Accidentally Pregnant After Divorcing The Billionaire - Chapter 172: Chapter 172

The day after Irene asked why Jonathan lent his car to Teresa was the very day he applied to change the license plate. At present, the license plate on the Maybach was TJ143.
Michael only recognized the numbers. "Mr. Lime, what do the squiggly lines at the front mean?"
"I'll tell you when you're all grown up," said Jonathan.
"It's a promise, then. Don't forget that, Mr. Lime," Michael stated.
At that moment, Jonathan suddenly realized Michael no longer called him "Mr. Daddy Lime." Instead of probing, Jonathan gently patted Michael on the head. "All right, I won't forget."
"Mr. Lynn," the driver softly reminded. "You have a meeting scheduled with the CEO of Strategic Dynamics Group at three o'clock."
Hearing that Jonathan had to return to work, Michael clung tightly to Jonathan and looked up at him. "Mr. Lime, can you play with me a bit longer, please?"
Jonathan could not bring himself to say no, hence asking, "Play what?"
Michael replied, "Can you lift me high up in the air like I'm flying?"
Bending over, Jonathan placed his hands under Michael's armpits and lifted the boy like a plane soaring into the sky. Michael guffawed with joy.
Jennifer, who was looking for Michael, saw that scene from across the street and frowned.
She wanted to take Michael back, but she paused and thought better of it. Then, she walked back into the daycare center to have a word with the teacher.
Soon after, the daycare teacher approached Jonathan and Michael. "Mike, you can't just run off like that. C'mon, let's go back."
It was then that Jonathan noticed the daycare sign and realized what was going on. He gently set Michael down. Michael looked at Jonathan longingly. "Bye, Mr. Lime."
"See you, Mike." Jonathan watched as the teacher took Michael's hand and walked away. Only then did he tear his gaze away and hop into the car.
The driver looked at the rearview mirror and noticed a fleeting hint of sadness in Jonathan's eyes. Curious, he asked, "Mr. Lynn, do you really like children?"
Jonathan did not deny it. If he and Teresa had a child, he would love them dearly. Jonathan grew up without a father, so if he ever had a kid to call his own, he would give them the world.
At night, Teresa planned to pick Michael up from Miriam's house, only to be told by Miriam that Jennifer had already beat her to the punch.
When Teresa returned to Rosary Estates, Jennifer said to her, "That bestie of yours is so carefree, dropping Mike off at the daycare without even a word. What if something happened?"
Teresa furrowed her brows slightly. "Don't say that, Hannah. Miriam has a job to worry about. I'm already grateful she watched Michael for me."
Jennifer pursed her lips and changed the subject. "I've arranged with the hospital to switch shifts. Just focus on the company's product launch event. I'll take care of Mike for the next few days."
Teresa nodded and went to the room to check on Michael, noticing a tinge of sadness in his eyes. She asked, "What's wrong?"
Shaking his head, Michael jumped into Teresa's embrace. "Mommy! I saw Mr. Lime today and even said hi. He came back from his business trip. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Oh, I forgot. I'll be so busy and coming home late for the next couple of days, so Aunt Hannah will be looking after you," pronounced Teresa.
"Mommy, why don't you send me over to Mr. Lime's place just like before New Year's Day? He can accompany me!" Michael suggested.
Teresa froze. "Why? Don't you like Aunt Hannah?"
"I do... Aunt Hannah is family, and I like her. Still, I like Mr. Lime even more!" Michael voiced.
That rendered Teresa speechless. Seeing Teresa unmoved, Michael continued to plead, "Mommy, I'll be good. I promise I won't call Mr. Lime Daddy. I also promise I won't mention your name."
Teresa's eyes became red with tears. With Michael's sweet talk, she could not say no to him. After comforting Michael, she promised to think about it before she left the room.
Grabbing the coat, Teresa was all ready to head out when, out of the blue, Jennifer clenched her wrist and questioned, "Where do you think you're going?"
"That's my business. Even if you're my sister, you should cut me some slack." Teresa shook off Jennifer's grip with a cold expression, but Jennifer then clasped Teresa's other wrist.
"I heard what Mike said to you just now. It's my fault that I got distracted today, and he ran across the street. Your ex's car just happened to be on Capston North Road. Mike saw him, so he went over to say hi," Jennifer said.
"Since you heard it, I can't bear to see Mike beg me like this. It's my fault. I'll talk this out with Jonathan. Not letting them reunite is too cruel for Mike," uttered Teresa.
"Cruel? What about his family trying to take Mike away from you? Isn't it cruel to hear the boy cry for his mom?" Jennifer remarked, and Teresa's steps stopped altogether.
A sigh escaped Jennifer. "You're too soft-hearted! Mike isn't even three. What could he possibly understand? If somebody else was nice to him, he'd be just as happy and attached to them.
"I've been keeping this for too long. I even switched the DNA samples for you. If you tell your ex now, all my efforts will go down the drain!"
Teresa turned around and eyed Jennifer in disbelief, and a hint of guilt toward Donald flitted across Jennifer's eyes. "I was the one who switched the hair samples for the test!
"Your ex came to our hospital to see his cousin and asked Donald for a DNA test. I swapped the samples while Donald wasn't looking. What, you think you could keep the truth about Mike from him until now?"
Coming to her senses, Teresa grabbed Jennifer by the shoulders. "Are you out of your mind, Hannah? You don't have to do this for me. You're a doctor. Misusing your power like this is illegal. If you get caught, your career will be ruined."
"I know, but you're my sister. Since you wanna keep this a secret, I'll help you. I wasn't thinking straight at the time.
"Besides, we'll be leaving Nareigh sooner or later. Your ex doesn't know about the boy, so nobody knows about what I did. Once we're gone, it'll be like nothing ever happened," came Jennifer's speech.
Powerless, Teresa loosened her grip. At that moment, she understood it all.
She learned why Jonathan claimed that Michael was not his son. Jonathan had gone to Donald at the hospital for a DNA test, but it was not that Lady Luck smiled at her and kept the secret for her; it was Jennifer who switched the samples.
Teresa had also asked Cheryl to keep Michael's background a secret, yet the stakes were different. Cheryl was Jonathan's cousin, so Jonathan would spare Cheryl; Jennifer, though, would be a different story, not to mention she was a doctor.
Teresa dreaded to imagine what Jonathan would do to expose Jennifer's identity should he find out about it.
Jennifer blurted out, "If you tell your ex now, I'll be screwed. He'll expose me, and I'll lose my hard-earned job and have my medical license revoked. His family will then take Mike away. By then, you'll have nothing left."
Pausing briefly, she went on, "So, are you still gonna tell him about Mike? Haven't you realized yet?"
Teresa was speechless. She stayed silent for a long time, clenching her fists tightly, and then she stepped out, shutting the door behind her.
Jennifer stared at Teresa's departing figure. Deep down, she wondered if Teresa would spill everything about Michael to Jonathan, waiting to see whose side Teresa would pick—hers or Jonathan's.