2
Lucas didn’t answer directly, but his tender gáze towards Rachel and Lily answered everything.
Rachel, who had been gloomy because of Emma’s existence, suddenly became cheerful.
She stood up and linked arms with Lucas.
“Sis, we’re just comforting the child. Don’t take it seriously.”
She emphasized the word “we” as if they were a loving couple who had been together for years.
Emma heard about all those enviable father–daughter interactions that Rachel mentioned. The word “Daddy” that she had been holding back for five years was once again swallowed timidly.
Lily straightened her back proudly and clamored to go see her grandparents. Lucas immediately picked her up lovingly.
Before leaving, he glanced coldly at the red mark on Emma’s face and didn’t forget to instruct me:
“Come to the family house tonight for Lily’s birthday celebration. Remember not to say anything unnecessary. Just say Emma bumped into something.”
Watching the family of three laughing and joking as they got into the car, Emma finally showed her vulnerable and grieving side, mumbling:
“Then let Uncle Ethan be my daddy. Mom never cries when she’s with him. I don’t want mom to be sad…”
Hearing her say this, I realized that there were faint tear tracks on my face.
After returning home, Emma eagerly called Ethan. He quickly responded:
It should have been this way long ago. Wait for me, Emma. Uncle will take the earliest flight back home.”
I originally thought that no matter how much Lucas disliked me, he would at least treat his biological daughter well and take good care of Emma wholeheartedly.
But now that he has Lily, he can no longer be a competent father to Emma.
I think a stepfather might not necessarily be worse than a biological father.
In the evening.
12:05 PM
<
But now that he has Lily, he can no longer be a competent father to Emma.
I think a stepfather might not necessarily be worse than a biological father.
In the evening, Lucas personally drove back to pick up Emma and me.
He leaned against the car, not even bothering to step into the marital home he hadn’t set foot in for five years.
Seeing Emma’s face covered with a large bandage, Lucas made a move to check on her, but Emma dodged him.
Although the child is young, she understands everything.
I silently got into the car with my daughter, watching Lucas’s hands awkwardly freeze in mid–air.
After a long while, he angrily sat in the driver’s seat and looked back at me dissatisfied:
“Sophia, did you teach Emma to ignore me?”
“I didn’t expect you to still be so jealous. Let me ask you, how long are you going to hold a grudge against me?”
Perhaps in the past, I would have really been jealous and angry that he only had eyes for Rachel.
But now, I just looked out the window and calmly reminded him:
“Let’s go. If we’re late, everyone will be worried.”
Lucas’s hand gripping the steering wheel unconsciously tightened, his knuckles gradually turning white.
The journey was silent. We arrived at the Chen family house.
The Chen family elders were very fond of Lily and were willing to give the entire family fortune to the mother and daughter.
“Rachel, the chain of hotels under the Chen Group will be handed over to you in the future. Consider it our dowry for Lily.”
Seeing my arrival, Rachel deliberately showed off the family heirloom jade bracelet on her wrist and quickly thanked them.
Then she feigned surprise: “What about Emma? Shouldn’t the Chen family prepare a dowry for her too?”
Just as the elders realized Emma’s existence and their faces flashed with embarrassment, Lucas casually interjected:
“We’ve established a primary school in rural Kenya, Emma can…”
Before he could finish, I directly interrupted him:
“Lucas, keep it for yourselves. Emma doesn’t need it.”
