Oops! My Secret Baby Is Caught By His Top-Lawyer Daddy! Novel

---- Chapter 61: A Best Actress... Reduced to Blind Dates?! After dinner, Scarlett sat through the evening news with her dad-only to be ambushed by her mom's hour-long rant session. She had already been on her feet all day, followed by a two-hour car ride-Scarlett was on the brink of a full-blown meltdown. "Can you not chant the same mantras over and over again? If I hear it one more time, I swear I'm out of here! It's just the same two lines on loop-I'm gonna lose it!" she snapped. Scarlett's mom smacked her lightly on the head. "What's the use of having a daughter like you?!

You're almost thirty and still not married! We barely see you more than twice a year, and the one time we do, you won't even let me nag youa little!" By the end of her tirade, her voice was already choking with tears. ---- Scarlett was speechless. You're the one doing the smacking, and now you're the one crying? Her dad was frantically winking at her from the sidelines. Left with no choice, Scarlett threw an arm around her mom's shoulders and rested her head against them. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I've been a terrible daughter. I'll come home more often, alright?

I know you're just looking out for me. I'll get married soon-ASAP. Like, right away. Happy now? Please don't cry..." Her mom wiped her eyes. "Alright, enough. Go to bed. You need to get up early tomorrow to go grocery shopping with me!" "Grocery shopping?" Scarlett lifted her head. The thought of navigating the crowded market full of sharp-elbowed aunties made her temples throb. With her pitiful stamina, there was no way she'd survive the battlefield. She offered a weak protest, "Is there... another option?" ---- Her mom didn't miss a beat. "There is." Scarlett brightened instantly.

She'd gladly do anything else-literally anything but the market. Her mom said, "You're meeting Aunt Julie's son for lunch tomorrow." So that's what this was about! Scarlett nearly passed out on the spot. In that case, I'd rather go to the market! She-a newly crowned Best Actress-was being dragged to a blind date?! "You don't want to go?" Her mom's tone rose at the end-not quite a question, more of a threat. The kind that screamed: Say no, and see what happens. Her dad was over there blinking at her so hard it looked like he was having an eye spasm. Scarlett sighed. "Fine, I'll go.

Happy now?" Finally free, she retreated to her room and flopped face-down on the bed, too exhausted to move. ---- A few minutes later, her dad walked in and sat beside her. "Don't overthink it. Your mom's been overreacting ever since her check-up came back with borderline high blood sugar and all that. Got her spiraling-she's worried we'll get too old to take care of you. It's nothing serious, she just needs a little peace of mind. So just go tomorrow, play nice, make her happy." Scarlett sat up and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Dad... am 1 a bad daughter?

You guys have been worrying about me since I was little, and you're still worrying now." He patted her hand. "You're the pride of our lives. Our very own movie star! You've made us so proud. But come on-what parent doesn't worry? Don't stress. Love will come when it's meant to. Your old man gets it." They talked for a while longer before her dad left the room. Her phone had been buzzing this whole time-it was a video call from Derek. Scarlett didn't even want to pick up. ---- She lay down under the covers, and tears welled up in her eyes.

A wave of helplessness washed over her-one she didn't know how to fight. The next morning, she helped her dad with his plants on the balcony. When her mom came back from grocery shopping, Scarlett obediently helped sort and wash the veggies. At eleven, her mom started shooing her out the door. They had agreed to meet at a café. When, Scarlett arrived, the guy hadn't shown up yet. She ordered a coffee, snapped a pic, and sent it to her group chat with Sierra and Clara: "Ladies, I'm officially on a blind date. Send help." Ding! Clara: "No way!!" Ding!

Sierra: "OMG!!" Scarlett: "Anyone free in a bit? If I send an SOS,