Unmasked My CEO Ex-Husband’s Regret novel Chapter 10

Julian's throat closed around a dozen words, leaving him choking as he managed a dry, "You ran into Sebastian?"

"Yeah!"

Melody nodded enthusiastically, eager to answer first. "Sebastian bought me a strawberry cream cake and invited Mommy and me to his birthday party."

Julian's expression softened slightly.

Sebastian had always remembered Elara's kindness from childhood and was far more attentive to her than to him, his uncle. Knowing he had intended to invite her anyway, it made perfect sense that he would just bring them along if he bumped into them.

As long as Elara hadn't bypassed him and unilaterally decided to bring Melody, it was fine.

At that thought, Julian recalled Sebastian glaring at him earlier, aggressively demanding an explanation when he handed over the gift.

Was it because Sebastian knew he had hidden the invitation from Elara?

But Elara was looking at him with her usual warm smile, offering zero clues.

"I'm sorry."

Julian broke eye contact with Elara and turned to Melody. He instinctively reached out to pat her head, only to realize her hair was elaborately styled and topped with a diamond tiara, leaving nowhere to place his hand.

"I've been so swamped with work lately that it totally slipped my mind."

Elara chimed in, "I figured that was the case! That's why I sent you that WeChat message. I wanted to get our stories straight so I wouldn't accidentally say the wrong thing to Sebastian and make things awkward."

Julian stared blankly.

Elara looked bewildered. "You didn't see it? I sent it around six!"

"..."

At six o'clock, he and Vivian were en route to the Vance Estate.

Julian had indeed received messages from Elara—three of them, in fact.

But the notification preview only showed [Picture]. Assuming it was just more random photos of Melody after school, he hadn't bothered to open the chat.

He never imagined she had actually told him about this.

Julian felt a surge of irritation.

If you have something to say, say it. Who just sends a picture and expects people to know what it means?

If he had read the messages then, he wouldn't have been blindsided and cornered by Sebastian.

Having known him for over a decade, Elara knew Julian inside and out. How could she possibly miss his undisguised annoyance?

"When you didn't text back, I figured you hadn't seen it."

Elara's heart ached in throbbing waves, but she played the role of the devoted wife perfectly, ignoring his silent accusations and smoothly offering him an out so he wouldn't lose face in public.

"So, the second Melody and I finished our makeup, we came looking for you. Did we make it in time?"

He couldn't exactly say no, so Julian gritted his teeth. "You made it."

"The Winthrop family?"

Before Julian could speak, Vivian stepped forward, extending a hand with a freshly manicured nail. "Hello, Ms. Sterling."

Elara shook it. "Hello."

Letting go, Vivian pulled her fur shawl tighter. Stripped of her submissive office demeanor, her tone carried a distinct haughtiness. "Have you heard of Winthrop Global?"

"Winthrop Global?"

Winthrop Global was a massive conglomerate. While not on par with the Vance or Beckett empires, it was still a formidable domestic heavyweight.

Vivian tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled gently. "Yes. The man who just walked away is my father."

Elara feigned absolute shock. "If you're the heiress of Winthrop Global, why would you work as an assistant at a tiny company like Ark Solutions?"

Why would the heiress of a massive corporation abandon her family empire to play assistant at a startup, only to ruin her boss's marriage? What was the endgame?

Vivian shot a shy glance at Julian next to her. Her intentions were painfully obvious, though she claimed, "I just wanted to gain some independence after returning from abroad. I sent out a few resumes, Ark Solutions offered me the job, so I took it."

Elara understood her look completely, and in that instant, she understood exactly why Julian had strayed.

The man who once promised that status didn't matter, who protected her when his mother mocked her for being the housekeeper's daughter, who swore he loved her regardless of who she was—had ultimately succumbed to time and his own greed.

Julian hadn't just betrayed their marriage; he had betrayed himself.