"This daddy is actually quite nice to me..."
"I'm not being mistreated."
Mia rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. "I'm going to make a phone call."
Juliet lay in the little bathtub, looking pitifully at Mia's departing figure.
Did she do something wrong?
Why was Mommy so unhappy...
"James."
Standing on the balcony, Mia gripped the phone, gritting her teeth as she said his name, "Is this the job you arranged for me?"
On the other end of the phone, James's voice held a hint of trepidation, "Mommy, did you see Juliet?"
"Why did you let Juliet meet him?"
She had always known her eldest son was quiet, her second son was mischievous, and her youngest daughter was sweet and obedient. But she never expected that James would dare to let Juliet find Michael behind her back!
"Mommy, it was inevitable."
James sighed, "I knew you'd be angry, so I didn't dare tell you."
"But, Mommy, don't you think... Juliet looks too much like him?"
"Even if we don't say anything, living in Banyan City, his people will eventually see Juliet, and he will find out sooner or later."
Mia tightened her grip on the phone.
Although she didn't want to admit it, the fact was that Juliet did indeed look a lot like Michael.
Especially her eyes...
Seeing that Mia was silent, James quickly pressed on, "Since it was bound to be discovered eventually, it's better for us to take the initiative."
"At least now that Juliet has appeared, he will know that you, Mommy, are actually not dead."
"Besides, if Juliet stays with him, it will prevent him from marrying that woman."
Mia closed her eyes. "But have you thought about what if he doesn't return Juliet to us?"
"You are all Mommy's children, born and raised with so much effort. I don't want to..."
"Mommy, don't worry."
On the other end of the phone, the little six-year-old raised his hand and swore, "If Mommy ever wants Juliet back, I will definitely make sure she comes back!"
Mia gave a bitter smile and hung up the phone.
James was still a child and didn't fully understand Michael.
Back then, he was willing to put her, the person who shared his bed every night, to death for his affair with Kyle.
If he refuses to let go of Juliet in the future...
She didn't dare think further.
At this point, she couldn't reveal her identity, nor could she take Juliet away. There were still many things she had to do.
She could only take it one step at a time.
With a sigh, she returned to the bathroom.
Inside, the little princess who acted so pampered in front of Michael had already bathed herself, dried off, and was now putting on her underwear.
She was only six years old, yet so sensible it broke Mia's heart.
Seeing Mia come in, the little girl looked up, her eyes cautious. "Mommy, you're not mad at Juliet, are you?"
"Second brother said... said Juliet could help you a lot..."
Seeing the misty eyes of her daughter, Mia's heart melted. How could she bear to scold her?
She walked over, helped Juliet finish dressing, and then hugged her. "Mommy isn't mad at you."
"Be good and listen."
"Don't call me Mommy in front of others. If anything happens, tell Mommy first, okay?"
"Okay!"
Juliet reached out and hugged Mia's slender shoulders. "Juliet will always be Mommy's daughter."
"I won't forget."
The woman held her daughter, fighting back her tears.
"Juliet."
After a long time, a deep, magnetic voice sounded from outside, "It's Daddy. Are you done with your bath?"
Juliet looked up at Mia's face.
The woman nodded and released her.
"All done!"
The little princess took a deep breath and slowly walked out of the bathroom to open the door.
Mia stayed in the bathroom, draining the tub and tidying everything up.
The door opened.
The tall man walked in and immediately scooped Juliet into his arms.
The man's embrace was broad and warm, and Juliet leaned against his shoulder, letting out an almost inaudible sigh.
So this was what it felt like to be held by Daddy?
She wished her brothers could feel this too...
Having a daddy wasn't so bad after all!
"I heard from White that you found yourself a maid?"
Michael frowned, asking in a low voice.
"Yes."
Juliet nodded and pointed towards the bathroom, "Auntie is still inside. She's a very, very nice woman!"
"Daddy, you should get along with her well in the future!"
Mia, who was wiping the sink, frowned slightly.
Why did it feel like...
Juliet was trying to set her up with Michael?
Michael frowned and sent Juliet to the door. "White, take her to have some dessert."
After closing the door, he walked into the bathroom.
Even though he said he would let Juliet choose her maid, she was still just a child and couldn't judge people as well as an adult.
Michael didn't feel at ease either way, so he came back to the villa to check.
Inside the bathroom, Mia finished tidying up the sink and turned around. Seeing only white towels on the rack, she opened the storage cabinet and took out a pink towel to hang up.
Juliet liked pink.
The bathroom was filled with steam, and the woman's slender figure moved skillfully as she busied herself.
That silhouette, those movements, made Michael think he was dreaming for a moment.
"Mia..."
The words slipped out of his mouth unconsciously.
Mia's body froze for a moment.
Then she turned her head and smiled at Michael, "Mr. Kingsley, hello."
The unfamiliar face and voice pulled Michael back to reality.
"It's you?"
The woman from the mall last night.
Mia smiled faintly, "Hello, my name is Mira Larson."
Michael's brow furrowed deeply, his eyes suspiciously scanning her face. "What's your name?"
"My name is Mira."
"Heh, Mira?"
He squinted his eyes.
The next second, he grabbed Mia by the neck and pressed her against the cold, hard bathroom wall. "Are you also going to tell me your surname is Lawrence and your name is Mia Lawrence?"
He glared at her, his eyes cold and his voice venomous. "You bumped into me at the mall yesterday to strike up a conversation, and today you came to apply to take care of my daughter using my wife's name?"
"Do you even deserve it?"
Mia couldn't speak as he choked her.
While struggling, she sneered inwardly.
How remarkable that he still remembered her name was Mia Lawrence!
She thought he had long forgotten about her, given his blissful life with Kyle over the years!
"Daddy!"
The bathroom door burst open, and Juliet rushed in, panicked. She grabbed Michael's leg with her small arms, "Let her go!"
"You're hurting Auntie!"
"If Auntie gets hurt, Juliet will be heartbroken!"
The little girl's voice was filled with worry and anger despite her weak strength.
Michael hesitated and released his grip.
Finally able to breathe, Mia slid down to the floor, clutching her neck and coughing.
"Are you okay?"
Juliet hurried over, anxiously patting Mia's chest, "Does it hurt?"
"Juliet will call a doctor for you!"
She turned and glared at Michael, "Go call a doctor!"
White, standing nearby, broke into a cold sweat.
In Banyan City, Michael was an untouchable presence. Even the elders of the Kingsley family dared not speak to him like that!
This little girl, relying on being his daughter, dared to use such an imperious tone with him!
Michael frowned slightly and glanced at White, "Call a doctor."
White: "..."
"No need."
Mia took a deep breath and stood up, "I'm not so delicate that I need a doctor for this."
After speaking, she looked up at Michael. "Mr. Kingsley, my name is indeed Mira, Mira Larson."
"I can't help that it sounds similar to your late wife's name."
"Regarding the incident at the mall yesterday, it was indeed my fault for accidentally bumping into you."
"As for my application here..."
The woman looked at him with a calm gaze, "I just wanted to do a job I'm good at, and I happened to feel a connection with the little princess. I have no ulterior motives."
"Please, Mr. Kingsley, don't overthink it."
After speaking, Mia lowered her head, her voice gentle, "Weren't you going downstairs to have dessert?"
Mentioning this, the little girl's face immediately scrunched up, "The desserts here are too sweet! Juliet doesn't like them!"
"Do you want to eat some cookies?"
"Yes!"
"I'll make some for you."
"Okay!"
The little princess grasped Mia's pinky, proudly pulling her away.
As they reached the door, Juliet turned back, giving Michael a serious look, "Daddy, if you dare hurt Auntie again..."
"I'll not only run away from home but also call the police and tell them you have violent tendencies!"
Michael frowned, watching the direction in which the two women left, his brow tightly knitted.
"Get me Mira Larson's information."
"Yes!"
White nodded nervously, about to leave when Michael called him back.
"My behavior just now..."
The man hesitated, "Will it make Juliet think badly of me?"
The sudden appearance of a daughter had left him both thrilled and at a loss.
Thrilled because Mia wasn't dead, and he had a daughter.
At a loss because...
He had no idea how to interact with a little girl.
Earlier, he had been so focused on finding out the woman's identity that he forgot to make a good impression on Juliet.
"It might have..."
White wiped the sweat from his forehead, "The maid was handpicked by the little princess herself."
"It's clear she really likes Mira Larson..."
Michael's frown deepened.
Irritated, he got up and went downstairs.
In the small dining room downstairs, the little girl in the pink princess dress was quietly staring in the direction of the kitchen.
"What are you looking at?"
"I'm looking at the cookies."
Juliet licked her lips, her voice soft and tender, "Auntie said the cookies will take half an hour to come out of the oven."
Hearing Juliet mention Mira, Michael scanned the room, "Where is she?"
"Who?"
Juliet tilted her head, her big, watery eyes staring at him, "You mean Auntie?"
Her innocent look made the man reach out and ruffle her hair, "Yes, her."
"Auntie, she..."
The little girl pouted, her mouth quivering as she started to cry, "Auntie left!"
She said Daddy didn't like her. Even though she needs the job, she doesn't want to live under suspicion and humiliation.
"So she went home! Waaaah!"
Michael's eyes flickered.
That woman...
Just left like that?
He looked down, silently watching Juliet, "Do you want her to come back?"
"Yes!"
The little girl sniffled, "But Auntie said, unless Daddy apologizes to her and says he misunderstood her, she won't come back."
She then added, very sensibly, "Although Juliet likes Auntie, Daddy's dignity is more important."
"So, Daddy, you can cook lunch for me today. I don't like the food the maids make. I only eat food made by people I like."
"And right now, in this house, I only like you, Daddy."
A vein on Michael's forehead throbbed.
She wanted him to cook for her?
"Daddy, you're so handsome and smart. Something as simple as cooking shouldn't be too hard for you, right?"
The little girl blinked her eyes, earnestly staring at him.
Michael: "..."
After a long silence, the man rolled up his sleeves and went into the kitchen.
Lying on the small table, Juliet secretly took a picture of Michael fumbling in the kitchen and sent it to Mia.