Chapter 1523 Michael's Jealousy
In the Presidential Palace, Michael had just taken Maeve from the nanny, and she started bawling right away.
Michael got all flustered. This morning, Maeve cried the second he picked her up. He kept telling her he was her dad, but Maeve just didn't get it.
To Maeve, Michael smelled weird. She didn't like being held by strangers. Even though Michael had been playing with her since she woke up from her nap and she was getting a bit used to him, she still didn't want him to hold her.
"Maeve, I'm your daddy. Don't you recognize me?" Michael said, feeling crushed. "When you were born, you loved being held by me. I put you to sleep every night."
Maeve didn't respond and kept crying, her big eyes looking towards the nanny.
The nanny sighed deeply.
Magnolia, feeling bad for Maeve, couldn't help but throw some shade. "Maeve's memory isn't great, especially since she's just a few months old. If you don't show up for a week, she won't remember you. Plus, you haven't paid attention to Maeve for over a month."
Carl stayed quiet, his face cold, thinking Michael had it coming.
Michael's face turned red with embarrassment. "I didn't do it on purpose. I've been busy with work, and Megan..."
"Yeah, you're busy with work, busy taking care of Megan, busy planning her wedding, but you don't have any time for your daughter," Carl snapped, "Even though Maeve is too young to know who cares for her more, your own daughter means less to you than anything else."
Michael opened his mouth slowly, but when he saw Maeve crying pitifully in his arms, a deep sense of guilt welled up in his heart.
Suddenly, Derek's teasing voice came from the doorway. "Why is Maeve crying so hard?"
Michael looked up, annoyed, and saw Derek and Laura walking in side by side. Laura was wearing a mask, a scarf around her neck, and holding a hot drink. The two of them, both young and attractive, looked like a couple.
That was how it appeared to Michael.
Jealousy flared up in Michael's chest.
Laura didn't even glance at Michael. Her attention was entirely on the crying Maeve, as she felt anxious but dreaded that Maeve would catch her flu if she held her.
"Maeve, my sweet baby, why are you crying?" Derek quickly reached out to hold her.
Michael dodged with Maeve in his arms.
But Maeve, seeing Derek, kept reaching out her little hands for him to hold her. When Michael spinned her out of his reach, she cried even harder.
Michael felt a twinge of frustration and anger.
Why? Maeve was his biological daughter, yet she preferred Derek over him.
"Michael, can't you see Maeve is crying? Babies shouldn't cry for too long; it will hurt their throats," Derek said seriously, extending his arms. "Give Maeve to me. I don't want to fight over her and risk hurting her."
"Maeve is my daughter. I can calm her down myself," Michael snorted.
Laura felt a surge of anger seeing Michael's smug face, but she kept her cool. Carl, on the other hand, couldn't hold back. "If you could calm her down, Maeve wouldn't still be crying. If you really cared about her, you wouldn't have neglected your wife and Maeve to fool around with Megan. Maeve's crying hurts us, even if it doesn't hurt you."
Michael's face twisted with anger.
Derek seized the moment to take Maeve from Michael's arms.
As soon as Maeve was in Derek's arms, she stopped crying, pouting like she'd been through a lot.
"Maeve, sweet baby, don't cry," Derek said, wiping her little tears. "I'll play with you later, okay?"
Derek made funny faces, and soon enough, Maeve started giggling.
Michael watched, seething with jealousy. He hated Derek. It was Derek who convinced the Jude family to agree to Michael and Laura's divorce. Derek was after Laura, and now even Maeve's attention was being stolen by him.
All of this should have been Michael's. He wanted to smash everything around him.
But he knew this was the Presidential Palace, and Derek was Carl's son. This wasn't a place where Michael could throw a fit.
Michael clenched his fists, trying to keep his anger in check.
His phone rang. Michael saw it was Megan.
He knew why she was calling without even answering. But Megan had been overthinking lately, so he stepped aside to take the call. "Didn't I tell you I am busy tonight and won't be home for dinner?"
"Are you with Laura?" Megan's crying voice came through. "You didn't come home for lunch, and now you won't be home for dinner. Do you despise me now? Do you think I want this? I hate my current situation more than anyone."
Hearing her yelling, Michael felt a wave of frustration.
Ever since they ran into Laura at the restaurant, Megan's words had become increasingly harsh. If Michael didn't reply to her Facebook messages in time or answer her calls, she always suspected he was with Laura.
It was always the same argument.
Michael didn't blame Megan. Anyone in her situation would have a change in mindset.
But after a while, the endless suspicion and complaints wore him out. Especially now, with so many issues at his company and Maeve preferring Derek over him.
Michael felt like he was living in constant pain.
This was the most painful period of his life.
If he could, he would go back to the time before he hid Megan.
But there was no way to turn back time.
Michael could only lower his voice and say, "No. I just came to the Presidential Palace to see Maeve. I'll come back after dinner."
"All you think about is Maeve. Have you forgotten we once had a child too?" Megan queried.
Maeve's situation stung Megan again. "If it weren't for Laura, I wouldn't have lost my child. Nor would I be unable to have children now. What's the point of living? I might as well be dead."
"Don't say that, okay?" Michael said wearily.
"If I die, you and Laura can be a happy family of three," Megan cried and then hung up.
Michael, looking dejected, had no choice but to return to the table. "I gotta go. I'll come back to see Maeve another day."
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