“Did you recall something?”
The inquisitiveness in her tone pissed him off. “What does the person I’m getting married to have to do with you? Don’t forget that we’ve divorced and we have been living apart for five years.”
“Of course it has something to do with me. I don’t care who you wish to marry, but this woman will be Charlotte’s stepmom in the future. I should have the right to question it if she’s evil and mean to her, right?”
“You don’t have to worry about that because Charlotte has nothing to do with you anymore,” he said icily. “Also, I’m warning you. Don’t get close to her. Or else, I won’t even care about the fact that we were once married. Are you still not leaving?”
Even though there was a crack in their married life back then, or they were separated for whatever reason, Rachel shouldn’t have left her newborn daughter alone and never visited her even once in the past five years.
The coldness in his eyes thickened, and he growled, “I’ll call the security if you’re still not leaving.”
Rachel secretly rolled her eyes in her mind. He’s already amnesiac, but he’s still the same arrogant prick. “I’m leaving now. Do you really think I want to be here?”
“Another reminder for you; you’re not allowed to tell Charlotte that you’re her mother,” he added emotionlessly.
Before Rachel could say anything, the door behind them opened suddenly, and Charlotte stood at the door in her pajamas while holding a long-eared bunny soft toy. “You’re my mommy?” she asked in shock
Rachel’s face froze, and Justin’s expression darkened as well. As the little girl stared at Justin in a daze, she asked for confirmation once more. “Daddy, did you just say that she’s my mommy?”
“Go back to your room, Charlotte,” Justin said, frowning heavily. “You heard it wrongly.”
“No, I didn’t!” Instantly, Charlotte was wide awake, and she ran toward Rachel before hugging her around her thighs. “Mommy! I missed you so much!” she cried loudly.
Rachel was at a loss for what to do at this scene, but when she heard Charlotte’s cries, her eyes burned and turned red suddenly. She lowered herself and held Charlotte in her arms before apologizing to her. “It was my fault. I should have returned earlier to look for you.”
“Mommy, don’t leave me again!” Charlotte sobbed.
“No, I’m not leaving. Be good, Charlotte.”
As Justin watched everything happening before him, he knitted his brows tightly. While coaxing Charlotte, Rachel lifted her gaze and met a pair of cold eyes staring at her. She smirked and cast him a look that showed that she wasn’t the one who mentioned anything about being Charlotte’s mother, but
him.
However, Justin wasn’t about to take this at all. In his opinion, all these wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t shown up at his place.
In the living room, Charlotte refused to let go of Rachel’s hand, and her eyes were red and swollen as she choked out the words, “Mommy, you’re not leaving again this time, are you?”
Rachel’s eyes drifted across the room at the man who was reading the newspaper, but his attention wasn’t on the paper. Instead, he was giving her a warning look.
After clearing her throat, she tried to ignore the enormous pressure and replied, “I’m not leaving anymore.”
“Will you always be with me, Mommy?”
“Yes. We’ll bake cookies together.”
At the mention of the cookies, Charlotte broke into a smile in spite of her face still being tear-streaked. She then turned to Justin. “Daddy, Mommy taught me how to bake cookies today. Do you want to try it?”
Without hesitation, he answered curtly, “No.”
Nevertheless, Charlotte wriggled away from Rachel’s arms and scurried into the kitchen as though she hadn’t heard him. A minute later, she returned with a plate of cookies in her hands and offered it to Justin. “Try it, Daddy. Mommy taught me how to make these.” Then, she picked a piece from the plate and stuffed it into his mouth.
Justin couldn’t say no, so he took a bite and was amazed with the taste. It’s fragrant and neither too sweet nor too buttery. Just perfect. Does she even have this talent?
Charlotte blinked and watched him in anticipation. “It’s delicious, isn’t it?”
“It’s okay,” he answered after returning to his senses.
“What do you mean by that? Don’t you know how to compliment a person, Daddy? No wonder Mommy left! It’s because you drove her away!”
“I drove her away? Who told you that?”
“Miss Hochmann said so,” she answered while rolling her eyes at him. Then, she climbed back into Rachel’s arms using her hands and feet, clinging onto her mother tightly. “She said you were a baddie, and that was why Mommy left. When Mommy’s not angry anymore, she will return. Are you still angry, Mommy?”
At first, Rachel was surprised, but she looked at the person opposite of her with a thoughtful look. “Not anymore.”
“Then you won’t leave anymore, for sure! Daddy, you’re not allowed to make Mommy mad again!”
Anger rushed through Justin, and he tossed the half-eaten cookie back onto the plate in irritation. How could Gloria tell a kid nonsense like this? Also, this woman didn’t even care to explain things! She’s acting as though I’m the one who made a mistake!
Right before he could say a thing, Mary came forward and told him, “Sir, dinner will be ready soon. Should I prepare anything else?” While speaking, she cast a glance at Rachel’s direction, making her meaning known.
Placing down the newspaper, he then asked Rachel, “What time do you plan to leave?”
Charlotte glared at him and interjected, “What’s wrong with you, Daddy? Mommy just came back! Where do you want her to go?”
“She has her own place. She can’t keep staying at somebody else’s house!”
“This is not somebody else’s house! This is my house, so it’s also her house!”
Justin’s expression was stern when he asked, “Are you going to let her live here?”
“Every kid has their daddy and mommy living together with them. Why not me?” she asked, her eyes turning red again. Tightening her arms around Rachel’s neck, she shouted at him, “You’re evil, Daddy! I’m not staying here if you don’t let Mommy stay here!”
Justin was so mad that he bounced up from his seat, and Rachel quickly tried to pacify the situation by saying, “It’s okay. Aren’t you having dinner soon? Charlotte, have dinner with Daddy. I’ll be here again another day, okay?”
“You don’t want me as well, Mommy?” Charlotte cried, tears flowing down her cheeks. “You don’t want me because I’m not a good girl?”
At a loss for what to do, Rachel hurriedly wiped away her tears. “That’s not true. Don’t cry, Charlotte.”
However, the little bawled loudly, and her cries echoed throughout the huge living room. “Mommy doesn’t want me anymore! I’m so sad. I’ve never had a mommy since I was young, and now that she’s back, she doesn’t even want me! Am I a bad child?”
Justin’s heart wrenched when he heard that. Thus, he instructed, “Mary, set the table for another person.”
Surprised by his words, Rachel paused with her hand mid-air as she wiped away Charlotte’s tears, and she looked at him in shock.
However, his eyes were stone cold. Even though Charlotte was his Achilles’ heel and he could agree to anything she wanted, it didn’t mean that anyone should use her to threaten him.
“Come to Daddy, Charlotte,” he said.
Charlotte shook her head in reply, all the while still sniffling.
Hence, Rachel had to hold her in her arms and stroke her back until she calmed down. “Alright now. Hush-hush. I’ll eat with you, okay?”
“Okay.” Charlotte answered, her babyish voice ringing in the living room.
