Unmasked My CEO Ex-Husband’s Regret novel Chapter 101

When Julian Beckett walked into the kitchen, Melody noticed him immediately.

She was just about to say hello, but he abruptly turned and walked away.

Melody instantly sensed that her father was upset.

She was completely bewildered; he had come home late after she went to bed last night, and she wasn't even mad, so why was he acting this way?

"Mom?" Melody looked at Elara Sterling for help.

Elara moved the freshly made savory pulled-pork sliders into a basket and gently reminded her, "We're all done here. Take off your gloves, wash your hands, and let's eat breakfast."

Melody's attention was successfully diverted. She murmured an acknowledgment, pulled off her disposable gloves, washed her hands at the sink, and helped Elara carry the breakfast out to the dining room.

Jocelyn Sterling and the housekeeper brought out a freshly cooked pot of oatmeal and a plate of cooled hard-boiled eggs.

Melody climbed into her designated high chair. Seeing Julian sitting motionless across from her, she observed him carefully, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "Good morning, Dad."

Julian gave a faint grunt. "Yeah."

Melody stared at him unblinkingly. After waiting a beat and not hearing the response she wanted, she prompted him, "Dad, why didn't you say good morning back to me?"

"Didn't we make a deal?"

Julian frowned, but meeting his daughter's expectant gaze, he couldn't bring himself to reject her. "Good morning."

Just like his dismissive grunt, the words came out flat and robotic, entirely devoid of emotion.

It made Melody feel incredibly uncomfortable. She hated it, and her mind immediately started racing with worst-case scenarios.

She stared blankly at Julian, unable to figure it out. Since the moment she saw him, she hadn't done a single thing wrong, so why was her dad suddenly mad at her?

Unable to make sense of it, Melody turned to Elara for help. "Mom? Why is Dad mad at me?"

"He's probably hitting his midlife crisis."

"For you, Dad."

Julian fell silent.

Elara helped her sit back down and peeled another egg for her. "Eat up."

"Thank you, Mom."

Melody looked up to thank Elara, only to belatedly realize that her father still hadn't thanked her for the egg. She felt a twinge of dissatisfaction.

She looked at Julian, fully intending to remind him, but remembering that her mother said he was sick, she hesitated and ultimately decided to let it slide.

Sick people got special privileges, whether they were adults or kids. She needed to be more forgiving and take good care of her dad.

Julian stared at the hard-boiled egg in his bowl with violently conflicted emotions. He wanted to eat it, but a suffocating lump had firmly lodged itself in his throat.