Chapter 90

"You're right, my daughter is very sensible. There's still half an hour before her preschool lets out. Why don't you come with me to pick her up? That way, she can tell you her ideas directly, and you can design based on what she wants," Mia said, glancing at the time.

They had just enough time.

If Mia acted as the go-between, it wouldn't be as effective as Christina talking to her daughter directly.

Christina agreed.

The two of them arrived at the preschool entrance. Before they even got out of the car, Mia spotted her daughter, Lily, standing next to a man-Aiden.

What was he doing here?

Mia's heart tightened. She quickly opened the car door and rushed over, pulling her daughter behind her.

She glared at Aiden, her voice trembling with anger. "What do you want?"

"Mia, Lily is our daughter. I'm her biological father. Isn't it normal for me to pick her up from school?" Aiden said with a smile.

Mia didn't let her guard down just because of a few words.

If he really cared about their daughter, he wouldn't have had an affair and fathered a child with another woman.

Besides, they were getting divorced. He never picked up their daughter before, and now he wanted to play the good father? It was laughable.

Ignoring him, Mia bent down to check on her daughter, adjusting her clothes. "Lily, tell Mommy, are you hurt?"

Lily shook her head.

She looked at her dad, then at her mom, and threw herself into Mia's arms, hugging her tightly. "Mommy, I want to go to the beach with you and Daddy."

Mia froze.

Last month, on the eighth, it was Lily's birthday. She had made a wish to go to the beach with both her parents.

Mia had planned to take her, but her own mother fell ill, and Aiden kept saying he had to work late. The plan got postponed, and now they were getting divorced.

She kissed Lily on the forehead. "Sweetie, how about Mommy takes you this weekend?"

"Mia, since she wants to go, let's go today. No need to wait until the weekend. I'll go with you," Aiden said eagerly.

Mia rolled her eyes. "No need."

"Mia, hear me out," Aiden insisted, pulling her aside.

Mia was both angry and anxious.

There were a lot of people at the school entrance, and Lily was so small. Without her parents by her side, what if a bad person took her?

Aiden was so selfish, always thinking only of himself, never considering their child.

"There's nothing to talk about. Let go of me!" If it weren't for the fact that Lily was there, Mia would have slapped him.

Christina quickly moved to stand by Lily, keeping an eye on her.

Seeing this, Mia felt a bit more at ease.

She didn't notice the flash of malice in Aiden's eyes.

Facing her, Aiden's eyes filled with tears. "I really want to get back together. If you don't want to take me back, let's part on good terms. I won't fight for custody."

"What are you up to now?" Mia didn't believe him for a second.

Her trust in him was completely gone, replaced by suspicion.

Just yesterday, Aiden had been demanding money, threatening to take their daughter if he didn't get it. Now he was talking about parting on good terms? She'd believe that when pigs fly.

"You don't have to think the worst of me. I really regret it," Aiden said, after a moment of mental preparation. "Bianca's son isn't mine. She tricked me and betrayed me."

"If you're looking for sympathy, you've come to the wrong person," Mia said coldly.

Bianca had been willing to be a mistress, so what wouldn't she do?

As for Aiden, he chose to betray their marriage and be with his mistress. The fact that he got what he deserved was just karma.

"I know I did wrong and hurt you deeply. You don't have to forgive me. But Lily is my only child. As her father, I want her to have a good life," Aiden said sincerely.

"I'll work hard and leave everything to Lily. As long as you don't remarry or have other children, I'll leave with nothing. Let's go to the beach tonight and create one last memory as a family. Please?"

Mia hesitated.

She didn't want anything to do with Aiden, but Lily had just said she wanted to go to the beach with both her parents.

Lily was so young. Fulfilling this wish and giving her a happy memory seemed like a good idea.

Mia hesitated for a moment but ultimately refused. "A memory today, and what about tomorrow? We have no future together. You won't see Lily again. Stop wasting your breath. I won't agree."

Aiden knew Mia well after all their years together and having a child. Her tone left no room for negotiation.

If that was the case, he would have to resort to his backup plan.

"Mia, are you really so heartless that you won't even give me one last memory?"

"The heartless one is you. I don't want to see you around Lily again. Even if we weren't getting divorced, I have ways to deal with you. I just don't want to make things ugly," Mia said, turning to leave.

She got in the car with Lily and Christina. As she drove, she asked her daughter, "Sweetie, what do you want for dinner?"

"I want a burger, Mommy. Can I?" Lily, though pampered, was polite and well-behaved.

Mia couldn't bear to refuse her adorable daughter.

"Of course, sweetie. This is Christina, the designer. Tell her your ideas, and she'll make them come true."

"Wow!" Lily exclaimed.

She was too young to understand much about renovations. She only knew that last time she visited, it was just a concrete floor, and next time it would be a fairy-tale wonderland.

Wasn't that magic?

She looked at Christina, clapping her hands. "Pretty lady, you can do magic! You can make my dreams come true."

Christina couldn't help but laugh.