The Ugly Wife’s Stunning Comeback novel Chapter 98

The call had barely connected when Felicia heard her baby’s cries on the other end. Her heart squeezed tight. She’d done her best to keep thoughts of her child at bay, but every night, the longing crept in. She’d sit alone, staring at photos, tears slipping down her cheeks. Now, hearing her daughter’s cries so clearly, the ache in her chest grew sharper.

For a moment, she barely registered Max’s voice.

“Felicia!”

He sounded impatient now. That jolted her back to reality. She took a shaky breath and tried to sound steady.

“Get the divorce papers sent over as soon as possible. I can’t leave the house, and the holidays are coming up.”

The baby kept crying in the background. Felicia could hear the nanny’s gentle murmurs, trying to comfort her little girl.

“I’ll have the papers mailed to you,” Max said.

“Alright.”

She ended the call and set her phone down. Tears rolled down her face again, no matter how many times she wiped them away. In the quiet living room, her soft sobs were the only sound. Eventually, she pulled her knees up and let herself cry in earnest, unable to hold it in any longer.

By lunchtime, when Colton and Ava came home, Felicia had pulled herself together. She was lying in bed, pretending to rest. Ava came in with a plate of sliced fruit and a warm chestnut cake.

“It’s fresh from the oven,” Ava said kindly. “Still warm and fluffy.”

Felicia managed a small smile. “Thank you, Mom.”

Ava smiled back and left to make lunch.

Later, Savannah stopped by, arms full of holiday gifts. She had finished work early and was heading back to Northwick for the holidays. Jeremy and Anthony also visited that day. Jeremy, who was from Northwick too, would be traveling back home with Savannah.

After dinner, everyone said their goodbyes.

“I’ve got her.”

He wasn’t awkward anymore. He held his daughter close, her cheek pressed to his shoulder, and patted her back.

“Shh, Anne, it’s okay. Daddy’s here.”

Slowly, her cries faded. Once she was calm, Max sat down on the couch, wiped her tiny face with a soft tissue, and accepted a bottle from the nanny. He checked the temperature, then fed her.

The baby’s small hands clutched the bottle, her eyes still rimmed red, her expression heartbreakingly sad. Max watched her, his gaze full of tenderness and love.

Tatiana sat nearby and gave a quiet sigh.

“She really is your little shadow,” she said. She never would have guessed her distant son could turn out to be such a devoted father.