She just looked at him calmly.

"Ethan." Her voice was soft. "You're the father of the child in my belly. If you want to do your part, I won't stop you."

"When the child is born, you can visit him, take care of him, and be part of his life."

"But you and I aren't husband and wife, and neither of us depends on the other."

"That's my bottom line."

Ethan's throat tightened, disappointment flashing in his eyes, but he immediately nodded, as if he'd received a great gift.

"I know. I'll listen to you."

"As long as I can stay by your side, anything is fine."

Hannah didn't respond. She turned back to look out the window.

The evening breeze swept past. The night was quiet.

Ethan didn't say anything more. He stayed beside her, a silent, steady presence.

The days ahead were long, their story unfinished. No one knew what the future would bring.