LM
CHAPTERS 648 - 650
CHAPTER 648
Jane said with a smile. "Our baby is already four years old, and your son isn't even born yet. How can he prebook my baby?"
Laura squeezed herself next to Jane, "Woman, I'm serious. I'm not joking with you. I have been thinking, since I can't have a lovely and beautiful daughter like Janell, it would be nice to have her as my daughter-in-law instead."
Jane rolled her eyes. "Who says she's not your daughter? I've long agreed that she's your god-daughter."
"That's not the same." Laura was getting impatient again. "Woman, you just need to say it. Do you want Janell to be engaged to my son?"
"No!" Jane knew that Laura was serious, but she was serious too.
"Laura, our children should decide their own lives. How can we as parents have the right to choose a partner for them? What we like might not be what they like in the future."
Jane put Janell on her lap while she plaited her hair, "My baby's life can only be decided on her own. No one can make the decisions for her. When she's all grown up, she can choose the boy she likes, I will not stop her as long as she likes him."
Laura asked, "What if Janell fancied a man who didn't have a proper job and you didn't like him at all?"
"Well, I think my Janell is a decent girl, so the boys she will like won't be too bad either." Jane was very confident with Janell.
"But I like Janell very much." Laura really liked Janell. Since she was carrying a baby boy, she thought she could grab the opportunity to have Janell for herself.
"When I grew up. I will go and look for Brother Lucas."
The two adults had had a long chat and Janell had been listening. She was too young to understand what was going on, but she remembered the vow she had with Lucas. When she grew up, she would definitely go and look for Lucas.
"Yes, when you grow up, you will go and find Brother Lucas." Jane looked at Laura and smiled. "You see, she already has her own mind at such a young age. So who do you think can control her when she's all grown up?"
"Then I will look forward to the baby in your womb being a baby boy instead.
Then, I'll have another daughter in the future! We will definitely become in-laws one day." Laura had always been obsessed with anyone with good-looks.
Whenever she saw children that were good-looking, she had always wanted them to be part of her family so that all the good genes would run in their family.
"Miss Ferdinand, have you been too idle lately? What kind of things have you been thinking all day?" Jane poked her head.
"Since you like my daughter so much, I shall leave her to you today. You guys can enjoy yourself. I'll have a rest day at home." She didn't sleep well last night, so she really didn't have the energy to go shopping.
If she tried forcing herself, it would be troublesome if it affected the baby in her belly too. So she decided to just stay at home instead.
Laura quickly held Janell in her arms. "Of course it's not a problem to babysit Janell. But are you not feeling well?"
Jane shook her head and denied, "No, I'm fine. It's the jet lag. I haven't gotten over it, and I keep feeling sleepy."
"You're pregnant that's why. Then you should just rest at home today. I'll bring the two kids to my place and look after them. We shall not let them bother you."
Laura wished that she could help solve all of Jane's problems.
"Laura, thank you very much!"
There were two most fortunate things that happened to Jane: first, was to have met Faye Reed, and second, was to have met Edwin Carter.
Although Edwin and Jane's relationship ended with a divorce, she did not regret meeting him, marrying him, and having two children with him.
Robert Michael went out to meet up with an old classmate after breakfast. Laura then took over babysitting Janell and Andrew, and Jane went home to rest.
It was snowing outside today, so it was not suitable to bring the kids out. Laura cancelled the plans to go out, and let Janell and Andrew play at her place.
Andrew was a really good and understanding child. While he was looking after his sister, making sure that she didn't get hurt, he was also doing some homework at the same time.
His uncle had told him that the schools in the United States were different from that in Jiangbei, so he had to work harder so as not to disappoint his parents.
Janell wasn't bothered about learning. She was still too young to take learning seriously. The fact that she was well-versed in a few languages had also saved hers a lot of trouble.
"Janell, come here." John Alex waved at Janell as he walked out of the study.
"Uncle John, why are you looking for my sister?"
Andrew pulled Janell and stopped her from entering the study alone. He was on guard.
"I was chatting with Uncle Hal. And he wants to talk to Janell." John answered truthfully even when he was being questioned by a child.
"Andrew, don't worry. I will be with Janell." Laura patted Andrew's head approvingly.
Andrew did the right thing. Even if it was his uncle, he could not just let him take his sister into the room alone. With Laura's company, Andrew was more at ease to let his sister go.
John was looking for Janell because Assistant Hal Barnes knew that Janell was at their place. And he had requested to have a video chat with Janell.
Of course Janell wasn't going to have a video chat with Assistant Hal. Without a doubt, it was the big boss who was looking for his daughter.
John put Janell on the office chair. He turned on the video and said, "Baby, you stay here. Auntie and I will wait for you outside."
"Daddy!" As she saw her daddy appear on the computer screen, Janell's eyes were filled with joy. All she could see was only her daddy.
"Baby, did you miss daddy?" Edwin was also looking at Janell. He wanted to pinch her chubby cheeks. However, even when she was right in front of him, she was unreachable! So close yet so far.
"I miss daddy very very much." When she saw her father on the screen, Janell was too excited she almost kissed her father on the computer screen.
"I miss you too baby, very very much." It was still the gentle voice of her father that she was familiar with, coming from the speaker.
"Daddy…" Janell called her father again. She pursed her lips and pulled a sad face. "Baby, are you trying to cry?"
Edwin's heart ached when he saw Janell about to cry, but he put on a smile anyway.
"I miss daddy." She wanted her father's hug, but he couldn't do so, that's why she wanted to cry.
Edwin said softly, "As long as you are a good girl, and as long as you don't cry, when i'm done with work, I will go to the States to be with you and mommy, ok?"
"Is it true, daddy?" Janell blinked her big gorgeous eyes and couldn't quite believe her father's words.
CHAPTER 649
"When has daddy ever lied to you?" Edwin Carter reached out his hand instinctively, he wanted to give his daughter a hug as usual. But when he stretched out his hand, he realized that his daughter was half a world away. Even if he decided to fly there, it would take him at least one day to reach her.
Janell asked in a soft voice, "Daddy, I miss you so much. Why don't you come and be with me now?" Janell could not understand at all. Her father was always by her side, so why did he not join her mommy and her this time?
Edwin replied gently, "Because daddy is busy with work."
"Daddy…" Janell was about to cry again. Her big fat tears welled in her eyes, they looked just like the most precious pearls on earth.
"Tell me, is it snowing in New York now?" Edwin immediately changed the subject because he didn't want to see his daughter crying.
"It's snowing. It's snowing really heavily. I'm at Auntie Laura's house now. Mommy and lazy Mia are at home sleeping."
As expected, Janell stopped crying. She was busy introducing New York to her father.
Edwin added, "Oh, so it's snowing in New York. Then are you cold?"
The always busy Chaitman Carter, whom people took months to make an appointment to see, was, at this moment, having all these small unimportant talks with his daughter.
"I've put on a really thick down jacket." Janell straightened her jacket and pointed at her beanie. "Thankfully I have this beanie on. It's not cold at all."
Edwin responded, "Oh, I was still wondering why my baby looks so cute today. Now I know, because you have put on new clothes and a new beanie."
"Daddy, I can play with the snow dolls in New York. But without you, it's not fun."
In Janell's heart, daddy was still the most important.
Edwin added, "Well...Should I buy some more snow dolls for you?"
Janell replied softly, "I want my daddy. I only want you. I don't want any snow dolls."
Edwin said, "Baby, I want to give you a task now. Once you finish it, I'll be there with you."
"Daddy, what task?" Janell asked excitedly.
Edwin said, "First of all, you can't tell mommy about the video chat you're having with me. This is our little secret."
"Ok, I understand, I will definitely not tell mommy." Janell quickly covered her mouth and turned around to check.
Seeing Janell's mysterious and adorable look, Edwin's heart melted instantly. He really wanted to hold the little fella in his arms and give her a kiss. Which meant, he had to deal with those things as soon as possible.
He had to sort out those people who had offended him, and strive to fly to New York and hold her as soon as possible.
Edwin smiled and asked, "Baby, I asked you to take care of mommy and not let mommy be sad. Did you do that?"
"This morning, I said that I missed daddy and mommy wasn' t very happy!" Janell remembered clearly that when she mentioned her daddy, mommy was upset immediately. as if she was going to cry.
"When you have mentioned about me, mommy got upset?" Edwin asked with a glimmer of hope even when he knew the answer.
"Yes." Janell didn't know anything about the situation, hence she answered honestly.
"Ok, I understand." Edwin covered up his real emotion very well. He smiled and said, "It's fine this time. From now on, you should continue to help daddy take care of mommy."
"You're not mad at me, daddy?"
"You have done a good job. You should be rewarded. How can I be angry?"
"I love you daddy." With her father's praise, Janell smiled sweetly.
Edwin continued, "From now on, you'll be daddy's eyes and ears. You'll come to Auntie Laura's house and report to daddy about what happens between you and mommy every day."
Janell replied sweetly, "Ok, I understand."
Edwin emphasized again, "Make sure to not let mommy know. This is our secret, ok?"
"Ok, I understand. I will definitely complete the task," Janell said in a soft voice and looked all mischievous.
Edwin laughed, "Ok then. Baby Janell, I'll see you tomorrow!"
"Tomorrow. daddy, I don't want to!" Janell wanted to reply with the same greetings, but when she thought of the ending of the video call, she got really sad and wanted to cry again.
"Good girl, baby!"
"I'm not a good girl!" She did not want to be a good girl, she wanted her daddy
"Did you forget what you promised me already?"
"I remember!" But what she had promised her father was not important. The more important thing was that she wanted her father to be by her side.
"Baby, do you want mommy to be sad?"
"Of course not!"
"If you don't want mommy to be sad, then you have to listen to daddy. I will chat with you again tomorrow."
With that, Edwin hung up the video call ruthlessly. If he looked at the little fella any longer with her almost crying face, he could really just fly to the States immediately.
But with the current situation, what could he do when he got to the States? Jane was determined to divorce him. He could never let her know that he had lied to her.
After Edwin hung up the call, Hal. Barnes, who had been waiting for a long time at his desk, immediately moved on with the topic they were discussing earlier.
"Chairman Carter, the Eternitee project is one of the projects that the Yates group has put in a lot of manpower, financial, and material resources to prepare for this year. Their investment has already reached 20 billion dollars so far."
"20 billion?" Edwin tapped his long slender fingers on the desk as usual. "The contract hasn't been signed yet, but the Yates Group has already invested so much?"
Hal immediately handed over the documents he had prepared and said, "Yates Group and Eternitee have been working with each other for a while now. This is not the first time they have done this. Somehow, it's still quite unbelievable for them to spend so much money without the contract."
Without hesitation, Edwin had made a decision. "Luis, go and find out the relationship between the Yates and Eternitee. Whatever you found, be it true or not, have it exposed immediately."
"Yes." Luis George took his order. It seemed that Chaitman Carter wanted to use the Eternitee project to attack the Yates Group this time.
As long as there is any problem with the Eternitee project, the Yates Group's 20 billion dollars would be gone just like that.
Let's see how many 20 billions the Yates Group could afford.
Luis took the order and proceeded to work on the investigation. Hal was still standing in front of Edwin's desk.
"Chairman Carter should I continue to keep an eye on what's going on in the States?"
Edwin raised his head and looked at him coldly. "What do you think?
"I've asked John Alex to pass on all the projects and tasks on hand to someone else. He will be in charge of your video calls with the little miss from now on."
Hal observed Edwin's expression closely as he spoke. Since Edwin didn't react much all throughout his proposal, it meant that he had made the right arrangements..
CHAPTER 650
It was such a waste just thinking about it. Chairman Carter was probably the only person who could afford to waste a talent like this.
John Alex was a Ph.D. graduate from a prestigious university. With his skills and capabilities, he had somehow ended up in charge of the video calls between the father and daughter
However, John Alex accepted the task. After all, his wife was about to give birth. It was not like he was getting paid less for staying at home with his wife anyway.
It was definitely something most people would wish for. Hal Barnes took himself as an example. He had wanted a more relaxed job and not be as busy everyday. He had also wished to not have to be always on his toes beside his chairman.
If he could get all these while getting paid the same, then he would totally be more than satisfied.
"Is there anything else?" Edwin's cold voice came. Hal, who was still fantasizing about the future, was pulled back to reality by the cold voice of his chairman.
He left immediately. As soon as Hal left, Edwin lit up a cigarette and puffed on it half heartedly while staring out of the French window.
He knew that Janell had to be crying now. Just now, the little fella's tears had already started streaming down her face. She was trying really hard to hold back the tears.
He knew that when he hung up, Janell would definitely cry sadly. At the thought of Janell's sad expression, Edwin could not sit still any longer. He got up and picked up the jacket hanging on the side and left.
It was way after working hours, but all the assistants working outside his office were still busy with their works.
"Chairman Carter!" Hal rushed over and waited for his master's order. "I'll be going on leave for a few days, but don't spread the news." Edwin informed him briefly and left.
Hal lamented. He probably wouldn't have any chance to rest in the upcoming days. He returned to the office and immediately delegated the tasks Edwin had ordered.
His boss sure had his own reasons to not spread the news out. Hal didn't dare to have any second guesses. All he had to do was follow the chairman's orders.
As soon as Edwin hung up the call, Janell burst into tears instantly.
If she didn't see her father, she didn't seem to miss him that much. But now that she had seen her father but couldn't be with him, she really couldn't accept that.
Laura Ferdinand and John Alex rushed in immediately and asked worriedly, "Janell, what's wrong?"
"I want daddy." Janell cried loudly and heart wrenchingly. She only wanted her daddy. She couldn't even remember what she had promised him just now, so long her daddy was with her.
"Don't cry Janell. As long as you're a good girl, daddy will come to see mommy soon." Laura tried her best to calm the crying Janell down.
"Daddy doesn't want me anymore." Her father had never left her side ever before. Even when her father was busy with work, whenever she video-called him, he would never hang up on her.
But he did that today. Janell, who had been missing her father so dearly really couldn't accept that.
"How can your daddy not want you. He would never leave you because he loves you so so much.."
Laura tried to persuade Janell but she didn't stop crying. Janell could no longer listen to what the others said. She had only one thing in mind, that was, she missed her daddy and really wanted to be with him.
In the end, Laura couldn't calm Janell down, but she was also worried that all that crying would do her harm. She had no choice but to take Janell back to Jane.
When Janell saw her mother, she cried even louder. She was crying as if she had been bullied by everyone in the world.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Jane held Janell in her arms. She was worried and distressed.
"I miss daddy!" Although she had promised daddy that she would not mention him in front of mommy, she was only a four-year-old child after all. She had completely forgotten about her promise when she was sad.
Jane didn't know what to say. Jane tried to say something but didn't quite know how to explain it to Janell.
Was she supposed to tell the little fella that mommy and daddy had a divorce.
Daddy didn't want her, so mommy would be taking care of her from now on? Edwin had raised Janell all on his own. Even if Edwin decided not to claim custody for Janell, Jane insisted to not speak ill of Edwin in front of Janell.
She hoped that the impression Janell had of Edwin was the tall and heroic figure, and that no one could ever replace him.
She really did not know how to explain it to Janell. All Jane could do was to hug her tightly, stroke her back and comfort her in her own way.
No one could stop Janell from crying. It took her a really long time to eventually stop and fall asleep in Jane's arms.
Laura said worriedly, "Janell has never left her father's side since she was a baby. It's totally normal for her to miss her father. So don't worry too much."
Jane smiled helplessly and said, "It's okay. She'll make it through."
When Jane proposed the divorce, Jane had taken into consideration that Janell had never left her father, so she wanted to give her custody to Edwin.
Who would've thought that Edwin decided to decline it? It was beyond Jane's expectation for Edwin to give up Janell's custody.
Eventually, she accepted it without giving it much thought. She really wanted to raise Janell anyway. Since Edwin was unwilling to keep Janell, and it was what she had desired, it wasn't that bad an idea after all.
But in Janell's heart, all she cared about was her father. It was very hard for her to accept that her father was no longer by her side.
Laura said, "Jane, actually..."
"Laura, stop. I understand." Jane interrupted Laura with a smile and said, "You don't have to make us breakfast from now onwards. I'm not that useless. You don't have to worry about me all the time. You're still carrying a baby and are due any time now. You are the one that we should be protecting instead."
Laura responded, "I'm fine..."
Jane interrupted her. "Laura, I am fine too. Please trust me, I can really do it."
When she was betrayed in the past, she was able to come out from it. So what else could be stopping her now?
Nothing.
She believed firmly that she could do it. She could work hard and take good care of her children. She could do it all... She didn't need anyone else to have everything done for her.
"Jane, I.."
"Laura, don't you believe me?"
With Jane's words, Laura understood that instant. She finally understood why Edwin proposed a divorce and why she did not want her to be taking care of her all the time.
Because she was Jane Ronan!
Since young, Jane had been very independent. She had no one to help her. She was used to taking care of herself and being held accountable for whatever she did.
She went through a lot later on. She had lost her memories, and for a very long time, she did not even know her own identity. One day, when she recalled everything, many things had changed..
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