His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 292: Custody Negotiation

Zoe's chest tightened with rage. She took a sharp breath, her hands balling into fists at her sides.

Iris rested a calming hand on her shoulder and took the phone back. Keeping her voice steady and soft, she said, "Julian, just tell me what it will take for you to let Harper come home."

"Sign over full custody."

"In your dreams!" Zoe snapped toward the phone.

Quickly, Iris muted the speaker and moved the phone back to her ear. "What if we try it this way?" she offered, her tone measured. "Legal custody stays with me. Harper can stay with you for now. If she misses me too much, you bring her back. If she's happy with you and wants to stay longer, I won't interfere. We can adjust as we go."

Zoe pulled Iris' hand away from her own mouth, frustration boiling over. "Why are you negotiating with him? You're her mother—just go get her and make sure he never—"

Again, Iris gently covered her friend's mouth.

Julian's voice came through, cold and detached. "Iris, you've given me no reason to trust you."

She pressed on, earnest and pleading. "We can draw up a formal agreement. If I break my word, you get full custody automatically. Would that work?"

Silence stretched on the other end.

Iris waited, her palms growing damp. Every second felt like an hour, her nerves pulled taut.

Finally, Julian responded with a curt, "Fine."

Relief and anxiety tangled in her chest. "Can I see her now, then?"

"She's asleep, and she hasn't asked for you." With that, he ended the call.

Iris let out a long, weary breath and leaned back against the car seat, defeat settling over her.

Zoe bit her lip in frustration and hit the steering wheel lightly. "I don't understand why you're giving in like this. You carried Harper, you raised her—what has Julian ever done? You have the legal right. We could just go pick her up and leave. He wouldn't have a leg to stand on."

Iris closed her eyes, exhaustion weighing her down. "I never gave him a chance back then," she murmured. "I took away any shot he had at being her father. Now he resents me for it. If I push him into a custody battle, I'll lose. And then I could lose Harper for good."

"So she's just supposed to bounce between houses her whole childhood?"

"Not necessarily." Iris gazed out the window at the passing streets, her voice low. "There's something else I've put off for three years. Now that I'm back, I need to face it."

"What is it?"

"Finding my birth parents."

Zoe's eyes widened. "Wait... you're saying you're not your mom's biological daughter?"

Iris felt a familiar heaviness in her chest. "I don't think so."

Zoe started the car and pulled slowly into traffic. "God, Iris. It never rains but it pours, huh?"

"Just drop me at a hotel," Iris said quietly.

*****

Early morning light streamed through the balcony glass, warming the room.

A small, warm hand patted softly against his cheek.

Julian stirred awake, disoriented for a moment.

He turned his head and found Harper sprawled sideways across his chest, one little foot tucked under his arm, her hand resting on his forehead. She was sleeping in a tangle of blankets, her posture completely off-kilter.

Gently, he shifted her down, straightened her against the pillows, and pulled the covers up to her chin.

For a long moment, he just watched her—the rosy cheeks, the delicate features that so clearly reminded him of Iris. The resemblance was unmistakable.

Almost without thinking, he bent and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

Harper stirred, blinking her eyes open slowly. She stared at Julian for a few sleepy seconds before a sweet, drowsy smile spread across her face. "Daddy," she whispered, her voice still thick with sleep.

That single word melted something inside him. "Good morning, sweetheart," he replied, his tone tender.

Harper rolled over and pushed herself up, brushing her tousled hair away from her face with both hands. She glanced around the room, and her expression suddenly fell. Her bottom lip trembled. "Where's Mommy? She didn't come back?"

Julian's heart dropped. He sat up quickly and gathered her into his arms.

On cue, her eyes welled up with big, glossy tears. "I want Mommy," she whimpered, her voice breaking. "I miss Mommy so much."

He wiped her cheeks gently with his thumb. "Mommy's working, baby. She'll come see you when she's done."

It had worked before to soothe her, but not this time.

Harper's crying grew earnest, tears rolling steadily down her flushed cheeks. "I want Mommy... now... please..."

Julian lifted her from the bed, holding her close as he paced the room, rubbing her back. He was out of his depth—no experience with toddlers, no idea how to calm a sobbing little girl. Toys, promises, snacks—nothing stopped her tears.

Until he finally said, "If Harper can be a big girl and stop crying, Daddy will take you to see Mommy today."

Instantly, her crying ceased.

Her tear-streaked face brightened into a smile so swift it left him stunned. Her eyes, still glistening, curved into happy crescents. "Okay," she chirped, showing her tiny white teeth. "Harper's done crying. You promise, Daddy? Promise we'll see Mommy?"

Julian was completely thrown.

Was it normal for a three-year-old to switch moods that fast?

"How about we get ready first?" he suggested gently. "We'll have breakfast, then go find Mommy. Deal?"

Harper nodded eagerly, all traces of sadness gone.

He carried her into the bathroom and carefully helped her through the morning routine—brushing her teeth, washing her face, combing her fine hair. He helped her use the toilet, then dressed her in a pretty pink jumpsuit and clipped her favorite little bee barrette into her hair.

Downstairs, he settled her into a chair at the kitchen island and set about making breakfast. He warmed a cup of milk and prepared a small plate of pasta, simple but comforting—something he hoped she'd like.