Chapter 961: Doormat Teddy

Chapter 961: Doormat Teddy

At the Olteran Group, the president's office.

Patrick was watching Teddy when he slammed his hand on the desk, startling the mischievous Theodore. The little boy's mouth quivered as he burst into tears and threw himself into his dad's arms.

"Sir, Ms. Morales is here," the secretary said, knocking on the door.

Patrick looked at Teddy and asked, "Did she come alone?"

"Yes."

Patrick nodded. The secretary left, and a moment later Susan walked into Patrick's office.

"Uncle Patrick." Susan felt guilty around Patrick. She'd been the one who ruined the Olteran family's celebration party, so she'd been avoiding seeing him alone ever since.

Theodore, still mid-cry, grabbed the armrest of his dad's office chair and started climbing up it, gnawing on it as he went. He stepped on his dad's belt, hooked his little toes over the edge, and used it to push himself up toward the desk. Then a familiar voice reached him. Teddy turned his head. Oh — someone he knew.

He got excited and reached out both hands, wanting to go play with Susan.

Patrick held his son's hands down and asked, "What brings you here?"

Susan said, "Uncle Patrick, I got Randall into trouble."

At the sound of Randall's name, Patrick's heart skipped a beat, and his arms tightened around his son without thinking.

Teddy squirmed uncomfortably and started fussing at his dad.

Susan told Patrick everything that had happened recently, leaving nothing out.

"Uncle Patrick, if they press charges, will Randall go to jail?" Susan asked worriedly. "They were the ones who started it."

Patrick loosened his hold. Teddy rolled over and sprawled across his dad's desk, then slapped his little hand down and shut his dad's laptop on his own.

Patrick was speechless. He took a deep breath. His son — clueless about everything. He's just a baby right now. Wait until he's a toddler, then deal with it.

"When does he leave?" Patrick asked.

Before Susan could answer, her phone rang.

Teddy followed the ringtone and looked over at Susan's phone.

"Uncle Patrick, it's Randall."

Patrick nodded.

Susan steadied herself, answered the call, and put it on speaker, keeping her voice casual. "Hey, Randall."

"Susan, I had my phone on silent earlier. You called — what's up?" Randall had been sitting in his car when he saw the missed call and called right back.

Susan shook her head. "Nothing, really. Oh, right — Randall, when are you leaving the job?"

"I handed in my resignation today. Tomorrow I'll go through the formalities and pack up my stuff."

Right after Randall said that, Teddy decided to make his presence known.

"Susan, why do I hear Teddy in the background?" Randall's tone was the same as always.

Hearing Teddy's voice, he added, "Oh, you're at home, right. That Teddy — still calling for his dad at home. Look at those two now, all father and son bonding — just wait. When Theodore grows up, Patrick is definitely going to grab him by the ear and give him a good smack."

Susan broke into a cold sweat for him and quietly turned off the speaker, holding the phone to her ear. "Randall, can you just stop talking."

Teddy looked at his stone-faced dad and blew a spit bubble.

After she hung up with Randall, Susan felt even more on edge.

Patrick looked at his son, then said, "Hold him."

"What?"

"For the next couple of days, you're in charge of taking care of Theodore."

Teddy tilted his head at his dad. Why doesn't Dad want me around again?

Susan said, "Tomorrow I need to go with Randall— oh, I get it now, Uncle Patrick!"

It suddenly clicked. She happily scooped Theodore up and spun around with him, beaming. "Uncle Patrick, focus on work. I'll take good care of the baby."

A faint smile crossed Patrick's lips.

The next day, Susan brought Teddy along to accompany Randall to his workplace to handle the resignation.

It was Susan's first time showing up there openly. Erik had waited for Susan the night before, blown up when she didn't come, and checked himself out of the hospital that morning. When he heard Randall was coming in to resign, he showed up to make things difficult.

Jenny and Otto were both there too, watching the man pack up his files with a box in hand. "Randall, don't be stupid," Jenny said.

Susan held the baby without a trace of fear — if anything, she seemed almost excited. "Randall, the baby and I are here to pick you up on your last day."

Teddy took in the unfamiliar place, looked around, and decided it wasn't as nice as his dad's office. The little guy was thoroughly unimpressed.

Randall pointed at Teddy, stunned. "How did you end up bringing him out here?"

Teddy waved his little hand.

Randall stopped packing and reached over to take Teddy. "Teddy, did Susan even check with anyone before taking you out?"

Teddy spotted Randall's cardboard box and was so curious he wanted to climb inside.

Susan kept glancing toward the door, as if she was waiting for someone.

Otto was trying to talk Randall into calming down, and the coworkers were all drawn in by how cute Teddy was. Only Jenny pulled Susan aside. "Didn't you hear what I said yesterday? My dad is in his office right now. Go in and apologize, and Randall won't have to leave."

The elevator doors opened. A man in a sharp suit stepped out — cold expression, a dangerous look in his eyes, clearly in a terrible mood. And yet, everyone who saw him froze, unable to believe who was standing there.

"Uncle Patrick!" Susan's eyes lit up with a smile.

Jenny had her back to Patrick and didn't see him behind her.

When she turned around and saw him, she was so shocked she couldn't make a sound.

"Theodore." Patrick called out to the little one in the crowd.

Teddy was crouched inside Randall's box and had no intention of coming out.

"Patrick!" Otto stammered.

Randall and Patrick locked eyes. Patrick glanced at him, walked over, lifted his son out of the cardboard box, and said, "Running around with Susan again for no reason!"

"At least you still know I'm your dad." Patrick held his son in his arms.

Randall looked down. Patrick's presence crushed his in an instant. No matter what he did, it seemed like he could never measure up to Patrick.

Susan ran happily to Patrick's side. "Uncle Patrick, today's Randall's last day. I brought the baby to come pick him up."

Back in his office, Erik was still scheming about how to make things hard for Randall when the door suddenly burst open. Otto stood there, looking terrified. "Sir, Mr. Patrick Olteran is here."

"Who?"

"Patrick. Patrick Olteran."

Erik rushed out — and came face to face with someone so far out of his league it wasn't even close. The man was holding his son in one arm like it was nothing.

Everyone looked back and forth between Randall's face and Patrick's. The resemblance was striking. Something that had been quietly suspected was starting to feel very confirmed.