Ava leaned into my arms, clutching me tightly. She looked at him, forgetting to continue eating.

"Chlo, do not be so hostile to me! I never meant to hurt you. Isn’t it wonderful, the three of us together?" He shamelessly declared, "Have you noticed Ava's change? She’s not as chatty as she used to be."

He looked as if he were questioning me, as if it were all my fault.

"Can't you compromise for the sake of our child? ATL Empire has changed hands. Your support is gone. Do you still want to persist?" Triumph filled his eyes.

My heart churned. I clenched the small spoon in my hand and looked at him. "What then?"

Ava's little hand tightened around mine. She was afraid that we’d start arguing. I let go of the spoon, embracing her tightly. I reached out to stroke her head. "Mommy's here!"

"Let’s go back to how things were. You can live in the house, and I won't take your money. But you must send your parents back, and I expect you to be home on time. I want to be with you and our child!