Unmasked My CEO Ex-Husband’s Regret novel Chapter 73

Julian couldn't sit still any longer.

"Melody."

Julian gently nudged Melody's knee with his own, like an awkward child trying to make peace.

"Good morning."

Saying good morning and good night was a house rule they had agreed upon.

Julian assumed that by bringing this up, Melody would react like she had yesterday—no matter how angry she was, she would at least say good morning back.

This time, Melody finally moved.

As if she had touched something filthy, she yanked her leg away, spun the rest of the way around, and turned her side to him once again.

Elara still had a grip on her hair, so when Melody moved, Elara had to move with her, effectively stepping right between father and daughter and walling Julian off completely.

It was a blatant act of rejection.

Julian hadn't expected such an extreme reaction. While he was still frozen in shock, Elara inadvertently bumped into him as she shifted, knocking him off balance and sending him falling awkwardly back onto the sofa.

Julian threw an arm out to catch himself, barely managing to stay upright.

His eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn't fathom that both mother and daughter were treating him with such ruthless indifference.

"Elara, Melody..."

Julian called out involuntarily as he sat back up.

But neither Melody nor Elara responded.

Melody kept her head down, completely absorbed in her game, while Elara focused entirely on braiding her daughter's hair. They looked so incredibly busy, acting as if they hadn't heard him—as if he wasn't even in the room. Neither spared him a single glance.

Julian's heart skipped a beat. He knew something was terribly wrong.

He understood Elara was angry, and he frankly didn't care.

But Melody was different.

Most of the time, kids really did have the memory of a goldfish. Buy them some treats, get them a present, coax them a little, and they would forget everything.

Moreover, an entire night had passed. No matter how mad she was, half of it should have dissipated by now. He assumed she would just be a little worse than yesterday, maybe giving him the silent treatment for the morning at most.

He never expected her resistance and rejection to be this intense.

Julian wasn't a stranger to this version of Melody.

Before Melody knew how to express her needs, before they realized she was highly sensitive and learned how to communicate with her, she used to use this kind of aggressive, intense silence to express herself all the time.

After she was diagnosed as highly sensitive, they learned the proper ways to interact with her. With patient guidance and companionship, she had slowly improved. It had been over a year since she last acted like this.

Melody handed the mirror back, and Elara put them both away.

Melody grabbed her phone, hopped off the stool, and followed her mother.

"Mom, what's for breakfast today?"

"The bacon and egg sandwich and Breakfast Custard Pots you ordered last night."

"Wow, it's all ready?"

"Sure is."

"Is there blueberry jam?"

"Yep."

Mother and daughter chatted happily as they walked right out of the bedroom.

Left behind in the room, Julian was still frozen in his seated position on the sofa, staring dumbfounded at the doorway.

It was only then that Julian finally realized the truth.

Melody wasn't having a meltdown, and Elara knew that, which was why she hadn't said anything.

Their silence wasn't a crisis; they simply didn't want to talk to him.