Chapter 159
Milo was on the verge of tears, trembling as he looked up at Rhett. “Uncle Rhett…”
“Come here,” Rhett’s voice was a deep rumble.
Kristin held Summer tight, a nervous look in her eyes.
Rhett wasn’t about to eat the kid, was he?
Milo let out a wall and burst into tears.
“Apologize!” Rhett hoisted Milo up to Summer’s eye level.
Milo was cherubic, roly–poly like a piglet before he started preschool. Though he’d slimmed down a bit, he still had a certain cherubic charm.
“I’m sorry,” Milo stammered, sobbing and hiccupping, visibly scared of Rhett and all too keen to heed his words.
Summer huffed and hid further in Kristin’s embrace, clearly not ready to forgive.
Milo’s tears flowed even more freely.
“Keep apologizing until Summer forgives you,” Rhett insisted, holding Milo aloft with one arm, with no intention of letting his feet touch the ground.
Milo’s dungarees were bunched up in Rhett’s grip, making him look like a sack of potatoes, which was quite comical.
Kristin couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “Mr. FitzGerald, he’s just a kid. Don’t scare him too much.”
Milo nodded vigorously. “Uncle Rhett, I’m still just a kid…”
“Children need to learn from their mistakes or they’ll never grow up,” Rhett said sternly, giving Milo a little shake. “Apologize!”
Even if Eve showed up, Rhett was determined to teach Milo a lesson today.
“Summer, I know I was wrong,” Milo whined through his tears.
Summer turned to look at him, his heart softening slightly.
Milo’s nose was a bubbly mess.
But he’d been mean to Summer too many times, and Summer was hesitant to forgive.
“What did you do wrong?” Rhett prodded.
Milo was clueless, his nose still bubbling.
His mom was the one who labeled Summer’s mom as a thief and claimed Summer had no dad, which influenced Milo’s perception of Summer.
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Milo continued, “But… My mom said…” Could his mom be wrong?
“You’re not a toddler anymore. You need to learn right from wrong. Is what your mom says always correct?” Rhett frowned in disapproval, his disdain for Milo’s snotty nose making him extend his arm even further away.
His arm strength was no joke, holding Milo in midair like that, ensuring the boy had ample time for reflection.
Head bowed, Milo spoke in a timid voice. “Mom said Summer has no dad…”
“Didn’t you hear him call me Dad?” Rhett darkened his expression.
Milo cried again. “Sorry, Uncle Rhett.”
“Apologize to Summer.”
Setting Milo down in front of Summer, Rhett warned sternly.
“Summer, can you forgive me, please? I won’t be mean to you anymore,” Milo pleaded in his babyish voice.
“If you’re mean to me again, I’ll hit you,” Summer warned, laying down the law.
If there was a next time, he was ready to take action.
Melissa had always said sometimes fists were more useful than words.
“You can’t hit. It hurts,” Milo whimpered, on the verge of tears again.
“If you cry, I’ll hit you,” Summer threatened.
Milo dared not cry anymore.
“Milo!” Across the way, Eve arrived to pick up her son. She was startled to see Rhett, her heart leaping into her throat. “Rhett…”
Milo glanced fearfully at Rhett, too scared to approach his mother.
“If you can’t teach him properly, don’t bother teaching at all,” Rhett reminded Eve sternly.
Eve kept her head down, not daring to talk back.
“Rhett, are you taking Kristin and the bastard back to the FitzGerald family?” Eve gasped, feeling a chill down her spine. “Are you serious?”
“Do you have a problem with that?” Rhett’s cold retort came sharp.
“No… no problem,” Eve muttered, her face sullen. Only after Rhett led Summer and Kristin to the car did she scold Milo in a low voice. “Why do you take after your no–good father?”
Milo meekly kept his gaze down. “Mom, you’re wrong. Summer isn’t a fatherless bastard. He has a dad. Uncle Rhett said he’s Summer’s dad.”
“You believe a stranger over your mother?” Eve was agitated, evidently burdened with too many
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worries.
*Uncle Rhett is not a stranger…” Milo mumbled under his breath.
Though he feared Rhett, he knew Uncle Rhett was part of the FitzGerald family, not a stranger.
“You don’t understand anything! He’s an outsider! Only Vincent is your real uncle. Rhett will never care for you and look down on us just because of your good–for–nothing father. That’s why!” Eve lost control, dragging Milo into the car.
She covered her forehead with her hand, her emotions in turmoil. “Call your dad, tell him you’re
sick.”
For years, she’d tried desperately to tie Caleb to her through their child.
But after several attempts, Caleb now couldn’t care less.
He didn’t care about Eve, even less about Milo.
When Caleb was frustrated outside, he took it out on her and Milo at home.
A cold war instead of a divorce.
Eve was nearly driven mad by Caleb.
“Mom, why do you always make me lie?” Milo looked at Eve, frightened.
“Who’s making you lie? What’s wrong with lying? Can’t you be a little more assertive? What’s wrong with telling your dad you’re sick? What’s wrong with making him pay more attention to us at home? Am I wrong?” Eve screamed frantically.
Milo, scared, hid in the corner, and began to cry.
“Stop crying! Your dad doesn’t want us anymore!” Eve shouted irritably.
To keep Caleb, she’d had the child against everyone’s wishes.
She’d given up her dignity…
But Caleb trampled all over it!
“He’s got other women outside!” Eve muttered darkly.
For years, Caleb had countless women, each one a dancer as if Eve didn’t know what Caleb wanted.
He couldn’t forget Kristin!
Tonight’s family dinner at the FitzGerald family was about to witness a rare occurrence. Caleb, usually ducking out of such gatherings with convenient excuses of being swamped at work, had made a U–turn in his plans the moment he heard that Kristin would be attending.
Oh, what the sweet irony!
It seemed the allure of an old flame still had the power to burn fiercely.
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Eve darkened her eyes with resentment. The mere thought of Kristin stirred a tempest within
her.
Back in their school days, Eve had tried to sabotage Kristin’s chance to shine in the spotlight. She had secretly placed a razor blade inside Kristin’s ballet slipper, hoping to ruin her performance. Yet, even as blood soaked the satin, Kristin persevered, dancing gracefully until the very end.
Eve’s scheme had backfired spectacularly, catapulting Kristin into the limelight and earning her the adoration of everyone, including Caleb. Since then, Caleb had locked Kristin deep in his
heart.
At the FitzGerald family, the family dinner was unfolding.
When Rhett entered with Kristin cradling Summer in her arms, the FitzGerald family’s servants nearly dropped their jaws to the floor.
Good heavens… Kristin was nothing short of mesmerizing, already ensnaring the affections of their master.
“Kris!” Caleb called out, spotting Kristin trailing behind Rhett. He sprang to his feet and rushed over, a mix of excitement and nervousness in his step.
“What are you doing here?” Vincent questioned Kristin with a furrowed brow, his tone laced with suspicion.
“Are you blind?” Rhett interjected, taking Kristin’s hand in his. “You should regard Kristin as my wife.”
