Forced Marriage With CEO Because of An Unexpected Child

""This decision is unacceptable!" yelled a lady's voice loudly in the meeting hall. Regina, a beautiful lady with dark eyes, didn't agree with the unfair decision against her.

She couldn't believe she lost to her rival company. She didn't want them to pick the company led by someone she hated to win the hotel project. Regina felt cheated. ""CEO Kim, didn't you consider that Grace Company's offer was better than Jian Company's? Why did you choose CEO Jian instead? Wasn't our agreement from the beginning?"

"Questioning a client's decision is highly unprofessional, Miss Tan." The man, Henry Miller Jian, responded sharply. He exuded authority with his immaculate appearance-neatly styled soft black hair, a handsome face with a firm jawline, fair skin, thick eyebrows, and sharp almond-shaped brown eyes. His demeanor exuded superiority, and a smirk played at the corners of his lips. " "However, understandable. You're new to the business world."

Regina glared at him, her eyes sharp and brimming with loathing. Her slender, graceful hand clenched into a tight fist. "Calm down! "Stay calm! I can't let this guy see me lose it. I won't give him the satisfaction of getting under my skin."

Regina's fists trembled with suppressed rage. She bit her lip, struggling to find the right words, but her anger choked her voice. Reluctantly, she conceded defeat to her rival. With a heavy heart, Regina turned on her heel and walked away, her steps echoing through the hall. As she passed by, she felt the weight of judgmental stares and heard the whispers of mockery, turning her into a target of scorn.

"Right from the start, it's been clear Mr. Jian's gonna win. And let's face it, no company would give this gig to a woman. It's easier to take the L from Mr. Jian than from a woman like the Grace-Tan Family's daughter."

Regina briefly glanced at the man who ridiculed her. She clenched her teeth tightly, suppressing her anger like a volcano on the verge of eruption. It wasn't the first time she'd been compared to Henry. Despite the influential status of both the Grace-Tan and Jian families in the investment industry, Henry's consistent dominance over her led to Regina being looked down upon. Regina's hatred for Henry intensified, fueled by his constant superiority. It simmered within her, a growing ember of resentment.

"CEO Tan, are you going without extending your congratulations?" Henry stepped in front of Regina, blocking her way. His smile, once again, irritated her to no end.

"Congratulations to you, CEO Jian, for your victory achieved through deceit," Regina said with a fake smile.

"Deceit? I understand you may harbor feelings of jealousy, but accusing me of deceit amounts to slander." Henry spoke sharply.

"If not deceit, then what? You weren't initially considered for this project, yet suddenly you emerge victorious in the tender process. Considering your existing portfolio of significant projects, why pursue this one?"

"Certainly, it's insufficient until I secure the significant project you covet and witness the expression of defeat upon your countenance." Henry flashed a smile.

"Is it truly gratifying to take it away from me?" Regina fought to contain her anger.

"Yes, immensely gratifying. Witnessing your defeat brings me joy. Aren't you accustomed to losing to me? Whether in the past or present, being subordinate to me is the rightful place for a woman." Henry's voice grew louder, prompting those around to laugh mockingly at Regina.

"Henry Miller Jian, you may take pride in this victory for now, but rest assured, there will come a time when you cannot hold your head high due to shame," Regina declared with sharpness in her voice.

Henry laughed instead. ""I'll wait for you to embarrass me,"

Regina clenched her hands tightly. She wanted to punch that arrogant face, but she had to maintain her image. She had no choice but to turn and leave, putting an end to it all.

Out of nowhere, Henry tossed something that struck Regina's back. She spun around and spotted an invitation lying on the floor. "You want this, right? I got it for you," he said.

"Why are you giving it to me? What are you planning?" Regina looked at him suspiciously.

Henry took it and placed it in Regina's palm. "Just accept it. No need to ask too much. Who knows, you might want to repay me." Henry quickly left the room. Regina stared at the invitation for quite some time.

***

Regina, dressed in a dark blue evening gown that showcased her beautiful shoulders, arrived at the party alone. Unconsciously, her gaze fell on Henry.

Regina immediately turned away. "Why do I gotta run into him again? Bet he's gonna make fun of me." Nothing good happened whenever they met. Regina wanted to avoid trouble. It's better to go as far away as possible.

Just as she was about to leave, a boy inadvertently caught her attention. He looked familiar. Regina's eyes kept following him. The kid stood in front of Henry, who was by himself. "Daddy!"

From a distance, Regina watched the man's face closely. It was clear that his typically steady gaze faltered, indicating surprise. Without thinking, she found herself walking towards the group of people surrounding Henry.

"Who are you calling daddy? I don't have a child!" Henry said firmly, his expression turning cold again.

"Daddy, I'm Kevin Chares Jian, don't you know me? I'm really your son. And I have your last name too!" The kid kept trying. He looked at Henry with hopeful eyes, full of innocence.

"Am I the only one who has the Jian family name? Look for another Jian!" Henry responded flatly.

Regina felt pity for the child. She quickly said something that made everyone look at her. "CEO Jian, is it so difficult to acknowledge your illegitimate child in front of everyone? Look, the child looks so much like you, yet you still want to deny it?"

Henry stared at the woman standing among the crowd of guests, with a sharp gaze. His face flushed with anger, "Regina Grace Tan! This is your doing, isn't it?" he said sharply. "Is this what you said back then to get back at me? Just because you lost."

Regina couldn't accept it, "What? I'm not that low. You're just using me to cover up your sins. You're the one who has a child, why vent it out on me?"

The boy suddenly said something shocking after staring at Regina for so long. "Mom, don't be mad at Dad!"

The word 'Mom' caught everyone's attention. They were more surprised by what the boy said next.

The boy who claimed to be Kevin ran and held Regina's hand. "Mom, let's go home together." His clear round eyes looked at her gently, a gaze unfamiliar to Regina.

Regina's eyes widened with the shift in the situation. What was going on with this child? She was just trying to help, but he responded like this. She didn't want to get dragged into this troublesome mess. "Hey, little boy, who are you calling mom? I haven't even given birth, let alone been pregnant."

The guests began to whisper to each other. Regina's ears caught snippets of their conversations. "It must be Miss Tan who trapped Mr. Jian into having a child!"

"No wonder she stooped so low. Regina Tan has high ambitions willing to do anything. She pretends to hate Young Master Jian, but ends up having a child with him and won't even acknowledge it, truly embarrassing!"

The negative responses from the people, accompanied by disdainful glances, made Regina feel uncomfortable.

Regina clenched her fists. "Damn it! What kind of situation is this? Shouldn't you be criticizing him for not acknowledging his child? Why am I the one being looked down upon here? I'm not crazy enough to sleep with my enemy!" Regina kept the image of a graceful woman in her mind. Even though she shouted the truth, would anyone believe her? As she struggled to keep from exploding, her rivals only added fuel to the fire, making Regina feel more intimidated.

Henry suddenly found himself in front of the distressed woman. "Looking at this child, he also resembles Miss Tan. I never thought you would trap me, taking advantage of me to have a child," Henry sneered, his gaze full of mockery.

"Who's the idiot who did such a stupid thing? Just looking at your face makes me sick. Even if you were the only man on earth, I wouldn't choose you!" Regina stared at him with hatred. "You better take care of your child. Don't take it out on him."

Regina pushed the child away from her and moved closer to Henry. She immediately stepped away.

Henry's fingers gripped the woman's arm tightly. "Trying to run away after causing a scene? You have to come with me!" Young Master Jian pulled Regina's hand and also instructed his assistant to take the child who claimed to be his son.

"Henry Miller Jian! Let me go! This has nothing to do with me. I don't even know where this child came from. Can't you investigate whether I ever slept with you or not?" Regina struggled to free herself from his grasp. His grip was so tight it felt like her arm would break any moment.

Henry said nothing, which infuriated Regina even more. The three of them sat in the back seat of the car. Kevin could feel the tense atmosphere. Suddenly, he reached out and held both of their hands. "Mom and Dad, are you going to leave me again? Why won't you acknowledge me? Did I do something wrong?" The boy started crying loudly.

Henry and Regina turned to the crying child. Henry held his ears with one hand. He glanced at Regina. "Hey, calm this kid down! I don't like noise!"

"You do it, I don't know how. You're the father of this child."

"You're a woman. Don't you have a motherly instinct to take care of a child?"

They argued. Regina felt annoyed; she finally tried to comfort the crying boy. "Quiet! Stop crying!" Regina said loudly, making the little boy cry even more.

Henry frowned. "Is that how you comfort a child? Even an idiot would do better than you."

"My mom always did it like this to me! If you think you're so smart, you do it, but you're even dumber than me," Regina said flatly, without expression.

"You!" Henry growled.

"Master and Miss, no need to quarrel! I'll do it." The assistant couldn't stand it anymore and offered to mediate.

"Do it quickly! If you fail, you'll know the consequences!" Henry threatened emphatically.

***

"He really stopped. Turns out his assistant is more reliable than the Master." Regina sneered again at Young Master Jian.

Henry smirked and retorted. "You're not even better than me, Miss Regina."

The argument between these two-Regina and Henry-was nothing new; they always argued even over trivial matters. His assistant looked at the two of them and then at the child who was eating ice cream with a messy face. "Is this child really the son of Mr. and Miss Young Tan?"

"Nonsense!" Both of them replied in unison.

"But, this child's face is a combination of both of you. Considering the age of the child, did you two ever date in high school?" the assistant asked.

Regina immediately denied without thinking, "Impossible. We were rivals; how could we have dated?"

Regina was even too busy competing with this man. It was impossible for her to be interested in a man whose mere presence irritated her.

Regina suddenly stood up. "Is everything settled? I have to go."

Once again, Henry stopped her, forcing her back into her seat. "Did I say you could leave? Our business is not finished yet!" Henry said firmly.

"What else do you want from me? If you want me to take care of this child, I refuse. You have a reliable assistant to handle the child; you both take care of him." Regina shouted loudly.

"Mom!" The little boy suddenly grabbed the edge of Regina's dress. Regina looked at him for a moment, his eyes brimming with tears.

Henry responded harshly. "Oh, so you want to shirk your responsibilities? The public already knows you're the one who gave birth to this child."

"Bastard! It's all because of your damned mouth accusing me!" For the first time, Regina couldn't hold back her cursing.

"You dare curse at me?" Henry's gaze was sharp.

"Enough!" The assistant of Henry Jian shouted loudly and suggested, "Master and Miss, why don't you live together and get married, then this matter will be settled."

"Married to this woman?" Henry turned to Regina with disdain. "I don't even lack a woman, why should I marry her?"

"Do you think I want to? Who's the cursed woman willing to be with a boring and cruel man like you?" Regina was just as adamant in her refusal.

Henry's assistant sighed. "You don't need to actually get married. There's a contract marriage with a time limit. Young Master Jian, you've had a good image lately, would you be willing to tarnish your reputation by neglecting this child and, Miss Tan, do you know what the public thinks?" The assistant explained the solution he proposed.

Regina and Henry fell silent and then looked at each other. It only took a few seconds before they both turned away again. The assistant sighed. "So, what's your decision?"

Regina strode into the vast grounds of the magnificent house, her expression a tumult of emotions. She turned around, but the car was already gone. "Was my decision the right one? I'll have to contact him again to reconsider."

Entering the house, Regina was immediately met with a piercing gaze and a slap landing on her cheek. The blow was so forceful it sent her tumbling to the ground. She held her reddening cheek.

"You disobedient child! All you ever do is cause trouble!" A middle-aged man glared at her with anger, while a glamorous woman beside him looked on with disdain.

"I've raised you to be a perfect, elegant woman who could serve as a role model in this town, but all you do is tarnish the family's reputation by having illegitimate children and getting pregnant at such a young age!"

"Papa, you've misunderstood. I don't have a child. That child is Henry Jian's--"

"Yes, that child is yours and Henry Jian's. How could you engage with the descendants of our rival family like that?"

"Daddy, I--" Regina's tongue was tied as she met his unwavering gaze. "I'm sorry," she said, her face downturned. It was a rule she couldn't break to admit the truth.

The glamorous woman finally spoke up provocatively, "Regina, you've caused a huge scandal. Husband, we must discipline our immature child."

"Fetch me the cane! I'll administer the appropriate punishment for this disobedient child!"

The servant hesitantly fetched it and began striking the woman's arms and back. Regina simply endured the undeserved punishment in silence. There were no cries of pain or tears. Her face remained flat, her eyes empty.

Mr. and Mrs. Tan showed no mercy towards their daughter. They didn't even notice the wide-open door. "What is this?"

The unfamiliar voice made the cruel parents turn. "You! What are you doing barging into someone's house? You'd better not meddle in our family affairs."

"I have to intervene in this matter because..." The tall, handsome man, none other than Henry, approached Regina. He lifted the beautiful woman and embraced her tightly. "Regina is my wife. Whoever disturbs her will have to deal with me!"

"I will also protect Mom." A young boy ran and stood in front of Regina.

"You?" Regina was bewildered by the situation. No one had ever stood by her side, but someone she considered a rival was defending her. Henry's embrace also felt comforting and warm.

"Wife? Mom? Did I just allow my daughter to become the Jian family? You two cannot marry. I will never approve!" Mr. Tan exclaimed loudly.

"Are you sure you won't approve even if I give you Land B in the city? You're eyeing that place, aren't you?"

Mr. Tan's sharp, red eyes instantly turned green. "You're sure about giving land in City B? Development there would benefit you."

"I have no regrets, as long as it's to get my wife."

"You seem to truly love my daughter. As a father, I want my daughter to marry a sincere man, and you deserve her!" Mr. Tan's demeanor changed immediately.

"Don't you hate our Jian family?" Henry questioned sharply.

"It's okay. Why should we hate the Jian family? Although our families have been competing, it's good for two strong families to unite."

"Husband, shouldn't we--" Mrs. Tan was about to speak, but Mr. Tan cut her off.

"There's nothing we can do. If Regina is happy with this man, we shouldn't stop her. Besides, they already have a child, we can't prevent it." Mr. Tan acted as if he were a good father. "So, when can I meet your family? We'll discuss the wedding ceremony. You must prepare luxurious dishes for my daughter and invite upper-class families."

"We'll handle it later. For now, Regina and I will just register our marriage with the civil registry."

"Don't do that, you young people must have a memorable party, you must consider this. Young Master Jian couldn't possibly lack money to hold a lavish wedding, right? Besides, have you not thought about public perception if two respected families only register their marriage without a grand party?"

Henry nodded, "You're right, Mr. Tan. As you said, this will be a memorable wedding for us, let me and Regina handle it, the elders shouldn't interfere!" Henry asserted firmly. His aura was so strong that Mr. Tan couldn't say a word.

Henry released his embrace and took Regina's hand instead. "Now, can I take Regina to live with me?"

Mr. Tan showed reluctance, but Henry quickly continued, "Don't you want that land to fall into your hands soon?"

Mr. Tan nodded in agreement, "Fine. Actually, I don't care much about the land, but it's okay if you live together and register the marriage. You also have a child, it's not good to separate."

Henry secretly grinned at how easily Mr. Tan was persuaded.

"But, let us talk with our daughter alone for a moment. It's difficult if we suddenly have to part."

Henry turned to Regina, who remained silent. The handsome young man from the upper-class family nodded.

The glamorous woman, with hair color similar to Regina's, pulled her daughter's arm forcefully.

Kevin, seeing Regina being taken away, showed a worried face. His small hand reached for Henry's hand. "Dad, quickly stop them from taking Mom away!"

"Why are you so worried? They wouldn't dare to hurt her."

"Who can guarantee that? Dad, you've seen for yourself what they did earlier. Are they really just talking? Ah, I know Dad is insensitive, but I can see the fear in Mom's eyes. Do something quickly," Kevin urged Henry.

Henry called Mr. and Mrs. Tan, who weren't too far away. "Wait, you can talk in front of me. I don't have much time to wait if you take too long."

"Young Master Jian, this is a family conversation. We only need 5 minutes," Mrs. Tan pleaded.

"Just speak now!"

"I just wanted to hug my daughter," Mrs. Tan said, immediately embracing Regina. She posed to cover her whispering to Regina. Regina's expression remained flat, but her eyes betrayed a hidden anxiety. Henry noticed something and acted immediately.

"Henry Jian!" Regina suddenly shouted upon seeing what Henry was doing in front of her.