Chapter 694 After the Breakup, They Found Peace 1
A cold night breeze swept past.
Isadora felt the corner of her eyes damp. When she touched her face, her fingers came away wet. She stood in the darkness, staring in the direction Avery had gone, replaying their past over and over until the chill seemed to seep into her bones.
Her phone rang softly.
She glanced at the screen. Tobias.
After a pause, she answered, her voice rough, "Tobias."
His tone was gentle, respectful, "We haven't gone public yet. If something's changed, you can still walk away."
It was strange hearing that from him. He was a businessman through and through, the kind of man who always placed profit above romance.
Tonight, though, he sounded almost… selfless.
If she chose Avery, he thought, he would let her go. Maybe years from now, he would remember her—the fire in her, the way he had been generous—and that memory would be enough.
But Isadora didn't change her mind. She sniffed and murmured, "He dropped the lawsuit. Tobias, let's get married."
There was silence on the other end for nearly a minute. Tobias knew she didn't love him—barely even liked him. He suspected her decision had less to do with wanting him and more to do with cutting Avery out of her life.
Avery's temper had hurt her. She wasn't willing to risk it again.
Did Tobias still want this marriage? Yes. Very much. For a man like him—successful, divorced—Isadora was an ideal match.
Practical reasons outweighed romance, but she was beautiful, and he had no reason not to want her.
Under the cold moonlight, Isadora and Avery had gone their separate ways.
Avery returned to the Montague Mansion with deliberate calm. He still had family. He still had Maggie. No matter who Isadora married, Maggie would always be his daughter.
The car rolled into the driveway. The night was deep and still.
He sat there for a moment before getting out.
The house staff, aware of what had happened, moved with quiet care. "Maggie's still awake, sir. Mrs. Montague said you should put her to bed yourself. She says little girls are closer to their fathers."
Avery understood Amelia's intent. "Got it."
The housekeeper, who had known him since he was a boy, looked at him with sympathy. "I'll make you some pasta to take upstairs. You need to eat."
Avery nodded, adding, "Make a bowl for Maggie too."
"Of course, sir."
Inside, the warm light of the foyer spilled over him as he hung his coat. Upstairs, Maggie was curled up on the carpet in her thick lamb-print pajamas, looking like a tiny caterpillar. Amelia sat beside her.
When the door opened, Amelia looked up.
No one knew her son better. She could tell from his face that it was over with Isadora. She felt the weight of it but kept her expression soft. "Let her sleep with you tonight."
Avery agreed quietly, lifting Maggie into his arms. He pinched her little nose gently. "Did you miss me?"
At five years old, she already understood more than most children her age.
She cupped his face and kissed him. "Maggie will always love Daddy."
His throat tightened. He leaned his head against hers, holding her small, warm body close.
Ten minutes later, the pasta was ready.
In his bedroom, the warm golden light wrapped around them as they played checkers. Maggie sat in his lap with a wool blanket draped over her shoulders. The housekeeper later told Amelia, and both she and Henry were relieved.
Later, they sat cross-legged at the coffee table, eating their late-night meal.
Thanks to careful guidance, Maggie's world felt intact—her father, Amelia, Henry all still loved her. This was still her home, and she was still free to be her playful, affectionate self.
"In a week, you'll be starting school," Avery said.
"Will I have lots of new friends?" she asked.
He ruffled her hair and smiled. "Of course. But no getting too close to the boys."
She wrinkled her nose, tiny beads of sweat glistening from the warmth of the pasta. "Boys are smelly. But Daddy smells nice."
Avery laughed—until the smile froze. In her face, he saw traces of Isadora. She was her mother's daughter, after all.
The ache hit him sharp and deep, the kind that lingered.
Later, after they finished eating, Avery showered. Maggie was already in bed, nursing her bottle. By the time he came out, she was asleep. He took the bottle from her hands and sat on the edge of the bed, watching her.
He had once woken beside Isadora like this, studying her face in the quiet mornings. Now, all he could do was look at the child they shared.
After a long while, he picked up his phone and typed a message: [Maggie's been good. I'd like her to stay here a few more days. Is that okay?]
The moment he sent it, doubt crept in.
They had just ended things. Was reaching out like this too desperate? Would she think he was clinging? Still, he waited for her reply.
A moment later, the phone on the pillow beside him buzzed twice.