The Ugly Wife’s Stunning Comeback novel Chapter 1107

Darin vehemently denied the accusation. "I am absolutely not joined at the hip with him."

Felicia just stared at him, raising an eyebrow.

"Let's just go inside," Darin deflected. "Ignore him. He can eat it or starve, I don't care."

Felicia honestly couldn't be bothered to interfere in whatever strange dynamic existed between the two men anyway.

Returning to the lively yard, Felicia noticed Anne sitting quietly on a stool, picking at her food in total isolation. When Yara tried to strike up a conversation, Anne completely ignored her. The other adults occasionally cast worried glances at the little girl, and the atmosphere grew uncomfortably stiff.

Felicia walked over and took a seat beside her. Seeing her mother, Anne asked softly, "Mom, did Dad eat his food?"

Felicia grabbed a soft napkin, gently wiped the corner of her daughter's mouth, and nodded. "He is eating right now."

Anne nodded thoughtfully in response.

Sensing the child's sudden lack of enthusiasm, Felicia easily guessed the heavy thoughts weighing on her small mind. With so many people laughing and enjoying a warm meal together, the contrast of Max waiting outside alone in his car was stark. Anne clearly felt terrible for him, thinking her father looked incredibly pitiful left out in the cold. Felicia was at a complete loss for words. All she could do was sit closely and offer her silent company.

While the rest of the group moved on to lighter topics, Felicia engaged in quiet conversation with Jeremy. Suddenly, Anne spoke up over the chatter. "Mom, I'm done eating. Are you done too?"

Felicia turned to look at her in surprise. "Your favorite lobster isn't even ready yet. Do you not want any?"

Anne shook her head resolutely. "I don't want any. I'm already full. Are you still eating, Mom?" Her urging tone carried a quiet desperation.

It was glaringly obvious she wanted to leave the party immediately.

Ava leaned in and spoke with gentle warmth. "Since you're done eating, how about I take you inside to watch some TV?"

Anne nodded eagerly, relief washing over her little face.

Felicia could only let out a quiet, helpless sigh. In Anne's heart, Max would always be the most important person in the world. With a heavy heart, she led Anne upstairs to pack.

Out in the yard, the festive mood did not recover after Felicia and Anne departed. If anything, the atmosphere grew even more oppressive. Colton's expression was profoundly grim. He had read the aggressive public statement released by BlueMarble Investments earlier that day. He knew for a fact that Felicia and Max were legally divorced, so what exactly was Max trying to achieve with this stunt? Max always did whatever he pleased, never once considering how his actions might affect Felicia.

Colton turned his sharp gaze toward Jeremy and suddenly broke the silence. "Jeremy, is your company experiencing any fallout right now?"

"There is no negative impact at all," Jeremy replied smoothly. "Everything is perfectly fine."

Colton nodded in satisfaction. "That's good to hear."

A heavy silence followed. Everyone at the table could clearly tell that Anne harbored a strong dislike for seeing Felicia spend time with Jeremy. Unlike Yara, who remained blissfully oblivious to the adult world, Anne was highly perceptive, catching every subtle emotional undercurrent that rippled between the grownups.