All Chapters of The Unwanted Wife's Return (Ex-Husband Wants Me Back): Chapter 491 - Chapter 500

MARY'S POV:​That girl had an incredible nose for sweets. I watched her scramble right into the carriage, then dramatically slap both hands over her mouth. Her eyes went wide as saucers, her face showing pure delight.​Marl stepped up and pressed a hidden button on the side, and the display case built inside the carriage slid outward with a quiet click.​It had originally been packed with all kinds of handmade dolls, and a few were still tucked into the corners, but most had been left back at home to clear space for the treats. The cupcakes were set out in neat rows, every single one decorated with a different cartoon character. There were princesses and superheroes, little animals and funny aliens, all of them made with careful attention. The frosting was bright and colorful, and the piped designs were neat and clear.​I had clearly made far too many. The display case was practically overflowing, and extra cupcakes were spilling onto the small fold-out table I had set up beside it. I

MARY'S POV:​Watching the scene turn more chaotic by the second, I could not help worrying that I had made this whole thing way too loud and noticeable. The surrounding parents were staring, some looking amused, others looking thoroughly annoyed by the noise. A couple of teachers were walking around trying to keep order, their voices barely carrying over the loud chatter. Children were everywhere, their cheeks sticky with bright frosting, their hands tightly gripping their treats.​Marl, however, did not seem bothered in the least. We still had plenty of extra cupcakes waiting back at the house, far more than the three of us could ever finish on our own. Handing them out to the neighborhood kids meant less food went to waste and a lot of happy faces around the yard. There was really nothing to complain about.​After the very last cupcake had been claimed and the line cleared out, I took my daughter's warm hand and helped her climb up into the pumpkin carriage with me.​The inside was

MARY'S POV:​My daughter probably thought she was whispering softly enough that only he could hear, but I caught every single word loud and clear. "Shh! He is Mommy's superhero. She just never wants to admit it to anyone. Whenever someone catches us watching the cartoon on TV, she always pretends I am the one who asked to put it on!"​Marl burst out laughing on the spot.​The sound filled the cozy carriage, warm, rich, and utterly delighted. I felt an instant mix of deep embarrassment and helpless amusement. My cheeks burned hot, my hands tightened on the grips, and I wanted nothing more than to shrink down and disappear into the seat cushion.​"You two do know I can hear every single word you are saying, right?" I said, keeping my voice dry and unimpressed.​That only made him laugh twice as hard. He practically doubled over, his shoulders shaking with genuine amusement, his breath coming in quick gasps. I was so mortified that I could barely keep my hands steady, and the front tires

MARY'S POV:​"First, Mommy, no matter what I tell you, you can't cry, okay?"​My daughter looked at me with total seriousness, holding out her little pinky finger to demand a promise. Her small hand was steady in the dim room, her eyes fixed on mine with a focus that made my chest ache with a sudden sharp pain. The small nightlight in the corner cast a soft glow across her face, showing the round curve of her cheek, the firm set of her jaw, and the faint tiredness under her eyes that had no business being on a child so young.​I agreed right away, even though a bad feeling had already started settling deep in my stomach. The feeling was cold and nasty, coiling in my gut like a hidden knot. It crept up my spine, squeezing until taking a simple breath felt hard. I hooked my pinky finger around hers and gave it a gentle, quiet squeeze.​"I promise, baby. I will not cry."​Then she started telling me everything.​Her voice was quiet at first, slow and hesitant, as if she was testing how m

MARY'S POV:​"But I know none of that is true! Mommy has never taken anything that belonged to someone else. So I told them to shut their mouths and stop lying about us. Then my teacher told me it was very rude of me to yell at my classmates like that. And my friend does not play with me at recess anymore."​I bent down and pressed a long kiss against her forehead, then asked as gently as I could, "Why did you not tell me about this sooner, sweetie?"​"Because I did not want to make you sad. Besides, I can take care of myself. You believe me, right, Mommy?"​She looked straight into my eyes, her face completely serious. Her gaze was steady, unwavering, the gaze of a little girl who had been forced to grow up far too fast. The gaze of a child who had learned, from watching me over the years, that problems were supposed to be swallowed down and hidden away in silence.​"Of course I believe you."​What else could I possibly say to her?​After my daughter finally drifted off to sleep, I s