Chapter 921 Jake Should Be Fine
"Maybe we shouldn't go in. Who cares about him anyway? Why do you need to see him?" Benjamin asked, puzzled.
Mia hesitated, clutching her small hands. "I just... I miss him!"
She couldn't admit she had an important mission.
Little Mia stumbled along the path, heading inside on her own.
Ray, with one hand in his pocket, lit a cigarette, squinting as he did.
Benjamin chimed in, "I always feel like she's up to something."
"Up to something? She's just a kid. What are you talking about?" Ray retorted, eyebrows furrowed. He liked Mia a lot. At his age, he inexplicably wanted a child of his own.
Benjamin looked innocent. "She kept pulling my hair in the car and seemed distracted when I talked to her. She kept asking if my head hurt."
Ray frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I don't know! I noticed Sidney, Oscar, and Mia all have a bit of a mischievous streak. Remember how Sidney and Oscar used to pull off those stunts to help Lawrence and Winnie get closer? Maybe Mia has something on her mind too..."
Ray laughed. "Wouldn't that be a good thing?"
He was tired of Jeremy and Olivia's drama. If Olivia ended up marrying Sam, it would be a disaster.
No one wanted that.
Mia nervously entered the house. The spacious, bright hall was empty and silent.
From the side room, she could hear the sound of the maids cleaning.
A faint, fresh scent lingered in the air, as if the place had just been cleaned. Mia took a few steps and then stopped, clutching her hands, suddenly too scared to call out for Jeremy.
Her big eyes searched for Jeremy's figure, confused.
The bathroom door opened.
A maid in the side room saw Jeremy come out, dressed in a fresh shirt and pants, buttoning up.
They wisely stepped back. "Mr. DeRoss, the little girl is in the living room."
Jeremy's gaze shifted from his diamond cufflinks, his long eyelashes still wet from the shower, giving his narrow eyes a misty, slightly dazed look. But in reality, his gaze was sharp.
He glanced over and saw the small figure of Mia's in the living room.
She was adorable, inheriting Olivia's round face, big, innocent eyes, and sweet mouth, which often brought him joy.
Jeremy looked at her, as if seeing a miniature version of Olivia, and felt a complex mix of emotions.
"Jeremy! Jeremy..." Mia saw him and wanted to call him 'Daddy,' but fear made her change her mind at the last second.
She could tell Jeremy's gaze was cold and indifferent. She didn't want to annoy him.
"Jeremy..." she called again, clutching her clothes, standing still.
Her cautious demeanor made Jeremy's chest tighten, and his cold heart suddenly softened.
His tall shadow loomed over Mia, who instinctively took a step back. He put one hand in his pocket and said in a hoarse voice, "Don't be afraid. Come here."
"Daddy!" Mia's lips quivered, and she started to cry.
Her clear, loud call of 'Daddy' made Jeremy's head throb and his heart ache. He used to think it wasn't an insult, back when he and Olivia still had a chance.
But now, knowing what kind of woman Olivia was, he felt the title 'Daddy' was an insult.
He hesitated to ask her to change it, but seeing her teary eyes, he couldn't bring himself to do it. "Are you hungry?"
Mia shook her head. "Daddy, are you still mad at me?"
"I'm not mad at you." He walked over.
Mia immediately clung to his pant leg, hugging it carefully. "I'm glad you're not mad at me. I thought you hated me because you haven't visited me in a long time. I know... I know you and Mommy had a fight. Maybe you broke up. But Mommy didn't mean it! Please don't be mad. Mommy is really upset. She's been sick a lot lately, and now Grandpa is in trouble. She's even more exhausted. Please don't be mad at Mommy, okay, Daddy?"
Her soft, earnest explanation was hard to follow, but she tried, clutching his pants.
Jeremy looked down at her, still a bit dazed.
He thought, 'Why is such a sweet Mia Sam's daughter?' How did he deserve such a thoughtful child? Why couldn't she be his daughter?
Disappointment, overwhelming disappointment.
Maybe life is just more disappointment than joy. The woman he wanted, the child he wanted—neither was his. Instead, they belonged to the man he despised the most.
"Don't worry about us. I have no feelings for her anymore." Jeremy's lips curled slightly. Mia could tell it wasn't a relaxed smile; it was more of a cold smirk.
Her eyes drooped again, feeling sad. Daddy was still mad at Mommy, refusing to forgive her.
What should she do? She felt anxious. "Mommy is really upset, Daddy. Someone is hurting her, hurting our family!"
"Don't worry about that."
Jeremy hesitated, then reached out to touch her soft curls, which were so similar to Olivia's.
His mood was somber. "Your grandpa should be fine."
"Really?" Mia clutched his big hand, her eyes brightening.
For that glimmer of hope, he responded, "Probably."
"I believe you, Daddy. You're strong. What you say is true!" Mia said earnestly, squeezing his hand.
Her trust moved him slightly.
Why couldn't Olivia be like her daughter, trusting him completely and treating him wholeheartedly? Why did she choose to marry Sam, that worthless man, instead of him?
Jeremy's heart flashed with a cold smile. He snapped back to reality, his gaze indifferent. "Why did you come to see me, kid?"
"You don't call me Mia anymore. You say you're not mad, but you don't want to be close to me, do you?" Mia pouted, on the verge of tears.
She felt that although Jeremy was still kind to her, there was a distance between them.
Mia didn't want that feeling. She took advantage of Jeremy's crouched position, climbing onto his knee, looking at him seriously. "No matter what happens between you and Mommy, Daddy, you'll always be my daddy, my only daddy! From the first time I saw you, I knew you were my daddy!"
Jeremy was stunned, his heart pounding.
But the truth was...
"You feel close to me because you're actually my niece."
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