Chapter 178 Andrew Feels Like He Has a Daddy
About twenty minutes later, Olivia finally arrived at the school.
As she got out of the car, she saw Michael's tall figure being stopped outside the school gates.
She glanced over with a cold look in her eyes, ignored him, and went straight in to pick up Bianca.
The moment Bianca saw Olivia appear, she was finally willing to come out.
"Mommy."
She happily ran over on her little legs and took her mommy's hand.
Olivia's expression softened the instant she saw Bianca.
Bianca animatedly shared with her mommy everything that happened at school today.
"It was a classmate's birthday today. We ate cake together, and I gave her a drawing. She was really happy and gave me candy afterwards. I couldn't bear to eat it, so I specially saved it for you, Mommy!"
After saying this, she pulled out the candy she'd hidden in her pocket and handed it to her mommy.
Olivia took it, smiling as she crouched down and kissed Bianca on the cheek. "Baby, you're so good to me. Thank you, sweetheart!"
"I'm just happy if Mommy's happy!"
Bianca's smile was especially sweet and adorable.
Just then, a shadow suddenly fell across them.
Olivia didn't need to look up to know who it was.
When Bianca saw Michael, the smile on her face instantly froze.
She even instinctively stepped back behind Olivia.
Clearly, she didn't want to see Michael.
Michael took in this scene, his expression momentarily dazed.
Just moments ago, he had witnessed his usually withdrawn and quiet daughter being lively and animated, completely different from before.
But the instant he appeared, she changed like flipping a switch, looking at him with distance in her eyes, timidly hiding behind Olivia.
Michael felt an inexplicable discomfort.
He tried hard to control his emotions and spoke gently, "Bianca, you see Daddy and you don't say hello?"
Bianca pressed her lips together, and out of politeness, reluctantly called out, "Daddy..."
Michael hummed in response, seeming to find some comfort in his daughter's single word "Daddy."
He continued, "It's been a while. Bianca, did you miss me? How about I take you home for dinner tonight, and you can see Grandpa and Grandma too?"
Hearing this, Olivia suddenly frowned, looking somewhat displeased.
But she didn't stop her daughter from making her own decision.
Bianca clearly wasn't willing. She pressed her little lips together and refused in her childish voice, "No thanks, Daddy. I need to go home and practice drawing, and I have homework from my teacher..."
As she spoke, her little hand gripped Olivia's hand tightly.
Olivia could feel her resistance and nervousness, as if she was afraid of being handed over.
Hearing this, Michael's face darkened.
But he still held back his anger and said, "If not dinner, then let me take you to buy toys and clothes, okay?"
Bianca still shook her head and said seriously, "I have clothes, and I don't really play with toys anymore..."
Michael felt extremely frustrated.
How could he not see the child's resistance toward him?
But he refused to accept it.
He ground his back teeth and continued asking, "Bianca, don't you want your favorite pink fox either? I heard there's a new version out!"
But Bianca hung her little head and quietly refused, "I don't want it. I already have them..."
Hearing this, Olivia felt something pierce her heart, and a bitter feeling spread through her.
How disappointed must Bianca be with this man to refuse even her favorite stuffed toy?
Michael had never been rejected like this before.
His patience had never been tested like today, yet the result was rejection after rejection.
His anger finally couldn't be contained.
He glared at Olivia through gritted teeth and angrily questioned her, "Olivia, are you satisfied now? It's because you won't give me a chance to spend time with Bianca that she's so distant from me now!"
He blamed everything on Olivia.
Olivia sneered, "Michael, if someone hasn't accumulated enough disappointment, I think no amount of manipulation could shake the bond between father and daughter.
If you were good to the child, she would naturally be close to you without anyone teaching her.
Do you need me to remind you what you've done to her?
All these years, you've never paid any attention to her. When Sophia came back, you treated someone else's son like your own.
The long-term coldness, neglect, and indifference—the harm it caused the child—you never cared about any of it.
And now you're blaming me?"
The mockery in her tone made Michael's anger flare. "Stop deflecting! Isn't it because you're always fooling around with men outside, making her spend time with them? That's why my daughter's heart has turned away from me!"
Olivia was amused by this absurd accusation.
"Michael, you really know how to turn things around. When we weren't even divorced yet, you stayed out every night, sleeping elsewhere. Need me to remind you? The incident at Silverpine Retreat—forgot about that so quickly?
What gives you the nerve to accuse me of this?
Besides, even if it were true, how much of a failure would you have to be?
Five years together can't compete with someone else's kindness in a short time, and you have the nerve to bring it up?
If I were you, I'd be ashamed!"
"You..."
Michael's face turned ashen.
He never realized this woman could be so sharp-tongued!
He took a deep breath and said through clenched teeth, "Olivia, today I'm taking Bianca no matter what. Since she won't come, then you'll come with her!"
He said it as if he were granting Olivia some great favor.
As if allowing her to come along was already giving her face.
Olivia looked like she'd heard the biggest joke, her expression utterly incredulous.
"You want me to have dinner with you?"
Michael replied coldly, "This is your duty as the child's mother!"
Olivia had never seen anyone so shameless.
She mocked, "Which law says that after divorce, a mother has to fulfill such duties?
Having dinner with you... I'd throw up!
Also, if you never loved her from the start, stop putting on this pitiful display of fatherly love. It's disgusting to watch. Just go take good care of your first love's son.
My daughter has been without a father for quite some time now."
After saying this, Olivia didn't want to continue suffering with her child here. She quickly picked up Bianca and left.
Michael stood there, his face dark and ugly.
He seemed unable to believe Olivia would say such things.
That woman dared to say he made her throw up, that he was disgusting???
Not long ago, she loved him desperately, and now after such a short time...
Michael simply didn't believe she could let go of him so quickly and stop caring about him.
But thinking of the man he'd seen before, it was like a stone churning in his heart, making him irritable.
Finally, Michael could only leave in anger.
At the school, Benjamin had witnessed the whole scene.
Not that he wanted to spy.
But seeing Michael persistently waiting outside, looking like he wouldn't leave until he saw someone, Benjamin worried that when Olivia came, she might not fare well against him, so he paid extra attention.
Now he thought about it and sent a message to Andrew, telling him about what just happened.
[Bianca's mood didn't look right when she left. Hope she doesn't get affected by this again.]
Olivia was worried about this too.
On the way back, Bianca remained silent the whole time, looking dejected.
Olivia felt anxious.
The child's condition had finally improved, and she was afraid Bianca would start closing herself off again because of Michael.
She held her daughter in her arms with concern and asked gently, "Baby, are you okay?"
Bianca reacted after a beat, looked up at her mommy, and asked in a sweet childlike voice, "Mommy, did I... do something wrong just now?"
"Hmm?"
Hearing this, Olivia asked, "Why would you say that, baby?"
Bianca fidgeted with her clothes, saying with some uncertainty, "I refused Daddy, I didn't want to go with him..."
So that was it.
Olivia's tense feelings gradually relaxed.
She said gently to Bianca, "What's wrong with that? You have the right to refuse anyone you want.
Bianca, Mommy wants to tell you that whenever you encounter something you don't like or don't want to do, you can refuse.
Whether it's people or things, it's all the same.
Even if it's classmates at school, teachers, or anyone else, even me...
As long as it's something you don't like doing, you can say no, okay?"
She gently stroked Bianca's head and said carefully, "Bianca, even though you're a little kid, you're still your own person. You can make your own decisions about many things now!
I don't think you did anything wrong today, and I also know why you refused him..."
Bianca nodded her little head, seeming to understand. Knowing that Mommy wasn't angry, she buried her head in Mommy's arms and nuzzled like a little kitten.
She honestly told her mommy, "I don't like Daddy, and I don't like Grandpa and Grandma either. They don't like me.
But I love Grandpa and Grandma on Mommy's side, Godmother, Lightning, and I love Mommy the most. You're all good to Bianca.
And Uncle Andrew too... he feels like a daddy."
This was the first time Olivia heard the little one so directly express who she disliked and liked.
She looked down at her kitten-like daughter in her arms, feeling her heart melt.
She kissed Bianca on the cheek and said happily, "Me too. I love our Bianca the most. You're my precious treasure!"
Hearing Olivia say this, Bianca's little face broke into a smile, and her mood finally wasn't as low as before.
While Olivia felt relieved, she was also afraid Bianca might think about the unhappy things again, so she changed the subject.
"You mentioned earlier that it was a classmate's birthday today and she gave you candy. What happened next?"
Hearing Olivia ask, Bianca perked up again and continued sharing with Olivia about what happened at school today.
By the time they got home, Bianca's mood seemed completely back to normal.