His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 307: A Mother's Reluctance

The words caught in her throat.

She was scared that if she reached out, he'd just shut her down.

Iris took a slow breath and kept her voice gentle. "Harper, it's getting late. Let's not keep your dad up any longer. Come upstairs with me—I'll read you a story."

Julian went still for a moment, then didn't move.

Harper climbed down from his lap. "Okay. Goodnight, Daddy."

He offered a faint smile and brushed a hand over her hair. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

Harper walked over, picture book in hand, and slipped her small fingers into Iris'.

Julian kept his eyes lowered, avoiding Iris' gaze entirely.

A thick, uneasy silence hung between them.

"Don't forget to take your meds," Iris said softly. "And if you need help changing the bandages, just let me know."

Julian didn't reply.

Iris led Harper upstairs.

The night seemed to stretch on forever.

Harper drifted off quickly after her bedtime story.

Once the lights were out, pale moonlight spilled through the balcony door, washing the room in a faint, hazy glow that felt heavy and still.

It was so quiet Iris could hear her own heartbeat.

Sleep wouldn't come.

Her mind wandered back over the years. Every choice she'd made, she'd believed she was doing what was right.

But looking back now, she could see how she'd overlooked Julian's feelings—how filing for divorce, how leaving with their daughter, had hurt him.

No wonder he didn't love her anymore. All that was left was resentment.

The next day, Iris noticed more security outside the villa. Two housekeepers arrived to clean, and a private chef came to prepare lunch and dinner, cleaning up and leaving once the meals were done.

No one stayed overnight except the guards at the gate.

With little to do besides spending time with Harper, Iris found herself with hours to herself.

Most days followed the same rhythm: Harper would draw, Iris would read, and Julian rested in his room.

Whenever Julian came out, Iris made a point of slipping back into her own space—she didn't want to intrude on his time with their daughter or risk annoying him.

That quiet routine carried on.

A week later, Iris figured Julian's injury must be healing well.

Pride kept her from waiting around to be asked to leave. She washed the sheets in her room, folded them neatly, and tucked them into the closet.

That evening at dinner, Julian came out of his home office. As usual, the three of them took their seats at the table.

Tonight, the chef had prepared a spread of comfort food: herb-roasted chicken, steak with scrambled eggs, baked salmon, buttered green beans, and a hearty vegetable soup.

Harper loved the salmon and eggs. Julian carefully deboned a piece of fish, making sure no small bones remained, and placed it in her bowl.

She ate intently, savoring every bite.

A tender smile touched Julian's lips, his eyes softening into gentle crescents. "Chew carefully, okay?"

Harper nodded, her mouth full. "Mhm."

As Julian reached to serve himself, his gaze drifted to Iris.

She sat holding her fork without moving, just staring blankly at the plain mashed potatoes on her plate.

Slowly, Julian shifted his direction. He served her a tender piece of roasted chicken.

Iris looked up, startled.

His eyes stayed down, focused on the food as he took some for himself. "You're not eating much. Doesn't any of this appeal to you?"

Iris pressed her lips together, exhaling quietly. "It's fine."

Julian's expression remained neutral. He took a bite of green beans and didn't press further.

Iris drew another steadying breath, set her fork down, and cleared her throat. "How's your injury doing?"

Julian paused mid-bite, his posture stiffening. After a moment, he set his own utensils down and dabbed his mouth with a napkin.

"If you have something to say, just say it. There's no need to tiptoe around with fake concern."

"I've been here a week. I'm thinking it's probably time to..." Iris trailed off, avoiding the word leave in case it upset Harper.

Julian's expression cooled. He leaned back in his chair, his tone flat. "Going back to Edulet City?"

"The projects I was working on are wrapped up. I'm not starting anything new right away, so there's no rush to return to Edulet City." Iris kept her voice even, her clear eyes fixed on him. "I've overstayed my welcome. You're doing better now."

Only Harper seemed unaware of what she really meant.

Julian gave a short, cold laugh. A flicker of disappointment passed through his eyes, so brief it was almost missed. His hand resting on the table curled slowly into a fist.

"You've been safe here a whole week. Now you're bored and want to go back out there on hard mode?" His words were deliberately cutting.

Iris' heart tightened. She watched him nervously.

It was like he knew everything.

"You know what kind of trouble I'm in?" she asked calmly.

"I do."

"Do you know who helped me out of it?"

Julian stayed silent.

"How did you get hurt on your back?"

Still, he said nothing.

Iris waited quietly, but no reply came.

She picked her fork back up, her tone resolved. "After dinner, I'm going."

Harper looked up, confused. "Mommy, it's dark outside. Where are you going?"

Julian pushed his chair back abruptly, the legs scraping against the floor. "If you go, take Harper with you."

He hadn't asked her to stay—somehow, that stung more than if he had.

Without another word, he turned and walked toward his home office.