The Phantom Heiress Rising From The Shadows

Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Why Can't I Have That Ellie woke up lazily around six in the afternoon, finally dragging herself out of the comfort of her soft bed. She had slept the entire day and was only woken up by hunger.

Still wearing her pajamas, she walked into the living room, where the soft glow of the lights blended with the lively sounds of cartoons and quiet voices.

She assumed that Brenna had cback with her son, speaking quietly to allow her to rest without interruption. Yawning widely, Ellie spoke in her typical laid-back style. "I'm starving! Got anything to eat?" Her curls were messy, and her nightgown hung loosely, the slipping strap unintentionally exposing more than intended.

Jayceon was sitting on the couch in a casual jacket, happily munching on chips with Patrick.

The table before them was a feast of snacks, all the kinds kids loved.

Next to them, a collection of takeout bags from a fancy restaurant sat invitingly with the contents still steaming. When Jayceon saw Ellie enter the living room like that, his heart skipped a beat. His nerves tensed as he set his chips down, stood up, and moved toward her with anticipation.

"Ellie!" he exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement as he embraced her.

Ellie, surprised by his sudden approach, responded with a cold attitude, "Who gave you permission to chere?" Jayceon had expected this reaction from her. Years ago, Ellie had left him because she had been angry with h and after all these years, her anger still hadn't faded.

With a mix of disappointment and remorse, he glanced at Patrick and said, "Hey, Patrick, why don't you head to your room for a bit? I need to have a word with your mom." Patrick, sensing the tension, offered a supportive nod to Jayceon before leaving. "You can do it, Dad!" As Jayceon acknowledged his son's encouragement, Ellie had already gone to her bedroom and returned shortly after, now dressed in a more refined cotton- linen dress.

The dress fell gracefully around her waist, giving her a sense of effortless yet striking elegance.

Her hair, now neatly arranged, radiated a sophisticated charm that seemed to soothe Jayceon's nerves. Approaching her with genuine regret in his voice, he said, "It was all a big misunderstanding seven years ago. That woman was someone my mother wanted to introduce to me. I never went to meet her, and I had no 10:52 0.0% 1 Chapter 182 Why Can't I Have That intention of getting engaged to her. She is married to someone else now. Ellie, can we move past that? We have a son together. Please, giveanother chance. We can start over." Weak and starving, Ellie noticed the spread of food on the table. She figured Jayceon was probably the one who had bought it, so she had no appetite for any of it.

She responded firmly, "I'm not here to fix things between us. I cback only because our son wanted to see his father." Jayceon reached out for her hand.

Ellie avoided his gesture and walked straight to the kitchen, opening the fridge to find something she could cook.

Jayceon followed her into the kitchen, his hand stopping the fridge door as he said, "Please don't stay angry with me. So many years have passed, and I know it's all my fault. If you need to punish me, do what you must, but don't shutout. I thought you might be hungry, so I ordered sfood for you. Say whatever is on your mind or do whatever you need to do, but you should eat a little something first to regain your strength, alright?" He then retrieved the takeaway bags, carefully laying out the dishes on the dining table and arranging the utensils neatly.

Ellie was indeed too hungry to refuse him and began eating without hesitation.

Jayceon called Patrick over, serving him food and handing him the utensils, all while giving him a subtle signal.

Patrick, not feeling very hungry, picked at his food, his attention more on helping Jayceon than on the meal.

"Mom, today Dad and I went to the paintball park! He was the villain, and I got to be the special forces soldier. It was awesome..." Patrick was brimming with excitement as he showered Jayceon with praise, eagerly recounting their adventure. Glancing at Ellie with hopeful eyes, he said, "Dad also gota bunch of toys."

Sensing Ellie's displeasure, he hesitantly added, "Mom, shouldn't we be a family and dive together? Can we alt-sleep in the sroom tonight? I want Dad to tella bedtstory." Ellie furrowed her brows and responded firmly, "Absolutely not."

Patrick's excitement faded into a sullen frown, his eyes welling up as he asked, "But why? He's my dad, ed.

isn't he? Other kids have both their parents together at home; why can't I have that?" Encouraged by his son's words, Jayceon quickly said, "Exactly, Ellie. We are a family, right? Shouldn't we live together?" He met Ellie's gaze boldly. "A father's love is crucial for our son, right? You should think about what's best for him..." Ellie shot him a fierce look. "Don't use our son to make your case!" Patrick dropped his fork and, with genuine innocence, approached Ellie, asking, "Why don't you want Dad to live with us, Mom? He is really nice." Ellie simmered with anger, shocked that after spending only a day with Jayceon, Patrick was already siding with him.

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