Chapter 367 Custody
Michael took the paper from her. "What's this?"
He glanced at the contents quickly under the light.
Elizabeth watched him. "It's about the baby. You need to give up custody and you can't change your mind later."
Michael didn't bother reading it thoroughly. He reached out his hand. "Fine, give me the pen."
Elizabeth was taken aback by how quickly he agreed. She hesitated for a moment.
Michael urged her softly, "Elizabeth, the pen."
Elizabeth looked down, fished a pen out of the drawer, and handed it to him. "Aren't you going to read it?"
Michael took the pen and, under the light from the wall lamp, quickly signed his name. He handed the paper and pen back to her.
Elizabeth looked at him in disbelief, then at his signature, and put the paper back in the drawer.
Michael gently hugged her from behind. "I've agreed to your terms. Can you forgive me now?"
Elizabeth responded nonchalantly, "Sure."
Michael turned her around. "Is that all I get?"
He suddenly remembered all the things he had done to her before and quickly corrected himself.
"My fault, my fault. Elizabeth, from now on, I promise I won't let you get hurt again."
Elizabeth tilted her head slightly. "Michael, can I trust you?"
Michael's eyes were serious. "Elizabeth, I'll try my best. I used to trust no one. But for you, I'm willing to change. I'll try to build good relationships with people. I'll try to be a good dad and love our child."
"I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I never knew what a normal dad was like. But I know a normal dad wouldn't be like mine. He was a monster..."
Elizabeth had never heard Michael talk about his father in detail. She didn't know what kind of person his father was.
Could it be that because he had a monstrous father, he was afraid of having children?
Did Michael suffer abuse from his father when he was a child? Or was it frequent?
Was he worried he would follow in his father's footsteps? Afraid he would become a monster in his child's eyes?
Was that why he insisted on not having children?
It wasn't because he didn't like kids?
Had she misunderstood him all this time?
Elizabeth was about to feel guilty but then thought, even if she misunderstood him, so what?
He's a grown man, couldn't he explain himself? Why didn't he say anything?
So, it was still his fault. He should have made things clear.
Elizabeth's tone softened. "You won't have to do it alone. We can raise the child together."
Michael's eyes filled with a sudden tenderness. He said softly, "If I do anything wrong, you have to tell me right away. I'll change."
Elizabeth couldn't help but start imagining them raising the child together.
When she had Pearl and Nolan, she was in Valoria, and Nancy was there to help her.
Now, Nancy was gone. If she were still here, she would definitely help her with everything.
Michael gently brushed her face, surprised and pained. "Elizabeth, why are you crying?"
Elizabeth wiped her face. "It's nothing."
Michael pulled her to sit down. "Have you thought of a name for the baby?"
Elizabeth said softly, "Yeah. If it's a boy, I want to name him Francis Jones."
Michael didn't say anything.
Elizabeth looked at him. "What's wrong? Do you object?"
Michael quickly shook his head. "No, it's a nice name. You must have thought about it for a long time."
Elizabeth looked down. "I thought you would object to the baby having my last name."
Michael held her hand and gently rubbed it. "I don't think there's anything special about my last name."
Elizabeth looked up. Even though he didn't object, she felt the need to explain.
"Pearl and Nolan both have the last name Jones. If the baby doesn't, won't the baby feel left out?"
Michael nodded. "I get it. You've thought it through. I don't object. I hate my father so much, and that includes the last name he gave me."
Elizabeth didn't know what to say.
Michael gently stroked her hair, his voice soft and persuasive. "Elizabeth, I want to stay tonight."
Elizabeth looked up quickly, seeing his face so close. His eyes were filled with desire.
She stood up, her face already red. "Michael, don't even think about it. I'm so big now, I don't want to risk it. It could hurt me and the baby."
Michael controlled his emotions. "I know, I won't touch you. I'll just sleep on the couch outside. I just want to be closer to you. It's been so long since we talked, you don't know how much it hurt."
Elizabeth felt it was hard to refuse. After all, he had given up custody and the last name.
She stood up and pulled him towards the door.
"Sarah and the others are still downstairs. We've been up here long enough. They'll start wondering. Let's go down. I bet you haven't eaten yet. Let's get you some food."
Michael's gaze fell on her hand holding his. He smiled slightly and followed her downstairs.
Downstairs, Sarah saw them coming and called out, "Elizabeth, come here. We saved some barbecue for you. Walter said you love it, so we saved it for you."
Elizabeth smiled and took the barbecue from Sarah. "You guys should eat too. I can't eat that much."
Dean laughed. "We just thought the little one might like it too!"
David greeted Michael. "Michael."
Michael patted his shoulder. "Have fun. This is Elizabeth's place, no need to be formal."
David, probably having been briefed by Sarah, pulled Michael aside to chat.
Sarah pulled Elizabeth aside to talk.
"Elizabeth, you forgave him so quickly? Just like that, all the hurt he caused is forgotten?"
Elizabeth ate the barbecue, her mouth full. "What else can I do? Sarah, I don't expect any unrealistic love from him anymore."
"But I am carrying his child. This child will be our bond. No one can deny that we'll raise the child together. That's our relationship, nothing more."
Sarah didn't believe it. "Nothing more. I remember you saying 'nothing more' before, and then you ended up having his child! What's next? Are you going to remarry him?"
Elizabeth thought for a moment. "It's not impossible, if he doesn't refuse."
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