Sophie’s words left Miranda deep in thought. She really didn’t have much in her favor when it came to fighting for custody.
“I’ve always been the kind of person who says work things out, not split up,” Sophie said, leaning in. “Men like Felix, with his status, will always have women throwing themselves at him. Don’t get yourself worked up over it. Or… maybe think about giving him a son?”
Miranda looked up and smiled. “I’ll do even better without him.”
Just then, her phone rang. She stood up to take the call. “Hello? Lugas?”
“Mira, do you have time now? We’re holding a meeting at the lab building.”
“Sure, I’m on my way,” she replied.
Dr. Lewis had personally organized the meeting, rallying top medical institutions to establish a new research lab. With his stature as a leading figure in the field, his call to action received immediate support.
When Miranda arrived, Lucas waved her over and saved her a seat beside him. As she sat down, she noticed four familiar faces in the room. They were her former classmates from her time at Atlantis City Medical University.
She had dropped out during the first semester of her sophomore year after learning she was pregnant. Since then, she had poured herself into family life. Most people assumed she had walked away from her career for good.
Now, seeing her here, her former classmates looked both surprised and skeptical.
After the meeting, Miranda rushed out, needing to pick up her daughter. Just as she was leaving, her former classmate Coco Lawson called out to her.
“Miranda! It’s been so long–almost six years, hasn’t it?”
Miranda smiled politely. “Yes, it’s been a while.”
Another tall classmate chimed in, “Miranda, what are you doing at this meeting?”
“I was invited by Dr. Lewis,” Miranda replied.
She recognized her immediately. She was Fiona York, a former classmate, beautiful and exceptionally bright.
Miranda glanced at her watch. “Sorry, I’ve got to run. Something urgent came up.”
As she turned to leave, a male voice rose behind her, loud enough for the whole room to hear. “Why should she be allowed to join this project?”
“Yeah,” another voice added. “She didn’t even finish med school. What does that say about the rest of us who’ve worked our asses off for years?”
Then Coco spoke up again. “You might want to look into who her father is before asking questions like that.”
That afternoon, Miranda took Gigi to pick up Mia from school. As expected, Mia was thrilled. Back home, Gigi and Mia chased each other across the lawn while Miranda sat nearby, reading a book. The garden echoed with laughter and barking, and a soft smile played at Miranda’s lips.
At six, Felix came home. He carried his suit jacket in one hand. His gray vest hugged his slim waist, and his tailored slacks showed off legs that could rival a runway model’s.
Miranda was in the living room, watching cartoons with Mia. When Felix walked in, she glanced at him briefly, then turned her attention back to the screen.
Even the silly cartoon seemed more entertaining than him.
Chapter 127
“Daddy!” Mia chirped, her voice full of affection.
Felix crouched down and ruffled her hair, then gave her a quick kiss. “Were you good today?”
“Very! I finished all my food first. The teacher gave me a sticker for cleaning my plate!” she said proudly.
He tapped her cheek playfully. “Yeah? I’ll take a quick shower and come back to hang out.”
“Okay!” Mia turned back to her cartoon.
Miranda wrinkled her nose at the faint trace of perfume in the air. It irritated her.
So that was how it was. After she turned him down last night, he must have gone straight to Xena today.
+25 BONUS
At nine, Miranda was upstairs in the study working on her research report. The door creaked open. Thinking it was Mia, she didn’t look up–until she realized it wasn’t her daughter.
It was Felix.
Miranda quickly closed her document and switched to a news page pretending to be casually reading.
Felix sat down on the couch across from her, his legs crossed as he asked in a calm, deliberate tone, “How long are you planning to stay mad at me?”
Miranda looked up, startled. “I’m not mad.”
“Then why are you treating me like this?” His gaze had a sharp, intrusive edge to it.
“And how exactly should I be treating you?” she shot back.
Felix narrowed his eyes.
Miranda had once planned to bring up Xena and confront Felix about the affair. But now, without a strong case for custody, she knew she couldn’t afford to file for divorce just yet.
“I understand,” she said quietly.
But Felix suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her wrist, his body looming over hers like a storm about to break.
“Don’t brush me off,” he growled, his voice rumbling from deep in his chest, heavy with pressure and control.
Pain shot through her wrist, and Miranda frowned. “Let go of me.
Felix’s gaze darkened. His voice was low and forceful. “Start acting like a proper wife.”
With that, he let go and walked out, leaving behind a heavy silence and the echo of his anger.
Miranda rubbed her sore wrist, her eyes flashing with frustration.
A man who didn’t even deserve to be called a husband had the nerve to demand she play the role of a wife?
It was absurd.
In the days that followed, Miranda kept to her usual routine–dropping Mia off at school in the morning, picking her up in the afternoon, working during lunch hours. Just like that, a week passed. After being rejected that night, Felix never brought up intimacy again.
He was a man of intense pride–prideful like a lone wolf that would rather suffer than ever lower its head.
That afternoon, as Miranda headed out, she was caught in a fenderbender that held up traffic near the school gate for nearly ten minutes. She rushed to park and ran toward Mia’s classroom.
As she reached the door, she saw Mia in a pink tutu dress while Xena knelt beside her, adjusting the bow on her waistband.
Chapter 12
+25 BONUS
“Your mommy’s late again, huh?” Xena said in a sweet voice. “But don’t worry, I brought you some hazelnut chocolates. Look.”
A surge of anger shot through Miranda. That gentle–sounding remark was anything but harmless. It was clearly meant to drive a wedge between her and her daughter.
Forcing herself to stay calm, Miranda walked forward with a smile. “Mia, Mommy’s here.”
“Mommy, why are you so late?” Mia pouted, clearly upset.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I promise I’ll be the first one here to pick you up tomorrow, okay?” Miranda scooped her into her arms, ready to leave.
But Mia turned toward Xena. “Aunt Xena, I want the chocolate!”
For a child not even five years old, chocolate was impossible to resist..
Xena stepped up and handed it over. Before Mia could unwrap it, Miranda crouched down and said gently, “Sweetheart, why don’t you go play over there for a bit?”
Mia set down her backpack and ran toward the playground.
The moment she was out of earshot, Miranda’s expression turned cold. She looked Xena straight in the eye and said without hesitation, “I don’t care what game you’re playing, but if you ever try to come between me and my daughter again, I won’t let it slide.”
Xena casually tucked a strand of her styled hair behind her ear, looking utterly unbothered. “I’m just here to see Mia. Felix doesn’t mind, so why do you?”
Miranda’s fists clenched at her sides as she took a step forward, her eyes locked on Xena’s. “Don’t let me catch you near my daughter again. Or the next person I speak to will be the police.”
8/3
