Belle's words left Michelle and Chasel both amused and exasperated. The tension in the room instantly eased.
"Belle, Daddy is back, so you can't wear that anymore!" Michelle quickly explained.
"No! I don't care! He's not my Daddy; he just isn't!" Belle's eyes were filled with tears, her voice trembling, making it hard for anyone not to feel their heart melt.
Michelle hadn't expected that a child's logic could be so simple yet so stubborn."Just wait a moment, I'll be right back!" Chasel said quickly, turning to leave.
"Mommy, I want Daddy! I want Daddy!" Belle cried. "All the other kids at preschool have Daddies, and I don't!"
"They all say I'm a wild child!"
Belle buried her face in Michelle's arms, tears streaming down her cheeks as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Michelle held Belle tightly, her own voice choked with emotion. "Belle isn't a wild child. Belle has a Daddy, and he's back now."
"Just be good, Belle. Don't cry! Daddy will be here soon!"
Michelle kept comforting Belle. Although Chasel hadn't said anything, Michelle had a good idea of where he had gone. She just hoped he would return soon.
Every time Belle cried out for her dad, Michelle felt helpless and heartbroken. The more Belle cried, the more Michelle despised that man.Moments later, while Michelle was still soothing Belle in her arms, the little girl suddenly stopped crying. She wiped her tears with her tiny hands, her eyes widening in surprise as she looked over Michelle's shoulder.
"Daddy!" Belle whispered.
Michelle quickly followed Belle's gaze and turned around.
In an instant, her eyes widened in shock. There stood Chasel, dressed in military gear, striding toward them in the warm glow of the setting sun.
He looked dignified and commanding, standing out amidst the bustling traffic and the crowd.
He was truly a sight to behold!
"Daddy, it really is Daddy!" Belle exclaimed, her face lighting up with joy.
Belle immediately broke into a joyful smile, wriggling out of Michelle's embrace. She took small, excited steps, her little hands reaching out as she stumbled toward Chasel."Daddy, you're back!"
In that moment, Chasel felt his eyes well up with tears. A radiant smile spread across his face, one that came straight from the heart. He scooped Belle up into his arms, holding her tightly.
"Daddy, why didn't you come back to see me? Did you know how much I missed you?"
Belle clung to Chasel's neck, as if afraid he might disappear at any moment.
"Daddy, are you going to leave me and Mommy again?"
"Daddy, will you still pick me up from school?"
Belle kept firing questions, her grip never loosening for a second.
"Belle, I promise I'll always be by your side from now on. Don't worry, Daddy won't leave you again!"
Chasel gently patted Belle's little head, smoothing out her two braids as he spoke with conviction."Yay! That's amazing! Daddy will never leave me again!"
Belle shouted with joy. Then, she finally released her grip on Chasel's neck and extended her pinky finger. "Let's make a pinky promise!"
Chasel was taken aback for a moment, then quickly extended his hand.
"Promise on a hook, a hundred years without changing!"
Belle was overjoyed.
Chasel chuckled as he linked pinkies with her, then they bumped their thumbs together to seal the deal.
Michelle, watching the heartwarming scene between father and daughter, felt a moment of daze.
It had been a long time since Belle had laughed so happily. She thought to herself that even if it was a lie, this time, she had done the right thing.
A kind lie was far better than a cruel truth.
Before long, Belle asked Chasel to set her down.
Then, she reached out her little hand and pulled Chasel over to Michelle.
Next, she extended her other hand to grasp one of Michelle's delicate fingers, gently pulling her hand to meet Chasel's larger one.
At the moment of contact, Michelle's face flushed a deep red.
Her soft palm trembled slightly, but ultimately, she kept her hand in place to avoid raising any suspicion with Belle.
"Daddy, that's not right. You need to hold Mommy's hand!"
Seeing that Chasel wasn't making any moves, Belle began to correct him.
Chasel didn't think much of it, but after all, he and Michelle were still just strangers in a professional relationship. He glanced at her, noticing her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red. She gently nodded in response.With her approval, Chasel finally took Michelle's delicate hand in his. The moment their hands touched, he felt a smooth, soft sensation that was unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
This was a new feeling for Chasel. Over the past five years, he had completed countless missions, faced life-and-death situations, and ultimately earned glory before retiring in honor. Now, he was in charge of the most mysterious organization in China, "Aurelian," a name that commanded respect and fear.
Yet, aside from that one brief encounter with Michelle five years ago, he had never touched a woman. Even that night, he had lost consciousness and acted purely on instinct, without truly feeling anything.
At that moment, Chasel was nothing like the formidable Aurelian Mills who struck fear into his enemies. Instead, he felt like a shy young man, his breath quickening with excitement.
Seeing Chasel and Michelle holding hands, Belle placed her small hand on top of theirs and exclaimed, "From now on, Daddy, Mommy, and little Belle will never be apart!"
"That's right, we will never be apart!" Chasel quickly echoed, his heart swelling with warmth.
Belle eagerly pulled Chasel along to a nearby classmate. "Rylee, did you see? This is my dad! He came to pick me up from school!"
"Tatum, I have a dad, so you can't tease me about not having one anymore."
...
Belle continued to introduce Chasel proudly to one classmate after another.
Chasel played along, smiling and warmly greeting each student.
If any of Chasel's enemies had seen this scene, they would have been left speechless. The fierce and ruthless Aurelian Mills, known for his cold demeanor on the battlefield, had suddenly turned into such a gentle figure.However, when Belle led Chasel to a well-dressed little boy, before she could introduce him, the boy reached out to push Belle away, sneering, "Who knows if this is really your dad? Get away from me, you dad-less brat!"
Chasel reacted swiftly. He immediately scooped Belle up in his arms, preventing the boy's hand from touching her.
But the boy, in his eagerness to shove Belle, lost his balance and stumbled forward.
Chasel's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness, but he quickly reached out to steady the boy, preventing him from falling.
Yet, this scene caught the attention of a glamorous woman nearby, who immediately exploded with rage. "How dare you bully my son? Do you know who I am? If Larry gets hurt, you'll regret it!"
As she spoke, the boy named Larry pushed Chasel's hand away and glared at him with venomous eyes, bursting into tears. "Mom, he hit me!"