Miracle Cutie Chapter 23: The Staircase Fall

Zoe was in for a rough start to her day. The director's scolding came down hard during her very first scene. She needed Daniel's support—urgently!

Desperate, Zoe changed her number and called him again. This time, Nina, who had just finished her early education class, picked up the phone. Nina loved playing with Daniel's phone and was now an expert at answering calls... and ending them. Her chubby little finger pressed the green "answer" button, and Zoe's voice came through the speaker.

"Daniel, do you have some time? Let's meet up. There are some things I want to say to you."

Zoe's tone was smooth, softer now, as if she were trying to pacify him. But before she could get any further, Nina's high-pitched, milky voice rang out, loud and clear.

"No listen! You bad!"

With a determined little push, Nina jabbed her chubby finger into the 'end call' button, severing the conversation. Not satisfied with just hanging up, Nina raised her hand, ready to throw the phone across the room.

"Oh, no, no! Not again! Sweetheart!" Daniel gasped, but he quickly held himself back, lowering his voice, trying not to scare her.

Last time, Nina totally smashed his phone; the screen was all cracked up. While he could afford to replace the phone, the hassle of transferring all his data was a nightmare! With lightning speed, Daniel grabbed the phone from her tiny hands just in time. He quickly blocked Zoe's new number, not even flinching at the thought of it.

He had heard everything she'd said. If this had been before yesterday, Zoe's attempt to reach out might have thrilled him. But now? Now, hearing her voice just made him feel… nauseous.

Both Daniel and Benjamin shared a certain level of fastidiousness, though Daniel wasn't as extreme as his brother. Yet, his mental fastidiousness had reached its breaking point with Zoe.

Daniel, holding Nina in his arms, looked at her seriously. "Sweetheart, from now on, I'm not going to have any more contact with that woman. I don't like her anymore. I'm only going to like you from now on."

Nina nodded solemnly, her chubby little face looking just as serious as Daniel's. “Okay!”

With their decision made, it was time for some fun. Nina, having just finished her class, was as busy as ever. After playing with her friends, she headed off to the mall's children's play area, where she was meeting Nelson. The two had become fast friends.

While Nina was lost in play, Daniel sat in the waiting area, scrolling through his phone. He casually opened Instagram, and the first thing that popped up was a notification from a gossip account about Mabel's latest scandals.

Two days ago, Mabel's reputation had been destroyed. Her dirty laundry was all over the tabloids. She had previously accused Amelia of seducing her boyfriend, but now, images and private messages were exposed: Mabel secretly sleeping with her pregnant friend's husband, making cruel remarks about her friend's figure, and mocking her in private chats.

Netizens were shocked. Bob Robinson, who had been engaged to Mabel, had immediately called off the engagement. Not only was Mabel's reputation ruined, but she also took down the Harrison family's brand with her. The Harrison family was furious, and Mabel was quickly sinking into disgrace.

Seeing Mabel's downfall made Daniel smirk. "You loved using public opinion to bully others, huh? Now it's your turn to taste it."

Daniel had previously had someone investigate Amelia's background. He vividly remembered the cyberbullying Amelia had suffered, all because of Mabel. Now, with Benjamin still unconscious, Daniel felt responsible for protecting Amelia.

He also remembered something else: Amelia was only twenty-three this year, two months younger than him—and a full five years younger than Benjamin! The fact that she had already given birth to Nina at such a young age made Daniel's blood boil. He looked at Benjamin and thought, What a bastard.

Daniel scrolled further through his feed and saw posts about himself. His unfollowing of Zoe's accounts had sparked plenty of speculation. Fans were torn, with some accusing him of clinging to Zoe's fame, while others were still praising her charm.

It all felt tiresome. Daniel wasn't interested in the drama. He searched for Amelia's account and followed her on every platform. Then, he posted a simple message on his profile: "It's over."

As soon as the post went live, comments flooded in. The top comment was from Lucas' alternate account.

BeAGoodPerson: "Oh? Turning over a new leaf? Giving up the chase?"

Daniel's reply was brief: "Yeah, giving up."

BeAGoodPerson: "Not bad. Wanna hang out tonight?"

Daniel responded quickly: "Nah, I'm on daddy duty."

As soon as he mentioned Nina, Lucas stopped commenting on the post and sent Daniel a message on WhatsApp instead.

"You're still looking after Nina? How is she now? Did she play with the toys I had delivered to your place?"