Meanwhile, Janey gazed at Mitchel with her wide, admiring eyes, captivated by his presence.

As their eyes locked, Mitchel glimpsed his own reflection in Janey's innocent gaze. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. How wonderful it would be if this little girl were Raegan's and his own. Although he recognized the notion as absurd, he couldn't shake it.

Janey, despite only meeting Mitchel once at the airport, harbored a deep liking for him. She stubbornly believed that Mitchel should be her daddy, drawn to him because his face resembled the one from her dreams.

As Mitchel held Janey in his arms, a sudden panic gripped Raegan, her face turning pale. The unsettling idea that Mitchel might steal Janey away from her flashed through her mind, leaving her shocked.

But, to her knowledge, he wasn't Janey's biological father.

"Janey!" Raegan shouted anxiously as she swiftly snatched Janey out of Mitchel's arms. "Don't call him like that again!"

Janey was shocked by Raegan's reaction, and her lips pursed as if on the verge of tears.

Observing this, Mitchel couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Janey.

Just as Mitchel was about to say something, Raegan squatted down and met Janey's eyes, her tone notably softer but serious. "Janey Foster, this man is not your father. You can't just call a stranger ‘Daddy’.

Understand?"

A stranger? Raegan's words descended on Mitchel like an unanticipated cascade of icy water, causing him to recoil in surprise. So that was what he was to her now. A stranger. Had their baby survived, she would likely have been just as adorable as Janey. Regrettably, it was impossible.

Confused, Janey glanced between Mitchel and Raegan, feeling wronged and on the brink of tears. She had chosen Mitchel as her daddy since their meeting at the airport.

Raegan let out a sigh, her voice gentle as she spoke to Janey. "Come here, sweetheart. I need you to understand something. The man over there is not your father. If you keep calling him ‘Daddy,’ it might cause some problems for him. Do you understand me?"

Janey, being still in her early years, couldn't fully comprehend everything. Yet, she instinctively understood the importance of not causing trouble for other people. So, the daddy she had chosen didn't wish to have a little girl like her? A wave of sadness engulfed her.

At that moment, Janey felt as if she had offered someone her favorite doll, only to have it callously discarded.

Janey's eyes welled up with disappointment as she responded, “Okay, I see..."

Upon witnessing Janey's emotional state, Raegan tenderly reached out, gently touching Janey's head. “Well, say goodbye to him then."

At this time, Mitchel had already stepped out of his car, positioning himself in front of them. He had overheard Raegan's words to Janey, sensing the weight of the situation. She said Janey's calling him that way would make him troubled. Well, he didn't mind. He was prepared to embrace every challenge willingly.

Reluctantly, Janey waved at Mitchel and uttered a soft, “Goodbye, sir.”

Her voice carried a somber tone, on the brink of tears.