His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 324: A Good Morning Kiss

The bright moonlight cast long, stretching shadows ahead of them. Burdened by the thoughts weighing on her mind and the heaviness in her heart, Iris remained silent; not a word passed between them as they walked.

Back at the villa, Iris asked Julian to carry Harper into her room. After whispering a quiet goodnight, they retreated to their separate rooms for the night.

Sleep eluded Iris. She tossed and turned, unable to find rest. Her mind was consumed by the memory of Julian taking a knife for her, risking his very life. She felt a tumultuous mix of gratitude and sorrow, her emotions too raw to settling down.

Wasn't he supposed to despise her?

He hadn't even hesitated, hadn't cared if he died. He was clearly crazier than Lily had ever been.

In contrast, she felt selfish, realizing she had only ever considered her own feelings, her own future, her own path.

Every time she had run away from Julian, it wasn't out of nobility; it was because she was a coward, terrified of death.

Compared to Julian's intense, all-consuming devotion, her own lukewarm feelings seemed laughably insignificant.

*****

The next morning, at the crack of dawn.

The soft, golden light filtering through the windows made the spacious living room of the villa feel incredibly warm and inviting.

Beatrice and May sat at the table, peeling grapefruits and chatting leisurely.

Frederick was on the floor, playing Monopoly with Harper.

Caleb, Jenny, and Luke were sprawled across the living room couch, their attention glued to their smartphones as they played a multiplayer game together, shouting excitedly every time they scored.

Martin had left early to go fishing, while Gloria and Vivian were busy tidying up the patio outside.

Julian had woken up not long ago and was seated at the dining table, having breakfast. He balanced his phone in one hand, scrolling through emails and handling urgent company matters between bites.

Iris, having tossed and turned half the night, was the last one to drag herself out of bed.

She came downstairs, moving so quietly that no one noticed her arrival.

It wasn't until she walked over to the dining area, pulled out a chair, and sat down beside Julian that he finally looked up.

"Morning," Julian said, his tone soft and affectionate.

Iris offered a warm, genuine smile. "Good morning."

Julian set his phone down on the table. He picked up a clean bowl, ladled out a generous portion of hearty oatmeal for her, and placed it in front of her. Then, he slid the platter of toast, eggs, and fruit within her easy reach.

Iris picked up her spoon and stirred her oatmeal, watching Julian's small, considerate gestures in silence. A warmth bloomed in her chest that had nothing to do with the food.

Julian picked up his phone again to resume reading his emails. With his free hand, he took a spoonful of his own breakfast.

"Julian..."

Iris glanced nervously toward the group in the living room.

They were all absorbed in their own activities, seemingly oblivious to the couple at the dining table.

Julian was still focused on his inbox. With his mouth full, he mumbled a soft, "Yeah?"

Iris looked a little bashful as she spoke in a low voice. "Do you want a good-morning kiss?"

"What?" Julian hadn't caught what she said clearly. He just stayed focused on his work, not reacting at all.

Iris looked away, suddenly shy. She bit her lip, gathered her courage, took a deep breath, and leaned in. She pressed a quick, light kiss against Julian's handsome cheek.

Julian froze. The spoon slipped from his fingers and clattered into his bowl, splashing a bit of oatmeal onto the table.

The sudden, unexpected kiss had caught him completely off guard. It was too surprising, too out of character, too wonderful to be real.

He swallowed the food in his mouth, the motion making his Adam's apple bob. The corners of his mouth began to curl upward, entirely of their own accord.

Almost as if he suspected a prank from a game of Truth or Dare, he shot a suspicious look toward the living room.

It was barely morning; surely, they weren't playing a trick like this on Iris, were they?

He turned his gaze back to her, the smile at the corners of his mouth becoming impossible to suppress. His voice was low, raspy from sleep, and a rare hint of shyness flickered in his eyes. "Did you just kiss me?"

A deep blush spread across Iris' cheeks. She couldn't meet his eyes. She tried to hide her flustered state by ducking her head and taking a bite of her oatmeal, speaking softly in an attempt to sound casual. "It's a good morning kiss."

Julian turned his head toward the balcony, pressing his lips together to stifle a grin, and let out a slow, steadying breath.

He put his phone down for good. He turned to Iris, gently reached over to take the spoon from her hand, and set it back in her bowl. Then, he cupped her chin with his large, warm palm, turning her face to look at him.

"That's not what a good morning kiss looks like," Julian murmured, his voice dropping an octave.

Before she could react, he lowered his head and captured her lips. The kiss was slow at first, then gradually deepened, showing no sign of stopping.

They were in the living room!

Iris' eyes went wide with shock. She quickly planted her hands against his chest and pushed.

Jenny happened to look over at that exact moment and saw the whole thing.

She stretched lazily and called out, "Hey, Julian, don't you get enough making out at night? You're at it again first thing in the morning."

Iris pushed Julian away frantically, her face burning scarlet. She snatched up her spoon and buried her face in her bowl of oatmeal.

At the commotion, everyone in the living room turned their heads in unison to stare at Julian and Iris.

Julian frowned in annoyance. He pressed his lips together, glaring lightly at his siblings. "Play your game. Stop looking at things you shouldn't."

Caleb let out a cold snort, his expression darkening considerably. He tossed his phone onto the cushion, stopped playing, and stormed out the front door.

Frederick and Harper couldn't have cared less. They quickly lost interest in the adults and went back to their enthusiastic board game.

Beatrice and May exchanged knowing glances, whispering to one another.

"We should pick a lucky day and tell them to go get their marriage license," May suggested quietly.

Beatrice tilted her chin slightly in Frederick's direction, whispering back with evident frustration. "Unless he changes his ways, I don't see Iris wanting to marry back into the Everhart family. After all, marriage isn't just about two people."

"Julian doesn't live with his dad," May pointed out reasonably. "It won't affect them much."

Beatrice let out a cold huff of frustration. "Look at how many loving couples in real life get torn apart by in-laws. With a father-in-law like Frederick impossible to deal with, even if they get married, they'll just end up divorced."

May nodded with a resigned sigh.

Back at the breakfast table, Julian gently brushed his fingertips against the cheek she had kissed. It still felt warm.