Unmasked My CEO Ex-Husband’s Regret novel Chapter 8

Melody was instantly swallowed by a wave of insecurity and self-doubt.

The look in her eyes as she stared at the cake shifted from sparkling joy to fear and anxiety. She instinctively gripped Elara's clothes and shrank behind her.

Elara quickly took her daughter's hand and asked, "What's wrong?"

Sebastian pulled his hand back, not wanting the cake to trigger the child any further. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you didn't like cake."

The moment he apologized, Melody felt terrible.

This guy didn't get mad at her for her sudden withdrawal; instead, he took the blame entirely on himself. He was a good person.

Melody stared at Sebastian curiously. Confirming he wasn't actually angry, her anxiety eased slightly, only to be replaced by guilt over her evasive behavior.

He had bought her a cake out of the kindness of his heart, and instead of saying thank you, she had backed away. He must be so hurt and sad, right?

"I don't dislike it."

Melody looked up at Elara. Receiving a nod of encouragement, she stepped out from behind her mother and added, "I love strawberry cake."

Sebastian let out a soft chuckle of relief. He presented the cake again, keeping his voice incredibly gentle as he negotiated with her. "Then will you accept my gift?"

Melody nodded, but remembering she was only allowed strawberry cream cake once a month—and she had already had her quota—she nervously looked up at Elara again.

Elara didn't mention the cake quota at all. She simply reminded her, "What do we say when we receive a gift?"

Melody's eyes lit up. She took the bag with both hands, offering Sebastian a beaming, shy smile. "Thank you, Sebastian."

Sebastian gently ruffled her hair. "You're welcome."

With the gift accepted, everything else went much smoother.

Without needing any elaborate explanation, Sebastian extended his invitation, and Melody immediately nodded in agreement.

Having resolved the misunderstanding she caused, Melody temporarily pushed aside her worries about her father's broken promise and happily dug into the cake.

After two bites, she noticed Sebastian wasn't eating anything. She asked Elara to hold the cake, grabbed a fresh paper plate, cut a small slice, placed a fork on it, and handed it to Sebastian in the front seat with both hands.

Since the kid was eating, Sebastian didn't rush to drive off. He sat in the driver's seat, handling some work on his phone.

When the cake appeared over his shoulder, he paused and immediately put his phone down. "For me?"

Melody nodded. "Happy birthday."

Sebastian smiled as he took the slice. "Thank you, Melody."

Sebastian packed up the dresses and the stylists, bringing them all to the Vance Estate to finish their looks right before the event.

The Vance Estate was nestled halfway up Maple Ridge. The winding mountain road was lined with elaborately festive decorations, infusing the entire mountain with a celebratory atmosphere.

Worried the mother and daughter would be hungry, the first thing Sebastian did upon arriving was order dinner sent up to their room.

The European-style mansion was thoroughly heated. Elara and Melody took their time eating, changing into their gowns, getting their makeup done, and waiting for the banquet to begin.

Julian arrived with Vivian at 6:30 PM.

He wore a black tuxedo with a red tie.

Vivian wore a red strapless gown paired with a fur shawl. The color perfectly matched Julian's tie—a glaring couples' outfit.

Because it was Sebastian's big day, Maddox Beckett had temporarily set aside old grudges to show support for his grandson, arriving slightly earlier than Julian.

Upon entering, Julian first paid his respects to the Vance patriarch and Maddox, before seeking out Sebastian to hand over his birthday gift.

The gift was elegantly wrapped in a rectangular box. Sebastian took it without opening it, barely sparing it a glance as he twirled it in his hands while staring at Julian.

Julian felt thoroughly confused by the intense stare. "What's wrong? You don't like it?"