All Chapters of UGLY? No More!: Chapter 131 - Chapter 140

Milo nodded enthusiastically. “Daddy says next time I can come to the office and help him work!”Diana laughed. “Oh, I’m sure Daddy would love that,” she said with a glance at Julian, a subtle arch in her brow.Julian didn’t rise to the bait. He simply nodded once. “I’ll be leaving town for a few days,” he said, adjusting his cufflinks, trying to keep his tone even. “A business trip. I’ll be back to take him home with me once I’m done.”“Business trip?” Diana repeated, a hint of suspicion creeping into her polished voice. “Since when does the Cross Group send its CEO on last minute trips without prior notice?”Julian met her eyes briefly. “Not every trip is for boardrooms and deals.” His voice was calm but carried an undercurrent of finality that unsettled her.Before she could press further, he crouched down beside Milo and smoothed the boy’s hair gently. “Be good, hmm? I’ll see you in three days.”Milo threw his arms around his neck. “Promise?”“Promise.”Julian held him a second lo

Lila rested her hand deliberately on Leonard’s knee, her manicured nails glinting beneath the car’s low lights. “It’s been so long since we traveled together like this,” she murmured, loud enough for Elara to hear. “Do you remember Paris, Leo? You kept saying business, business, but I knew you just wanted to show me off.”Leonard’s jaw flexed. “That was years ago, Lila.”“Mm,” she hummed, tracing small circles on his leg. “Still, I like the nostalgia.”In the front seat, Elara shifted slightly, her gaze fixed out the window though she could see their reflections in the glass, Lila leaning into him, her head on his shoulder, the way she laughed softly at her own comment.Every sound was like static under Elara’s skin.Lila caught her reflection watching and smiled, wickedly pleased. “Elara, darling,” she called, feigning warmth, “Leonard tells me you’re the brains behind this whole partnership. Truly impressive. It’s so refreshing to see a woman like you doing so well professionally.”

Elara didn’t flinch. “You’re mistaking irritation for longing.”“Oh, please,” Lila scoffed. “You think anyone believes that? Everyone here can see it. You’ve always had this… obsession with him. The tragic, untouchable type, still hoping he would come running back.”Elara’s lips curved faintly, not into a smile, but something colder. “Funny you’d say that. Because the only tragic one here is the woman fighting to keep a man who’s already halfway gone.”Lila’s expression tightened, but she laughed. “He’s not halfway gone, sweetheart. He’s mine. He comes home to me every night. He wakes up beside me.”Elara leaned back, eyes calm, voice low enough to slice without raising it. “Do you really want to test that?”Lila blinked. “Excuse me?”“You talk so much about what’s yours,” Elara continued, tone smooth but laced with quiet fire. “But you should know something, Lila, I could destroy your perfect little fantasy with a single test.”The words hit like a slap. Lila’s fingers froze around h

The gala was in full swing, a spectacle of color, shimmer, and champagne laughter beneath the massive chandeliers that bathed everything in gold.The air smelled of roses, ambition, and money. Photographers were still snapping away at models and designers who had strutted down the carpet earlier, their gowns and suits dripping with wealth and ego.Elara sat near the front, her posture perfect, her smile practiced.The ache inside her chest was well hidden behind layers of poise and the calm detachment of a woman who had learned long ago how to survive under scrutiny.The table glittered with cutlery, crystal glasses, and tiny nameplates of industry elites.Sebastian smiled. “I’d like to talk collaboration soon,” he said, glancing briefly toward the stage as the MC began to hype the next segment. “But tonight, let’s just enjoy the art.”Onstage, the master of ceremonies, a flamboyant man in a velvet suit, was mid speech, his voice echoing through the grand ballroom.“Fashion,” he was s

Julian’s gaze flicked up sharply, the warning in his eyes unmistakable. “Careful,” he said quietly, almost lazily, but the steel in his voice made Leonard’s smirk falter.Elara shot him a look. “Julian,” she said under her breath, “not here.”He didn’t respond, but she could see it in the way his fingers drummed once against the table before stilling, his control hanging by a thread.Leonard, however, turned back to Elara, adjusting his cufflinks with deliberate calm. “Anyway,” he said smoothly, “we’ll talk about the contract first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll arrange the paperwork. The fashionista team will reach out after the gala for scheduling.”He gave her one last, softened look, then inclined his head to Julian, his tone flat. “Enjoy the evening, Mr. Cross.”Julian didn’t answer. He just watched him walk away, and the silence between him and Elara burned like fire.Julian exhaled slowly, his eyes still following Leonard until he disappeared into the sea of glittering gowns and