Unmasked My CEO Ex-Husband’s Regret novel Chapter 41

Vivian didn't offer the brave reassurances she had on the phone. Instead, she gave a meek nod, her voice thick with grievance. "Yeah. It hurts."

The damage was already done, and Julian couldn't turn back time. Alongside the fierce ache in his chest for her, a wave of profound regret washed over him. If only he could have taken the injury in her place.

If he had just stayed for dinner, escorted her home safely, and then returned to his own house, this accident never would have happened.

Thinking of home suddenly triggered an unbidden memory: Melody, weeping inconsolably against Elara's shoulder.

Other forgotten details began to sprout in his mind.

Julian suddenly remembered a text Elara had sent him a while back. She had mentioned Melody hurting her knee.

When was that again?

Was Melody's knee healed by now?

She had been bouncing around, playfully charging into him earlier. Surely she was fully recovered.

His momentary distraction didn't go unnoticed. "What are you thinking about?" Vivian asked softly.

Julian shook his head, brushing it off.

But Vivian could read him perfectly. "Are you worried about things at home?"

She didn't single out Melody, tactfully encompassing Elara in the question as well.

"Did something happen?"

"No."

She was sweet to care about his family drama, but Julian refused to burden her with it. "Is dinner ready? Let's eat."

After the exhausting night she'd had, she had to be starving.

Sensing his reluctance, Vivian didn't press the issue. She called out toward the kitchen, "Yolanda, is dinner ready?"

"Just finishing up the last dish!"

The housekeeper called back from the kitchen.

Vivian had made a last-minute decision to eat at home, so the staff had scrambled to throw together a few quick dishes. They had actually made incredibly fast work of it.

Julian scooped Vivian into his arms and stood up. "Let's head to the dining room."

She squirmed bashfully against his chest. "I can walk on my own, you know."

Julian tightened his grip. "I want to carry you."

Blushing, Vivian surrendered to his embrace.

After dinner, Vivian received a call from her family. She carefully hid the truth about her injured knee, chatting lightly with her parents before smoothly steering the conversation toward business.

"Dad, about what you mentioned this afternoon regarding the capital injection for Ark Solutions... Julian is right here. Why don't I let you speak with him directly?"

On the other end of the line, Thomas Winthrop fell silent for a moment. He let out a heavy sigh. "Put him on."

Vivian handed the phone to Julian.

Taking the device, Julian greeted the older man respectfully. He guided Vivian back to the bedroom and switched the phone to speaker.

Once the business negotiations concluded and the call ended, Julian gently urged Vivian to wash up, then meticulously applied the ointment to her injury himself.

After he finished dressing the wound, Vivian urged him to take a shower, but he stayed rooted to the spot.

Julian pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. "Not right now."

Vivian instantly understood. "Are you heading back?"

"I'm sorry."

His voice was laced with guilt. "Things aren't settled yet. I have to make another trip home."

If this were purely about Elara, there was no way he'd return tonight. But when it came to Melody, he couldn't just brush it off.

"You don't need to apologize to me,"

Vivian said with devastating sweetness. "I'm the one who dragged you away from your family so suddenly. I should be the one saying sorry."

Julian pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry."

Regardless of his reasons, abandoning her in the middle of the night felt like a massive betrayal.

By the time Julian drove back to the villa, Melody was already asleep.

He was the one who had screwed up first. If he wanted to smooth things over, he had to play by her rules for now.

When Elara finally emerged, Julian was sitting rigidly on the sofa, his eyes locked onto her.

She sat down at her vanity to apply her nighttime skincare routine. Julian dragged a chair over and sat right beside her.

He practically had "I need to talk" stamped across his forehead.

Elara remained entirely unfazed. Once she finished with her creams, she slipped straight into bed.

Julian followed her, but he didn't lie down.

He stood at the edge of the mattress, watching as Elara pulled the duvet over herself and turned her back to him.

"Elara."

Driven to the edge of his patience, he finally broke the silence. "We need to talk."

She gave absolutely zero response.

The silence stretched on.

Julian stood there, engaged in a silent standoff with his wife's unmoving back. Defeated, he slowly sank onto the edge of the bed.

"I was wrong tonight."

Since she refused to engage, he forced himself to plunge ahead.

"I shouldn't have yelled at Melody. You have every right to blame me, to be furious with me."

"I'll apologize to her personally first thing in the morning. I'll do whatever it takes to earn her forgiveness."

The sheer audacity of his words pushed Elara past the point of anger and straight into incredulous amusement.

"Is that really what you wanted to discuss?"

She sat up at a glacial pace. A mocking, razor-sharp smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, her tone laced with absolute frost as she deadpanned.

"Seeing how desperately you needed to talk, I honestly thought you were about to ask me for a divorce."