Chapter 153 Daddy Says No

Chapter 153 Daddy Says No
Sarah POV

Yesterday evening, I had planned to tell Michael about the adoption situation once he got home, but he never came back. Today, he mentioned he'd be late again, missing dinner. No rush anyway. The paternity test results won't be ready until tomorrow. Tonight would be soon enough to fill him in.

So once again, it was just me, Mom, and Lily around the dinner table. After we finished eating, Mom took Lily to the kitchen to handle the dishes while I settled into the living room to work.

I'd barely opened my laptop when I heard the front door click open. Michael was home.

"Hey," he said, loosening his tie as he walked in. "Sorry, I'm so late again."

"How was the Peterson account meeting?" I asked, saving my work.

"Brutal. Three hours of going through every detail of their expansion plans." He sat down beside me, running a hand through his hair. "But we finally got their signature. How are you feeling? Any more nausea today?"

"Better, actually. Mom made that ginger tea you suggested."

Michael's face brightened with relief. "Good. And don't forget, next Thursday's your prenatal appointment. I'll definitely be there."

"You don't have to exhaust yourself over this, Michael. Mom could come with me."

He shook his head firmly. "No way. Your prenatal appointments are non-negotiable for me. I'm not missing a single one." A slight grin crossed his face. "You women have long memories, especially during pregnancy and... well, after. I need to stay on your good side."

I rolled my eyes, but his determination warmed my heart.

"Actually," I said, "Noah from Sunshine Children's Home contacted me yesterday. They have found a match—a child whose timeline and background fit what we've been looking for. I met with the child, and we did a paternity test. Results come tomorrow."

Michael nodded slowly, understanding immediately. "If the test confirms it, bring the child home with us. We're moving to Willowbrook this weekend anyway. Plenty of space there."

Gratitude flooded through me. "Michael, I'm sorry. I owe you so much—"

"Don't." His voice carried quiet conviction.

I really didn't know what else to say. Meeting Michael had already been the luckiest thing to ever happen to me.

A sharp knock echoed from the front door. Michael rose to answer it, and I heard a small voice pipe up: "Hi! I'm Ashley, and this is my mom's house. Is my mommy here?"

My heart skipped. I hurried toward the entryway, where I saw Ashley standing in our doorway—the same little girl I'd met at Anna's house yesterday.

"Ashley?" I stepped closer, shocked. "How did you get here?"

Her face lit up with pure joy. "Mommy! I finally found you!" She rushed forward, arms outstretched.

Michael instinctively stepped forward, his hands catching Ashley's shoulders before she could reach me, mindful of my condition.

"Who are you?" Ashley demanded, glaring up at Michael with surprising hostility.

Michael frowned at the little girl's rudeness.

"Ashley, where's Anna? Did you come alone?" I asked.

"Anna isn't my real mommy," Ashley declared, crossing her arms defiantly. "I... I found your address and took the bus myself."

"This is the child I mentioned," I explained to Michael, then turned back to Ashley. "I need to call Anna and take you home."

"No!" Ashley's voice rose to a wail. "Mommy, don't you want me? Anna's not my real mommy! I want to live with you!"

I looked helplessly at Michael, who pressed his lips together thoughtfully.

"Let's go inside first," he suggested.

Just then, Lily came running from the kitchen, her face brightening when she spotted Michael. "Daddy! You're home!" She launched herself into his arms.

Michael caught her smoothly, planting a kiss on her forehead. "There's my girl."

Ashley's expression instantly darkened with jealousy. "Mommy, who is she? Is she your daughter, too?"

"This is Lily, my daughter," I explained carefully. "You can call her your little sister."

"No!" Ashley's voice turned shrill. "Mommy can only have me! She can't call you mommy!"

Michael's voice turned stern. "Stop shouting. You're scaring Lily."

Ashley immediately hid behind me, tears streaming down her face, while Lily pressed closer to Michael, too frightened to speak.

Mom emerged from the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish towel. She took one look at Ashley and stopped short. "Who's this?"

"This is the child I visited yesterday," I said. "She showed up here on her own tonight."

Mom's expression grew complicated, almost wistful. "Oh my... she looks just like you did when you were little."

Her words sent a chill through me, but I pushed the feeling aside.

"Ashley, you can sleep in the guest room tonight," I offered.

"No!" Ashley looked up at me with pleading eyes. "I want to sleep with mommy. I want to look at you more... I want to know what my real mommy is like... please?"

The request pierced straight through my defenses. This child, possibly mine, had spent years wondering about her real mother, and I'd been completely absent from her life. She just wanted to be close to me, to make up for all those lost years. How could I deny her that after everything she'd been through?

I was about to agree when Michael caught my arm. He spoke quietly to me first, "The test results aren't back yet. We can't be certain. Besides, you're pregnant and need rest." Then he turned to Ashley, his voice turning cold and firm. "No. You'll sleep in the guest room by yourself."

Ashley's eyes filled with tears again. "Why won't daddy let me sleep with mommy?"

"He's not your father, Ashley," I said gently. "You should call him Uncle Michael. And you can't sleep with me because..." I struggled to find words a child would understand. "Because I'm having a baby, and the doctor says I need special rest."

Michael's already being generous letting her stay. Asking him to accept the title of 'daddy' would be pushing it too far. As for the child's real father, my memories of that time are so fragmented and painful. I don't even know if it really was that Texas oil tycoon Carter, or someone else entirely.

"I'll take Ashley to get settled," Mom interjected, clearly trying to defuse the tension.

"And I'll put Lily to bed next door," Michael added, lifting our daughter.

The living room felt eerily quiet with just me in it. I dialed Anna's number, and she answered on the first ring.

"Anna? This is Sarah. Ashley is here with me."

"What? That little—" Anna's voice exploded with anger, then quickly shifted to resignation. "You know what? I'm done. I can't handle her anymore. She likes you so much, just keep her. Ever since she found out she was adopted, she hasn't had a peaceful day. Besides, the DNA results come out tomorrow anyway. I'm actually hoping she is your daughter."

I heard Michael's footsteps returning, and from his expression, he'd clearly caught the tail end of my conversation.

"That child has some seriously inappropriate behaviors for her age," he said once I hung up.

I sighed deeply. "I'll work on correcting those habits."

If she really is my daughter, there are going to be a lot of bad habits to fix.