Flash Marriage to a Stunning CEO (Alistair and Richard)

Chapter 43 Family Portrait

"Alistair married someone else?"

Nathaniel had just gotten home from work when he heard the news. He froze. "Are you sure? That can't be right."

Cordelia sighed. "He told Eva himself. She said she ran into him outside the kindergarten-he was picking up a little girl. The girl even called him Daddy. And Danny mentioned today that he saw Alistair picking her up a few days ago and telling him not to call him Daddy anymore."

Nathaniel went quiet for a while, thinking back to how cold Alistair had been the last time he tried to reach him. That conversation had been so final it practically sealed any chance of reconciling with Rebecca.

Eventually, he said, "They're divorced. If he's remarried, that's his own business."

Cordelia grew anxious. "How can you say that? If he really has moved on, what about Rebecca? What about Danny?"

Nathaniel sank onto the couch with a tired sigh. "He was with Rebecca for six years, and she never really saw what was good about him. Maybe they just weren't meant to be."

Cordelia frowned. "That isn't fair. Back then, she didn't see it because she didn't have anything to compare him to-kind of

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like how I used to pick at him all the time. But now, after seeing what Richard's like, I actually think Alistair was the only one worth trusting. Can't you try to talk some sense into him?"

Nathaniel shook his head. "Is this really on us? It's between them. Us pushing for something Rebecca might not even want... it won't change anything."

Cordelia fell silent.

He had a point.

They'd been clinging to the hope that Alistair might come back- but had anyone really asked Rebecca what she wanted?

Would she really choose that other life over her own family?

Cordelia's heart sank.

As a mother, she never wanted to see her daughter caught in this

mess.

But because she was her mother, she felt compelled to help Rebecca see Alistair

for who he really was-even if it meant being the bad guy.

If Rebecca wouldn't come around, Cordelia would eventually

have to take a hard stand.

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Family

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in the living room

filled

she had a spare moment, she'd grab her pencils and start

was Alistair by her side. The person had changed, but Eloise's smile hadn't—if anything,

there was a little extra

by drawing a little girl with pigtails. "That's

drew an elegant lady

tall, handsome man. Not that Alistair was bragging, but the kid

and asked, "Daddy, do

hard. "Is it me? But he looks way

Chapter 43 Family Portrait

"You got it!

made me

with a smile.

times-no, a

that!"

if someone

into it.

a daughter was

long before dinner, Caroline came home from

there was something major, she

be home for her

now, with someone else waiting for her too, there was no way she'd be working

walked over, carrying that

Eloise beamed. "Mommy, look!"

and then smiled knowingly. "Looks like a family

A family portrait?

Chapter 43 Family Portrait

words hit Alistair

had always craved a real family... yeah, that

blinked. "What's a family

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daughter and casually rested

tensed up for a second, then quickly reminded himself-this wasn't a big deal. Just an arm. They'd held

himself

you, Mommy, and Daddy-all of us together. That's what a family portrait means." Eloise's eyes sparkled. "So... we're really a family now, right? Like in the picture?" Caroline gave a confident nod. "That's right. The three

just saying that to make the

maybe I'm just reading

Chapter 43 Family Portrait

out a quiet

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warmth fool you. No matter how good it