Chapter 526 Low Family Status
Caleb was trying to keep it cool, but the second he heard "my son," he lost it. 'She wants to act like I had nothing to do with our kid? Yeah, right.'
His mood was all over the place because of her; one minute he was chill, the next he was fuming.
"I'm picking up my own kid, got a problem with that?" He had already cleared it with Mr. Wilson, but Susan was acting like he was some kind of criminal.
"You didn't ask me!" Susan snapped.
"Susan, even if we were divorced, I'd still have rights. And guess what? We're not divorced. I can see my son whenever I want. In fact, I'm taking him to his grandparents' for a bit," Caleb shot back, just to rile her up.
Oliver was watching the whole thing, shaking his head. 'Dad's got zero emotional intelligence. This is gonna blow up, and he's gonna get the worst of it.'
"I don't agree. You know I can't stand your family," Susan said flatly.
Caleb's face twisted. "They're my family." And they would be hers too, eventually.
She needed to get used to them, just like he had with her family.
Caleb felt the anger bubbling up again.
Susan shot back, "I didn't say they weren't, but they have nothing to do with me."
Caleb countered, "They will, unless you plan on cutting me out."
Susan wasn't having it. "I'm not going in circles with you. Bring my son back."
"Susan, say 'my son' one more time, and you'll never see him again."
"Do you dare?" Susan yelled.
"Try me."
There was a pause, then Susan sighed, "Caleb, you're impossible."
"It's you who doesn't think about my feelings. Susan, I don't want to fight, but can you at least respect me sometimes?"
"That depends on if you do anything worth respecting." Another dig.
"I'm trying to be a good dad," Caleb said.
"A good dad isn't like you. You're just a..."
"A what?" Caleb challenged.
"A spoiled brat."
Caleb closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "I don't want to argue."
"Neither do I. Where are you?" Susan asked.
"Mommy, we're at McDonald's!" Oliver shouted.
Caleb felt a bit defeated. 'Is this really my kid?'
"Caleb!" Susan was even angrier. "Which McDonald's? I'm coming over."
"No need, I got this," Caleb refused.
"You..."
"Mommy, we're on Maple Lane!"
"I'll be there soon." Susan added before hanging up, "Stay put, or you'll never see Oliver again."
Caleb's frown could crush a fly.
The only person who dared to threaten him was Susan.
'I'm Caleb, head of the Eilish Group, with hundreds of thousands of employees. How could I be threatened by a woman? What a joke.' Caleb thought but didn't move.
"Daddy, Mommy said stay put, no running."
Caleb snapped, "Just because she said so? Threaten me? You think I'm scared?"
Oliver nodded without a second thought, "Yes."
Caleb felt humiliated. He didn't want to be seen as a pushover in front of Oliver. It was just too embarrassing.
He should be the head honcho at home.
Oliver took a sip of his orange juice and asked, "Daddy, aren't you scared?"
"I..."
"No fibbing," Oliver added.
Caleb gritted his teeth. "It's called respect! I'm a grown man, and I don't argue with women."
"Oh, so you're scared." The 6-foot-tall Caleb being scared of Susan was kinda cute. Susan's vibe was just too strong, so powerful and bossy! Oliver silently cheered for Susan.
"Do you want a spanking?" Caleb asked.
"Daddy, if you spank me, I'll tell Mommy. Then you'll be in even more trouble, and you'll get punished big time."
'Damn it! I can't touch Susan, and now even Oliver's not scared of me, daring to threaten me.' Caleb felt so frustrated! 'How could I have no dignity? Will my status in the family be the lowest after getting married?'
He couldn't help but feel a sense of sorrow.
But even so, he still hoped to start a family ASAP, and he hoped for it a lot.
Thinking about it, Caleb felt a bit pathetic.
He could only comfort himself, but a man had to adapt to different situations, so being a little pathetic wasn't a big deal.
Family status wasn't important; what was important was family. At worst, he could take out his frustrations on his employees.
Twenty minutes later, Susan arrived, her face slightly green.
"Mommy!" Oliver opened his arms and happily ran into Susan's embrace.
"Oliver." Susan restrained her temper with her son, but her gaze at Caleb was unkind, filled with resentment and blame. "Caleb, you did this on purpose, didn't you?"
Caleb found himself somewhat afraid of her gaze. Even though he was much taller than Susan, why did he feel a bit... weak?
But as a man with self-respect, Caleb naturally wouldn't show it.
"What?"
Susan said, "You know I oppose Oliver eating this kind of fast food, but you deliberately brought him here."
That was indeed the case, but Caleb wouldn't and also couldn't admit it, "You're exaggerating, how many kids don't like eating this?"
Susan retorted, "Just because he likes it doesn't mean you should indulge him."
Caleb had no choice but to shift the blame to his son. "He insisted on eating it."
"I did not, I'm very well-behaved. Mommy, it was Caleb who insisted on bringing me here, please believe me." Oliver looked at Susan with pure, innocent eyes.
Susan said, "Of course Mommy believes you. Caleb, pushing the blame onto a three-year-old, aren't you ashamed?"
"I..." Caleb's face really turned red. This was definitely the most embarrassing thing he had ever done in his life.
Oliver added, "Mommy, I was very good, and I only ate a little bit."
Seeing that there was still a lot left in the kids' meal, Susan felt a bit more at ease. The little one was more sensible than the big one.
"Good boy." Susan held Oliver's hand and walked out of McDonald's, "Get in the car first."
"Okay." Oliver obediently climbed into the child seat in the back.
Caleb looked puzzled. 'What's going on? Is she planning to settle accounts?'
"Caleb, I'm very disappointed in you." Susan looked at him coldly.
Caleb felt a pang of anxiety. This Susan made him more uneasy than when they argued.
"I..."
"No matter how big the issues are between us, you shouldn't involve Oliver, deliberately taking him away to make me worry." She had left a pile of work to rush over, which disrupted her rhythm. She was someone who took her work seriously. But when it came to Oliver, she was even more sensitive.
"I had Mr. Wilson's approval." Caleb explained.
"But your intention was to make me worry, you can't deny that."
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