Chapter 74 Dad, do you still love Mom?
Juniper had also said they would be together forever, that she would always love him. But eventually, "forever" seemed like a burst of splendid fireworks, beautiful and then gone in an instant.
Magnus looked at Jennifer's youthful, innocent face and confessed, "I haven't thought that far, but at least for now, I can't bring myself to forgive."
Jennifer's eyes were rimmed with red as she said with a puffy face, "But I think Mom is also very sad. She had to choose between Grandma and you, and she chose Grandma. Even though she hurt you, making that choice must have been very hard for her."
Surprisingly, Jennifer understood the agony of decision-making at such a young age.
Indeed, making a choice is right and wrong all at once.
Back in the day, even if Juniper hadn't stepped forward to point the finger at him, Alexander would've used his position as the Governor of X City to put him away.
But he wasn't a saint. He was obsessive and abhorred by betrayal.
If the person who had pointed the finger at him back then hadn't been Juniper...
He ruffled Jennifer's hair. "Regardless of what's between me and your mom, you're my daughter. I promise your mom's love for you won't outshine mine."
"Dad, I'm sorry."
The man's eyes flashed with surprise. "Why are you apologizing to me?"
"I called you a big meanie earlier."
Magnus's lips curled slightly: "So, does this mean you're willing to speak to me now?"
"Mmhmm! I guess I have to!"
Because she had been crying, her little voice was nasally and carried a hint of reluctant pride.
That pridefulness seemed to come from him.
Looking at her face, bearing a resemblance to Juniper, a wave of compassion swept over him.
"How have you and your mom been doing these past six years?"
Jennifer first nodded, then shook her head.
"Is it good or bad?" Magnus's eyes showed a touch of inquiry.
"Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. It depends on the situation," she replied.
Listening to the child's mature tone, Magnus patiently asked, "Where is it good, and where is it bad?"
"Dad, do you really want to know? You still love Mom, right?" Jennifer's deep black eyes innocently stared at him as if seeking an affirmative answer.
Magnus was silent for a few seconds.
"I don't love her anymore," he said evenly, his voice betraying no hint of emotion.
Jennifer's little mouth pouted a hint of dejection in her demeanor.
Did this mean that her father truly couldn't be with her mother anymore?
"Being with Mom makes me happy. I love Mom, and she loves me. She calls me her little treasure and says she would give up everything for me. But, to provide for me and Grandma, she works very hard to earn money. When she's working, she can't be with me. I really miss her when I'm alone at home."
"Is there more?" Magnus asked.
"Yeah, we rent our house. Once, the landlady kicked us out. We stood on the street in the middle of the night, thinking we would have to sleep on the sidewalk! Thank goodness my godmother helped us."
A pang of guilt pricked the softest spot in Magnus's heart. "Do you guys move often?"
Jennifer nodded, counting on her fingers. "Yeah, in my memory, we've moved three—no, four times! Mom said she can't afford to keep me. Dad, if I stay with you, can it help lighten Mom's load?"
Her mature insight swelled the ache in Magnus's chest.
"Yes, living here with me... your mom will have a much easier time."
Jennifer's small shoulders slumped with sadness. "Even though you're great, Dad, I still miss Mom. When will she come to visit me?"
"In about half a month," he replied.
"Ah? That long?"
Letting Juniper see her daughter only every couple of weeks was also a way to reduce his and her interactions.
But because of Jennifer, they were inevitably connected.
Watching Jennifer's downcast appearance, Magnus felt a sinking in his heart.
Finally, he relented, "If you really want to see her, I'll have Joseph take you. But we can't do it too often."
"Dad, you're the best! I love you!" Jennifer suddenly moved close to his face and gave him a kiss.
Magnus froze for a moment.
He watched the small child grinning happily, and his own lips curved slightly without him even realizing it.
Family ties were truly mysterious.
The first time he saw Jennifer, even without knowing her backstory, there was an inexplicable sense of closeness.
Suddenly, in this world, he had gained a relative.
The once icy solitude of the city seemed to crack just enough to allow a rare warmth to seep through its walls.
The next day, Magnus had Joseph look for a nanny and a chef. Jennifer had moved into Royal View, and her daily life required care that he couldn't provide for himself. Joseph, knowing reliable people, quickly found suitable candidates for both positions.
No sooner had the nanny and chef arrived at Royal View than Magnus's phone rang.
The caller ID showed Robert.
"Hello?"
"Get down to Lifespan Bar, now."
"A bar in broad daylight?"
Robert responded with a biting laugh, "I'm tied up right now. Two drunks collapsed right next to me. I can only handle one. The other is your problem to deal with!"
"Two drunks?"
"Yeah, one's my wife, the other's your ex! Damn it, Juniper's drinking is even heavier than Ophelia's. Did you provoke her?"
Hearing that it was Juniper, Magnus's brow furrowed, "Her issues have nothing to do with me."
"Alright then, since you've made your stance clear, I'm not going to be polite about this. I have no dealings with Juniper. I'll only take care of Ophelia. As for Juniper, I'll just leave her to her own devices!"
Robert, a man of his word, hung up after that.
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