Unmasked My CEO Ex-Husband’s Regret novel Chapter 99

Julian had come in here fully prepared to confront her.

But Elara hadn't given him an inch of breathing room. The moment she opened her mouth, she sliced straight to the bloody core of the issue, ruthlessly exposing his true motives.

"Am I right?"

Elara stared him down, her eyes sharp and unblinking. Every syllable was slow, deliberate, and undeniably firm. "What exactly is your relationship with Vivian?"

Julian froze.

He had an entire arsenal of excuses lined up, but Elara dismantled him before he even got started. That final question wrapped a tight, suffocating grip around his throat.

"What are you talking about?"

Julian scoffed in annoyance, using the motion of unbuttoning his shirt as a convenient excuse to tear his gaze away from hers.

"She's my assistant, and the heiress to Winthrop Global. What kind of relationship do you think we have?"

A cold, mocking smirk played on Elara's lips. "If there's nothing going on, why are you so relentlessly devoted to her?"

Julian's eyelid twitched. "What do you mean, devoted?"

"At Sebastian's birthday party, Melody completely rejected her presence. You saw that with your own eyes, didn't you?"

Elara methodically laid out the facts without an ounce of panic. "You know perfectly well that Melody dislikes her, loathes her even, yet you insisted on dragging her into this. Are you actively trying to hurt Melody?"

"That was just their first meeting. Melody wasn't used to her. A few more times and maybe they'd..."

"You want them to meet a few more times?"

Elara's voice spiked with sheer disbelief. "Julian, is Melody even your daughter?"

"Are you completely blind to the fact that Melody detests Vivian?"

"She made it painfully obvious, and yet you're practically shoving Vivian down her throat! Can't you stand to see Melody doing well? Will you only be satisfied when she withdraws into herself completely?"

Julian scowled, immediately going on the defensive. "That's not what I meant at all!"

Melody's innate behavioral challenges couldn't just be magically cured overnight. It required a vast amount of time—perhaps a lifetime—to adapt and manage.

After years of dedicated guidance, Melody was undeniably doing better, but she was far from completely stable. Everything Elara mentioned was a highly plausible risk. It was perfectly normal that she refused to gamble with her daughter's well-being.

However, Julian strongly disagreed with her methods. A child eventually had to grow up. Treating her like a fragile hothouse flower was stripping away her opportunity to build resilience.

If they never pushed her limits, how would they ever know what she could handle?

Besides, the party would be crowded anyway. As long as they were careful and limited Melody's interaction with Vivian, it wouldn't be an issue, right?

"You're blowing this way out of proportion."

Julian pinched the bridge of his nose in utter exhaustion. "I never said they had to interact directly. It was just a quick meeting to pass on some birthday wishes. You're acting like the world is ending."

"Even if there is a fraction of a percent of a risk, I am not taking that gamble."

Elara fired back without hesitation, ruthlessly dragging the focus back onto him. "But look at you. You knew there were massive risks for Melody, for Vivian, and for all the guests present. So why were you so incredibly desperate to bring her here?"