Chapter 1622 Do You Want to Be My Child's Father?
Michael was so devastated that he wished he could disappear on the spot.
His pale, thin lips trembled slightly, but he was powerless to refute.
"Laura, no matter what, I am Maeve's biological father. Think about Maeve; it's always better for a child to live with their biological parents."
He had thought about it for a long time; this seemed to be his only advantage.
What he didn't know was that saying these words made Laura even more disgusted. She didn't want to say a word to him, yet he always lingered around.
"Michael, don't you think it's a bit too late to say these things now?"
Suddenly, Derek's voice came from the doorway.
Derek walked in after changing his shoes. The two of them had been talking and hadn't noticed his arrival.
Derek, dressed in a black suit paired with a silk tie, exuded an aura of meticulous professionalism and nobility.
Derek naturally walked over to Laura's side. "Did you think about Maeve when you betrayed your marriage? You even wanted to take custody of Maeve and hand her over to Megan to care for."
Derek's words instantly brought back Laura's darkest memories.
Her previously calm eyes immediately filled with disgust.
If it weren't for Derek's help, with Megan's tendency to abuse animals, she would surely have abused Maeve as well.
Michael immediately realized this and couldn't help but tremble. "I didn't know back then."
"Of course, you didn't know back then."
Derek interrupted him unceremoniously. "But the world doesn't work in a way where you can undo the past just because you regret it. Some mistakes can't be fixed. You're in your thirties; can you grow up a bit? You always do whatever you want. Any other woman wouldn't let you near the child after what you've done. Laura hasn't taken away your right as a father, so don't use that as an excuse to harass her."
Laura instinctively nodded. She felt that Derek had spoken her mind.
Michael felt as if he had been slapped, especially seeing his ex-wife standing with his cousin. It drove him crazy. "Derek, this is between Laura and me."
"He said what I wanted to say." Laura thought for a moment and said, "You staying here all day isn't good; it will affect my future relationships. How about this: since Megan is already in jail, if you want to see Maeve, you can take her to Whispering Pines Manor and bring her back in the afternoon. Maeve is still young, and I don't recommend taking her to chaotic places. Kids have weak immune systems and get sick easily."
Michael couldn't hold back anymore. "Maeve is still so young, and you're already eager to date, Laura? Can't you stand being alone?"
"Maeve wasn't even a hundred days old when you couldn't wait to get married again," Laura said, exasperated. "So what if I can't stand being alone? Who says women can't date after divorce? What does it have to do with you?"
"You—" Michael's throat tightened, and he could only glare at her, his eyes turning red.
"In any case, please stop harassing me. It's really annoying. It feels like someone is forcing you to eat someone else's garbage. Do you understand?" Laura walked away without looking back.
Derek followed her.
The two of them took Maeve to the front yard for breakfast.
Maeve was in Derek's arms, her big, bright eyes looking around curiously.
Michael brazenly followed behind them. "Maeve, would you like to go to Grandma's house with Daddy?"
Maeve turned her head away and hugged Derek's neck, acting as if she considered Derek her real father.
Michael was jealous. "Derek, give me my daughter. I want to take her to Whispering Pines Manor. Laura just agreed."
"You can take her after I go to work," Derek said seriously. "Maeve doesn't want to leave me right now. If I force her to go with you, she'll cry. She's not a little baby who doesn't understand anything anymore. She has her own thoughts. Do you understand?"
"That's exactly why I want to spend more time with her to build a bond," Michael said impatiently. "Derek, do you want to be my child's father? I'm telling you, that's wishful thinking."
Laura's face changed slightly. She quickly looked at Derek, who remained as calm as ever, his expression unchanged, seemingly not wanting to engage with Michael.
She relaxed. This seemed to be the best way to handle it.
"Derek, don't you have the courage to admit it?" Michael sneered. "If you like kids, why don't you find a woman and have your own? What's the deal with holding someone else's child?"
Carl and Violet, who were walking in the garden, heard this and both frowned.
Especially Violet, who was particularly displeased. "Our Derek has done more for Maeve than you ever have. What right do you have to criticize here?"
The sudden authoritative voice startled all three of them.
Especially Michael, who looked at Violet and Carl's stern faces and instinctively felt a sense of respect and fear.
Since they became President and First Lady, their authority had only grown, while his own situation had worsened. He was now too embarrassed to look them in the eye.
"Violet, that's not what I meant," Michael explained in a low voice.
Carl asked coldly, "Didn't your dad say he was sending you abroad?"
"I don't want to go abroad," Michael said, lowering his head. "I can't bear to leave Maeve."
Violet sneered, "You didn't seem to care about Maeve before, but now you can't bear to leave her?"
"Go ahead and scold me. I already know I was wrong," Michael said. "I'll stay here and take good care of Maeve from now on."
"Michael, taking care of a child isn't just about feeding and clothing them. Their behavior and thoughts are influenced by their parents' words and actions. You have issues with your own behavior. How can you educate a child properly?" Violet criticized bluntly. "Do you want Maeve to grow up to be like you?"
"I will change," Michael said, his face turning red.
Violet sneered, "How will you change? You have no career, no reputation. Your dad wants you to go abroad to start fresh, but all you do is cling to Laura and Maeve. How much money do you have left? Do you plan to rely on your parents' wealth for the rest of your life?"
Michael gritted his teeth, unable to listen any longer. Why did Derek scold him earlier, and now Violet was doing the same? "Violet, you have no right to say that to me. I know what I'm doing, and Maeve is part of our family's business."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
