Chapter 1492 Your Husband Did a Great Job
"Alright, I messed up. Shouldn't have joked like that." Derek squatted next to Laura, eyes on Maeve but talking to Laura, "You might be a bit clumsy in life, but you're super smart at work. Look at all the stuff you've created. I couldn't do that. When I was a kid, I looked up to people like you."
Laura blushed, her lips curling up before she quickly pressed them down. "I'm not really a researcher, just someone who messes around with cosmetics."
"What's wrong with cosmetics? They make people look good. Without folks like you, we'd all look a lot rougher. You make the world prettier."
Derek suddenly turned and winked at her playfully.
Laura instinctively raised her hand and lightly tapped his shoulder. "You're exaggerating."
"I'm not. I respect every job." Derek glanced at his watch. "I gotta go help my dad meet a guest in the front yard. I'll be back later when Maeve needs to sleep. Oh, and I set up a photo shoot for Maeve on Saturday."
Laura was surprised. "If you're busy..."
"It's cool." Derek smiled and left.
Laura turned to look at Maeve. Maeve was almost a hundred days old.
Not only had Laura thought of this, but the Jude family had too.
The next day, when Caroline came to visit, she brought it up, "Your grandpa asked, should we throw a proper party for Maeve?"
Laura immediately shook her head. "No need. Michael and I are divorced. Throwing a party for Maeve now would seem pretty ironic to the guests. It's unnecessary."
Caroline sighed. "You have a point. Let's just have a meal with a few relatives at Whispering Pines Manor. Your grandpa hasn't seen Maeve in a while and misses her. Don't worry, we haven't told Michael to avoid any drama."
"Actually, it's not that Michael can't see Maeve," Laura interrupted. "Legally, Michael is still Maeve's dad. I can't stop him from seeing her. But I don't want him taking her out alone. It's not that I don't want them to reunite; I'm just scared he'll take her to see Megan. I don't trust him anymore."
Caroline nodded. "Laura, you're a reasonable girl. It's a shame. If Michael doesn't appreciate you, there's nothing I can do. I get your concerns."
Ever since she had found out Michael got Megan pregnant, Caroline had also lost trust in him.
Plus, the recent drama among Caroline's three kids had worn her out. Caroline and James finally decided their kids were grown, and they didn't want to deal with their issues anymore.
The more they got involved, the worse it got.
Michael could marry whoever he wanted.
But they would never let Michael bring Megan into Whispering Pines Manor.
"By the way, should we take some artistic photos of Maeve?"
"Maeve already had her photos taken yesterday," Laura lied.
If Caroline knew about the photo shoot coming up, she'd definitely want to tag along. But with her back issues, Laura didn't want to burden her.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Caroline complained.
"I thought your back wasn't well, so I didn't call you," Laura replied.
Caroline sighed, still regretting Laura and Michael's divorce. "But my back's been fine lately. It's just my head that hurts from all the stress and worries."
Laura thought, if she had a son like Michael, she'd have more than just headaches—probably high blood pressure and a stroke too.
On Saturday, Derek had the day off.
At nine in the morning, the driver took them to a children's photography studio in Whisperlyn City.
Laura hadn't checked out the studio beforehand, but she trusted Derek to handle it.
When they arrived, she saw the studio was in a villa near Seaside Avenue. The place was fancy, with all kinds of styles for children's photos. The kids' clothes were stylish and brand new.
"This place must be pricey. How much is it? I'll pay you back," Laura said to Derek while the staff went to get water.
Derek smiled. "No need. Didn't you tell Caroline that Maeve had her photos taken? Caroline asked me privately how much it cost, and I gave her a number. She transferred the money to me."
Laura was speechless for a moment and rubbed her forehead. "You didn't have to take it. You could have just told me."
"Don't be silly. You got divorced, and Michael didn't give you a dime. What's wrong with their family paying for Maeve's photos?"
Derek suddenly got serious. "To make the elders of the Jude Family happy, you even agreed to celebrate Maeve's hundredth day at Whispering Pines Manor. They are my relatives, and they've always treated me well. I can't say much, but you need to understand that if it weren't for Julia and me helping you, Michael would definitely have a chance to become the heir of the Jude Group."
Laura mumbled, "That's exactly why I don't want their money."
"Okay, I won't do it next time," Derek nodded.
Laura was stunned. "You're not persuading me anymore? Didn't you just call me silly?"
"Maybe it's because you're so silly that I keep protecting you," Derek smiled at her.
Laura's nose suddenly felt a bit tingly.
She didn't know why, but she knew Derek genuinely cared for her. "Derek, you're so good to me. I'll be good to you too. I'll be good to your wife and your kids."
Derek fell silent.
The photo shoot didn't go smoothly.
Thea initially wanted to help, but Maeve, who was cooperative at first, became impatient after less than half an hour. She ignored the guide and kept crying. Thea couldn't handle it, and neither could the guide. Eventually, Derek stepped in and his interaction with Maeve finally put a hearty smile on Maeve's face.
Laura, sitting in her wheelchair, found taking photos with a child exhausting, but Derek didn't seem to mind. Every time Maeve was about to cry, he would carry her around the room and feed her milk.
The guide poured Laura a cup of hot coffee and smiled. "Your husband is doing a great job. I haven't had a chance to step in at all."
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