Unmasked My CEO Ex-Husband’s Regret novel Chapter 179

When Elara stepped out of the shower, Julian was surprisingly still in the room.

She didn't say a word, just glanced at him and calmly began her skincare routine.

"Elara."

Seeing that she was getting ready for bed and clearly had zero intention of talking to him, Julian had no choice but to walk over. "I have something to tell you."

Elara had just been about to lie down. She propped herself up against the headboard, clutching the duvet, and looked up at him. "What is it?"

"I'll transfer your allowance tomorrow."

Julian stood by the bed, looking down at her. "Melody's situation is pretty unstable right now. I think it's best if you stay home and take good care of her."

Elara met his gaze. After a moment, she shook her head. "I refuse."

"Why?"

"No particular reason. I've raised Melody until she's four, and she's already in preschool. No matter what, it's time for me to go back to work."

"But Melody..."

"I talked to my mom today. She agreed to stay and help me look after her."

Elara continued laying out her plan. "My work hours will be relatively flexible. As long as I'm not overwhelmingly busy, I can drop her off and pick her up from school. My mom will just need to lend a hand when I can't immediately get away."

"But Jocelyn is getting older."

"We also have a nanny at home who can help out."

Seeing how reluctant he was, Elara became curious. "Why are you so against this?"

Julian had already turned off the main overhead light. The room was dim, making it hard to clearly read his expression, so Elara could only guess his thoughts from his silence.

"Worried my mom will start fighting with your mom?" Elara asked.

"...Not exactly."

"Then what are you afraid of?"

"..."

Julian remained silent. A comment Meredith had once made flashed through his mind: Elara is exactly like her mother, especially those eyes. They look quiet, but they seem to see through everything. She's far too shrewd, and I don't like it one bit.

In the past, Julian hadn't felt that way. He even thought her eyes were incredibly considerate—she could always anticipate his needs and offer exactly the right help without ever overstepping, keeping a distance that made him perfectly comfortable.

Thinking back on it now, he completely agreed with his mother's assessment.

Being stared at by such shrewd eyes made his skin crawl.

But he couldn't say that to Elara, nor could he use it as an excuse to stop Jocelyn from staying.

Of course, the real reason was that with Elara's mother around, it would be highly inconvenient for him to take Melody out to meet Vivian in the future.

However, if he was planning to give up custody, that wouldn't be as much of an issue anymore.

Elara stared at him, waiting for his answer.

Julian shook his head. "Nothing. If you want her to stay, then she can stay."

Elara didn't seem to care about his answer at all. She didn't look happy or surprised by his concession; she merely gave a faint nod.

Julian couldn't help but add, "But I still think it's better for you not to go back to work."

Elara stopped talking entirely.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Elara slowly spoke. "Until you give me a reason that can actually convince me, I won't agree to it."

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