Unmasked My CEO Ex-Husband’s Regret novel Chapter 6

Sebastian Vance was Maddox Beckett's only bloodline.

After his mother passed away, Maddox brought him into the Beckett family and placed him under the care of the housekeeper—Elara's mother, Jocelyn Sterling.

When Elara visited her mom at the Beckett house over summer break, she saw Sebastian acting like a soulless doll, only eating when food was literally brought to his lips. Taking pity on him, she volunteered to help her mom take care of him for a while.

It wasn't for very long, but Sebastian never forgot Elara's kindness.

After they reconnected, he would always send her gifts on holidays and birthdays.

By then, Elara was already engaged to Julian, officially making her Sebastian's aunt-in-law on paper.

Likely to avoid any misunderstandings, Sebastian always gave her gifts right in front of Julian or simply had Julian pass them along.

Elara did the same when giving gifts in return.

Today was Sebastian's twenty-fourth birthday.

It was his first birthday since returning from abroad, and the elder of the Vance family intended to make it a grand affair, inviting prominent figures from business and politics to officially introduce the Vance family heir.

Since his only daughter died, Maddox hadn't interacted with the Vance family for over a decade. Whenever attendance at events was mandatory, he had his stepson, Julian, go in his place.

Today was an important day for Sebastian. Elara wasn't sure if Maddox was attending personally or sending Julian again, but this was undeniably the first time she and Melody had ever received a formal invitation from the Vance family.

Elara was surprised.

She genuinely didn't want to drag Melody into a crowded, exhausting event.

But not being invited was one thing. Being invited, deliberately kept in the dark, and then used alongside her daughter as a convenient excuse to lie to Sebastian was another.

Not to mention, Julian was lying to her all for the sake of another woman.

In the office, Julian was still plotting with his mother on how to deceive both sides.

Elara turned on her heel and left without looking back.

The elevator took her straight to the lobby. Stepping out of the building, Elara opened WeChat, found Sebastian's contact, and sent a message:

[Sebastian, happy birthday! [Cake][Cake][Cake]]

[Your uncle has been busy with work lately, and I forgot to give him your gift. Are you at the office this afternoon? I can drop it off after picking up Melody. Would that work for you?]

They had been WeChat contacts for years, but aside from holiday greetings, they never chatted—let alone met up without Julian.

Elara felt a bit unsure of herself.

Her cab was almost there. She pocketed her phone and waited by the curb.

Sebastian's reply came through just then: [Are you and Melody not coming to the birthday dinner tonight?]

It was exactly the answer she expected.

Elara continued to play dumb: [It wouldn't really be appropriate for us to go, would it?]

Stated like that, Sebastian immediately understood the situation.

He didn't press her for details, but extended a direct invitation: [I'm twenty-four today.]

[It's important.]

[I want you to be there to witness it.]

But even knowing the answer, she would keep asking, relentlessly.

She would ask today, tomorrow, every single day.

Because every refusal would serve as concrete evidence of his neglect toward their family and his failure to care for their daughter.

The cab pulled up, and Elara got in.

As she neared home, Julian's delayed reply finally came through.

[I have a work dinner tonight. I'll be late.]

An entirely predictable rejection.

It was identical to the excuses he had fed her over the past few months. It was always "networking," "inconvenient," or "too busy," delivered in the exact same robotic tone.

Elara stared blankly at the screen, her face unreadable, while waves of disappointment, loss, and sorrow surged within her.

Before he became the heir to the Beckett fortune, Julian had spent over a decade relying solely on his mother. It made him more observant, considerate, and empathetic than most boys.

He had never kept his distance just because he was the young master and she was the housekeeper's daughter.

When she visited her mother at the estate, he would cover for them so her mom could take a break and spend time with her.

When she had bad cramps, he would order her hot drinks and buy her painkillers.

He had helped her stand up to her alcoholic, gambling-addicted father, and supported her in helping her mother file for divorce.

He had fully supported her career. When she accepted his suggestion to quit her job and care for Melody, he had voluntarily paid her a "salary" for her labor, covering all her insurance and benefits out of pocket.