Blackmail? Yes!

Father Ford made a few calls in a hurry and urged his daughter to change her dress. He then left her room.

He met with the Jeffery parents in another room and they talked a few pleasantries. The parents 'explained' that the pregnant woman had nothing to do with their son and Father Ford smilingly went along with their words, saying he trusted his 'son-in-law' as well.

***

"Helena, I promise, your mom's ashes are on their way. It will take a little longer. But we can't let our guests wait for too long, right? Please come out and attend to the guests. You are the bride. You can't be absent from your own party anymore. It wouldn't look good," Father Ford spoke to his daughter, who was sitting on the sofa with her arms crossed.

She slowly bent over to take a cup of tea and sipped on it. She looked like she did not hear her father's words at all.

He did not know what to do with his stubborn daughter at all.

"Is everything okay? Is Helena not ready yet?" Jemma entered the room and asked politely.

Vincent and Vernon followed behind her and entered the room after Jemma hinted that it was appropriate.

"Sister Jemma, please come inside. I am almost ready," Helena no longer had her stern expression. She smiled brightly and stood up as she welcomed Jemma.

She did not give Vernon a glance. She just smiled at Vincent as a greeting, to which he reciprocated equally.

Everyone subconsciously glanced at Vernon. They could sense the tension between the newly wed couple.

It was obvious after all.

How could the bride be happy when a random woman appeared out of nowhere and announced that she was pregnant with the groom's child?

No one defended Vernon.

They just shook their heads.

"If you are ready, can we go out now?" Jemma was the one who asked Helena.

"Yes, yes. We should go. Helena, let's go," Father Ford agreed in a hurry. He hoped that his stubborn daughter would bend under the gaze of the Jeffery family.

But she did not. She calmly smiled and shook her head, "I am sorry Sister Jemma. I think it will take a little longer for me to leave this room."

Jemma and Vincent exchanged glances as they looked at Helena and Father Ford.

Jemma asked her, "What happened?"

Helena smiled and looked at her father, "I am waiting for my father."

Everyone blinked their eyes. Her father was clearly more eager than anyone else to leave, right?

"Uncle Ford, do you need more time?" Jemma did not ask him what he had to do. She simply asked if he needed time, so as not to probe too much.

Father Ford looked at his daughter and secretly gritted his teeth. He then smiled at the Jeffery's and said, "I think a few more minutes."

Vincent and Jemma nodded and left the room. Father Ford took his phone out and left the room as well.

Even though he was in a hurry, he also knew that this was the time his daughter and his son-in-law should have a chat in private.

Once everyone was out, Helena sat back on the sofa and continued drinking her tea.

[I should drag as much time as possible until Father gets it to me.]

Vernon frowned when he heard Helena's thoughts. He did not know what she was waiting for but from Father Ford's expressions from earlier and her thoughts from now, he understood that she was blackmailing her father for something.

He couldn't believe that this was how she had been. He thought that she might have changed during their marriage days somehow. But she had such dark intentions from very early on.

She did not care about the woman who got pregnant because of him. She was just using that matter to gain something from her father. How could she be so cruel?

Maybe he was staring at her deeply for too long. Helena couldn't help but raise her head to look at him and ask, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Vernon cleared his throat and sat opposite her. He asked her, "Don't you have anything to ask me?"

Helena frowned, looking at him, "About what?"

"..." Is his matter so small and casual for her that she even forgot about it? He cleared his throat once again, "Ehem. About the woman who said she was pregnant…"

For some reason, he felt guilty as he spoke and his voice softened at the end of his sentence.

Helena looked at him for a few seconds before she chuckled, "Oh that? It's fine. I know you will take care of that matter."

"Huh?" Vernon did not understand what she meant at all.

"What happened?" Helena did not understand why Vernon looked confused.

"Umm… you don't have any questions at all? You just left the matter entirely to me?" Vernon asked.

"What do you want me to do then? Handle that matter for you?" Helena asked back. [Idiot.]

"..." 'Why is she scolding me now?' 

"No, no. I will handle it but how could you not ask me any questions at all? Isn't the child mine? If I want to keep the child, you will be its stepmother after all. You don't mind that?" He asked her in confusion. He had planned after a serious thought.

Even though he realized late that they had already gotten their marriage certificate before the wedding, all his planning should help him deal with her somehow, right? But why doesn't she look concerned at all?

Even if she was dissatisfied with him, he could use it as a stepping stone towards their divorce in the future.

But why wouldn't she react the way she had to?

"Ha ha ha ha…" Helena suddenly burst out in laughter when she heard his questions.

Vernon felt his face warm up, "Why are you laughing?"

Helena couldn't stop laughing at all. She held her stomach with her hand and rolled over on the sofa.