Chapter 391



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It was Mia’s birthday. It was no wonder she asked Tanya to bake her a cake, and even prayed before eating it.

Ah, yes.

He had slept with Hillary right after sleeping with her back then, hadn’t he?

It was all too normal for their children’s birthdays to be so close to each other.

He bit his lip.

It had also been her son’s birthday five days ago.

He didn’t even know where his lost son might be in the world, and yet here he was, celebrating Mia’s birthday….

Indescribable pain and misery made Tanya’s expression change instantly.

She stared at Mia blankly.

Mia was terribly nervous. The bewildered girl looked at Tanya and asked, “What’s the matter, Miss Turner, are you upset?”

She pushed Joel and said, “Daddy, hurry up and kiss Miss Turner! She’ll cheer up if you do!”.

Joel: “…”

Tanya: “…”

Joel didn’t know the reason for Tanya’s sudden change in behavior, but he knew that she was probably holding a grudge against Mia’s existence all this time.

He lowered his head and said slowly, “I’m sorry.”

She was sorry.

Five years ago, he had been even more sorry to her.

If he hadn’t gotten drunk, hadn’t gone crazy and hadn’t ended up sleeping with Hillary, how would he have gotten her pregnant and ended up letting her give birth to Mia?

No, to be honest, he hadn’t even known she was pregnant.

Hillary understood him all too well. She knew he would definitely have her miscarried if he found out, so she had been hiding in secret.

It wasn’t until ten months later that he had finally returned to Mia.

When he saw the child, he took a DNA test: she was his daughter. Therefore, he could only recognize her. That was probably the only time he had ever acted so weak.

His heart had softened at the sight of the girl.

It was as if the girl had a lot of affinity with him.

When Tanya heard his apology, her embarrassment and anger made her eyes redden. She was about to yell at him when suddenly Mia grabbed her hand and said, “I’ll kiss you if Daddy won’t, Miss Turner. Don’t get mad anymore, okay?”.

Tanya lowered her head. When her eyes met Mia’s shy eyes that seemed to want to please her, her anger was instantly extinguished.

Indeed.

She had only lost her son because she hadn’t watched him. What did it have to do with Joel or Mia?

In fact, Joel didn’t even know she had given birth to his son!

Tanya lowered her head and stared at Mia.

She was a pitiful child.

Tanya suddenly said, “Wait a minute.”

She turned and went upstairs.

In addition to her own bedroom, she had set up two other children’s rooms upstairs. One was a boy’s and the other a girl’s.

This was because she didn’t know whether her missing child was a boy or a girl.

In any case, she always prepared clothes for her son or daughter every year. The clothes in the closets were for five-year-olds, and on the bed in the girl’s room there was also a gift box.

It was the birthday present she had bought five days ago for her daughter.

There was also one in the boy’s room.

She picked up the gift box. Inside was an exquisite Barbie doll in a pink dress. Next to it were all kinds of doll clothes to dress the doll in.

She touched the sheets and muttered quietly, “I don’t know where you are, my child, but I think you’d be willing to make another little girl like you happy, wouldn’t you?”

She picked up the gift box and went downstairs.

Before she reached the door, she saw Mia nervously ask Joel, “Dad, why is Miss Turner suddenly upset? Is it because it’s Mia’s birthday? Dad, I’m not celebrating my birthday anymore, okay? I like Miss Turner, I don’t want to make her mad…”

Joel stroked her hair. His voice was soft and gentle as he said, “It’s not your fault. Dad is the one who made Miss Turner mad.”

Mia then said earnestly, “Dad, you should apologize to Miss Turner if you made her mad. Are you too embarrassed to apologize, Dad?”

Joel: “…”

He sighed. “I’ve already told her I’m sorry, but she won’t accept my apology.”

“Then say it a few more times!”

A child’s world was very simple. To Mia, if her father had done something wrong, then he should apologize until Miss Turner forgave him.

Joel sighed. “Okay.”

When Mia wanted to say something again, she suddenly saw Tanya, who had just returned. Her eyes lit up and she immediately shouted, “Ms. Turner!”

Tanya handed her the gift box with the Barbie and said, “Happy Birthday.”

Mia’s eyes instantly lit up. “Thank you, Miss Turner!”

The little girl reached out her hands and took the Barbie doll.

The Barbie was half her height, so it was too heavy for the small, thin girl.

Joel reached out to carry it for her.

However, Mia bent down and said, “I can do it, Daddy!”.

It was a gift from Miss Turner. She liked it very much.

Joel nodded. Then he looked at Tanya. He was about to speak when Tanya scoffed, “You must be very busy with work, aren’t you, Mr. Smith?”

Joel was overjoyed when he heard what she said. He thought Tanya was showing him concern, so he nodded and replied, “Okay.”

“Hah.” Tanya flashed him a smirk and said, “Since it’s fine, shouldn’t you learn to be a qualified parent, Mr. Smith?”

Joel was taken aback.

Tanya knew there were things she shouldn’t say in front of Mia, so she merely gave him a subtle reminder. Then, he said, “Goodbye, Mia.”

Mia replied quietly, “Goodbye, Miss Turner.”

As Joel carried Mia to the car, he received a call from Hillary. When he answered, the woman said, “Joel, it’s Mia’s birthday today. Can you let me see her? I miss her. I think Mia would want her family to be together, too.”

Joel’s expression turned cold. He was about to say something when Hillary spoke again. She said, “After all, I am Mia’s mother, Joel. I miss her very much. I think she misses me too. You can’t stop us from getting together when we are mother and daughter. Mia will resent you for it in the future if you do.

I know you hate me, but my love for Mia is true. I am the one who has been taking care of Mia since she was born. You should know how dependent she is on me. Joel, all I really want is to see my daughter. I have no other intention… Please?”

Joel looked at Mia.

Suddenly he asked, “Do you want to see your mother, Mia?”

Mia’s eyes immediately blinked as she heard him.

Her mother had told her earlier that she had to answer that she wanted to see her if Dad asked. Otherwise, her mother would hate her very much.

But she thought about how Miss Turner had told her not to keep things to herself, and to express her thoughts if she had them. She had told her she could scream if it hurt, or cry if she wanted to…..

As she thought about what Miss Turner had told her, little Mia seemed to have suddenly found courage.

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