Unmasked My CEO Ex-Husband’s Regret novel Chapter 355

It was a heartbreaking thing to hear from a four-year-old, but Melody had spoken the words with absolute clarity.

Elara's chest tightened painfully, but before she could respond, Melody continued.

"But now I know the answer."

She sounded almost lighthearted, carrying the bright, relieved tone of someone who had just solved a complicated puzzle. If her voice hadn't been so muffled and trembling with unshed tears, Elara might have genuinely been happy for her breakthrough.

"Daddy wasn't actually that busy. Work was just his excuse."

"He just didn't want us anymore. He didn't want to spend time with us or see us, which is why he stopped coming home."

Unable to hold back the overwhelming wave of emotion any longer, Melody moved her arms up to lock tightly around Elara's neck. She buried her face into the curve of her throat. Hot, damp tears spilled over, tracing down Elara's skin.

"Sebastian is super busy too, but he still wants to take us to the park and the amusement park."

Melody finally broke, clinging desperately to Elara's neck as loud sobs ripped from her chest.

Elara pulled her daughter flush against her chest, turning her head to press fierce, protective kisses into Melody's tear-stained cheek and hair. Her own eyes burned with agonizing regret, and she fought hard to keep her own tears at bay.

She hated herself for not noticing the warning signs earlier when Melody was hesitating over the invitation, stupidly assuming her daughter was just pondering the rides.

She never imagined that a simple invitation from Sebastian would be the catalyst for Melody to finally connect the dots regarding Julian's neglect.

The guilt of ignoring her daughter's psychological well-being was utterly suffocating.

Aside from those first few days after the move—when she had gently explained the truth and the reason for leaving their old home to calm Melody's anxiety—Elara had naively assumed that once she laid it all out, the child would simply accept it.

But how could she possibly just accept it?

Melody loved her mother, but she had loved her father just as much.

Before they left that house, no matter how furious she had been over Julian's endless broken promises, she could never bring herself to throw away the little point-deduction chart she had made. She used to stare at it every time she walked through the door, secretly hoping her dad would one day earn back all the points she had taken away.

She was angry, but she was still desperately craving her father's affection. Those two things weren't mutually exclusive.

For a child who had grown up showered in love and intensely dependent on her parents, it was the most natural reaction in the world.

How could Elara have been arrogant enough to think one surface-level conversation could magically erase the complex trauma knotted in her daughter's heart?

Melody hadn't asked any more questions or thrown any more tantrums simply because she didn't want her mother to worry. She couldn't bear to see the look of devastation on Elara's face every time Julian was brought up.

And Elara had remained blissfully oblivious to all of it.

"Are you deeply disappointed in Daddy?"

Elara pressed another kiss to her cheek. "Did you keep all of this a secret because you were worried it would make me sad?"

At that, Melody fell completely silent.

A bitter smile touched Elara's lips. She closed her eyes for a brief second before continuing, "I'm so sorry. Mommy was careless. I didn't take your feelings into consideration, and I forced you to carry all these awful, heavy thoughts all by yourself."

"It's been a very, very long time since Mommy was a little girl, and I don't always understand exactly what you're feeling. So, can you please share your thoughts with me?"

"I want to understand you better."

Melody's situation was unique. She couldn't be communicated with like a typical child, and Elara certainly couldn't just placate her with sweet words, assuming that stopping the crying meant a victory.

Assuming a child was 'fine' just because they were quiet was nothing more than selfish adult escapism.

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