Chapter 214 Sending the Child to School
Chapter 214 Sending the Child to School
The morning breeze carried a slight chill.
The ornate iron gates of Peninsula Manor slowly opened to both sides.
Diana straightened Olivia's school uniform tie and took her little hand as they walked out.
Just as they stepped through the gate, a black Maybach was parked brazenly right by the roadside.
Next to the car door, Ethan stood wearing a dark gray trench coat, legs crossed casually, as if he'd been waiting.
Diana's breath caught instantly.
She quickly turned to look back toward the manor.
Grandma and Uncle were still having breakfast. If they saw Ethan blocking the entrance like this, all hell would break loose today.
She pulled Olivia behind her, rushed over quickly, grabbed Ethan's sleeve, and dragged him to a hidden corner nearby.
"Are you crazy?" Diana lowered her voice, her fingers gripping his arm. "What are you doing here!"
Ethan let her pull him along, taking half a step forward in the process.
"Taking my daughter to school."
He said it matter-of-factly, even bending down to wave at Olivia, who was peeking out with half her head.
Diana was furious and pushed him hard.
"What did I tell you last night? Don't push your luck!"
"Last night you promised that as her biological father, if I occasionally wanted to see her, you wouldn't stop me." Ethan threw her exact words back at her. "I'm just exercising that right now."
Diana was completely speechless.
After four years, Ethan's shamelessness had multiplied several times over.
"Besides." Ethan's tall frame bent slightly. "I already missed four years. I don't want to miss another day."
That statement hit Diana's soft spot.
She opened her mouth, the rebuttal stuck in her throat.
Time ticked by, and if they delayed any longer, the kindergarten would be late.
Diana turned around and crouched in front of Olivia, tucking her loose hair behind her ear.
"Liv, let him take you to kindergarten today, okay?"
Olivia put her hands behind her back and walked around Ethan in a circle, her little brow furrowed.
"I guess that's fine." The little girl sighed reluctantly. "At least it saves Mommy some time."
Ethan's mouth twitched.
Diana stood up, pointing her finger at Ethan's chest.
"I'm trusting you with her. If one hair on her head is harmed, or if you dare try to secretly take her away..."
"Is that what you think of me?" Ethan opened the Maybach's rear door. "Don't worry, I'll bring the child back to you in one piece."
Watching the Maybach merge into the morning rush hour traffic, Diana stood there taking several deep breaths.
She rubbed her throbbing temples and turned toward her own car.
Half an hour later.
Diana pushed open the glass door of the studio.
Someone was sprawled on the sofa.
Augustus wore a wrinkled shirt, his tie hanging loosely around his neck, with dark circles that looked scary.
Hearing the noise, he sat up with a quick motion.
"Long time no see, Diana."
Diana paused for a moment and hung her bag on the coat rack.
"When did you get back?"
Augustus threw himself back into the sofa with a long sigh.
"Don't even ask. As soon as I finished dealing with the company matters in River City, I rushed back overnight."
Partly because he was afraid that during his absence, things between Diana and Ethan would progress.
Diana poured a glass of warm water and handed it over.
Meanwhile, at the international kindergarten entrance.
The Maybach stopped steadily by the roadside.
Various luxury cars were parked all around, with parents holding their children's hands, walking toward the main gate in small groups.
Ethan opened the car door and walked around to the back seat to lift Olivia out.
The little girl wore a navy blue British-style school uniform today, carrying a small backpack with a water bottle in her hand.
Ethan followed behind her, keeping half a step's distance.
He didn't dare get too close, afraid of annoying this little ancestor.
Just as they reached the temperature check area at the entrance, Olivia suddenly stopped.
Ethan stopped too.
The little girl turned around and reached out a small, tender hand toward him.
Ethan froze in place, his heart skipping a beat.
He stared hard at that little hand suspended in mid-air, his Adam's apple bobbing.
Was she accepting him?
He quickly reached out his hand, carefully wrapping that soft little hand in his palm.
So soft, so small.
Ethan even lightened his breathing, afraid that the slightest pressure would hurt this little hand.
Olivia held his hand and walked confidently up to the class teacher.
"Good morning, Ms. Lee." The little girl looked up to greet her.
Ms. Lee smiled and bent down.
"Good morning, Liv. Didn't Mommy come to drop you off today?"
Olivia shook their joined hands and lifted her little chin.
"This is my daddy. He has the day off and came specially to drop me off."
Ms. Lee froze in place.
The man before her wore a suit and had an imposing presence.
Ms. Lee's mind went a bit blank.
In Olivia's enrollment information, the father's information column was clearly blank.
Usually, it was Diana or people from the Brown family who did pick-ups and drop-offs. How did a father suddenly appear?
"Ah... Hello, Liv's father." Ms. Lee greeted him awkwardly.
Ethan nodded slightly, responding politely.
"Thank you for taking care of her."
After the temperature check, Olivia held Ethan's hand as they walked through the main gate.
Past the parent drop-off line, Ethan crouched down and adjusted her backpack straps.
"Liv." He couldn't suppress the joy in his voice. "You're accepting Daddy now, right?"
Olivia took a step back and pulled her hand away without mercy.
The little girl's sweet expression vanished instantly, replaced by a look of disdain.
"You're overthinking it."
She patted the little hand that had just been held.
"I just didn't want other classmates and teachers to know I don't have a dad, otherwise Mommy would make me transfer schools again because of this."
Olivia pursed her lips.
"Transferring schools is such a hassle. I don't want to get to know new classmates all over again."
With that, the little girl ran toward the classroom without looking back.
Halfway there, she turned around: "Pick me up early tonight. I don't want to be the last one to leave."
Her tone was completely rude, as if she were treating him like a driver.
Ethan remained crouched in place, maintaining his previous posture.
This girl, using him and then tossing him aside.
Not only did she inherit his intelligence, but her cunning nature was exactly the same too.
Ethan pulled at the corner of his mouth and stood up.
Although he'd been treated like a doormat, he wasn't angry at all.
At least she was willing to acknowledge him as her father in front of others.
This was a good start.
Ethan turned and walked out, taking out his phone to call Derek.
"Help me look into why Olivia transferred schools before."
Derek on the other end was confused.
"Who's Olivia?"
Ethan's lips curved into a faint smile.
"My daughter."
After saying this, Derek immediately froze: "Huh?"
When did Ethan have a daughter? But before he could ask more questions, Ethan had already hung up.
Hanging up the phone, Ethan opened the car door and sat in the driver's seat.
His fingers tapped on the steering wheel twice.
Next, it was time to deal with the child's mother.