Unmasked My CEO Ex-Husband’s Regret novel Chapter 114

The final family portrait was captured.

Even if the father in the picture wasn't actually her father.

The few family photos took less than five minutes in total.

Once finished, Elara and Jocelyn went to wheel out the cake.

The cake matched the Frozen theme perfectly, flanked by a fondant Princess Elsa on one side and a fondant Melody in an Elsa dress on the other.

As soon as the cake was brought out, it triggered another wave of excited cheers from Melody and her friends.

The children's joy was infectious. Everyone quickly forgot about the absent father as they sang "Happy Birthday," blew out the candles, and cut the cake.

Then came the gift-giving segment.

The parents handed their prepared presents to their children, letting them present their gifts to Melody.

A chorus of "Happy Birthday" echoed all around her.

When she received the first gift from a friend, Melody was thrilled but shocked, too hesitant to accept it.

It was only with Elara's encouragement that she cautiously, yet feeling immensely special, took the gift and murmured a soft "Thank you."

By the end of it, Melody was able to confidently shout, "Thank you, Wyatt Saunders!" the moment she was handed a gift.

With the main events of the party wrapped up, the rest of the evening was open for free play. Adults and children mingled, enjoying the food, chatting, and having fun.

Outside, the sky had turned pitch black.

The antique grandfather clock in the living room pointed to seven o'clock.

The birthday girl's father was still nowhere to be seen.

Julian was at Vivian's apartment.

Vivian had bumped her already injured knee against the corner of a desk. After treating the wound, X-rays revealed a hairline fracture. She needed to wear a knee brace for support and use crutches to walk.

The secondary impact had caused severe damage. Even with cold compresses and painkillers, the agony refused to subside.

Watching her break out in cold sweats, Julian's mind and heart were entirely consumed by her.

Going home or celebrating Melody's birthday had long been tossed out the window.

Before she could finish, Julian's expression darkened.

Seeing this, Vivian obediently snapped her mouth shut, though her gaze remained full of grievance and silent accusation.

Julian sighed, set the bowl aside, and leaned forward to pull her into his arms.

"Right now, all I want is to take good care of you. I don't care about anything else."

"So please, don't push me away again, okay?"

His hot breath, along with his trembling lips, brushed against hers. His tone was practically begging.

As if startled by his intensity, Vivian didn't dare push him away. She nodded meekly.

Julian breathed a sigh of relief, pinching her nose with a mix of indulgence and frustration. "We'll settle the score later for you hiding the fact that you hit your knee on the desk."

Hearing this, Vivian felt stifled and depressed.

Had she known she would hit the edge of the office desk and cause such a serious secondary injury, she never would have tried to play the martyr.