Chapter 123 Like a Beautiful Dream
Nathaniel was drowning in regret.
Who would''ve thought Alistair, of all people, would end up with someone like Caroline-a woman known in elite circles as a brilliant, sharp-minded business genius?
At Mabel''s, he smiled politely, made all the right pleasantries, and then carefully steered the conversation toward Alistair.
He casually mentioned that Daniel had been asking about his dad. Mabel tilted her head. "His dad''s not around?"
Nathaniel sighed, "The parents are divorced."
Mabel gave a sympathetic nod. "It''s always the kids who suffer when things fall apart between adults. If there''s any way to make it work, maybe hold on until he''s older... So, what caused the split?"
Nathaniel froze.
Eventually, he admitted the truth-that Alistair used to be his
daughter''s husband-and that he was hoping Alistair coulde visit Daniel sometime.
Because the truth was
thin
sh Marriage to a Siurim
Chapter 123 Like a Beautiful Dream
Nathaniel was drowning in regret.
Who would''ve thought Alistair, of all people, would end up with
someone like Caroline-a woman known in elite circles as a brilliant, sharp- minded business genius?
At Mabel''s, he smiled politely, made all the right pleasantries, and then carefully steered the conversation toward Alistair.
He casually mentioned that Daniel had been asking about his dad. Mabel tilted her head. "His dad''s not around?"
Nathaniel sighed, "The parents are divorced."
Mabel gave a sympathetic nod. “It''s always the kids who suffer when things fall apart between adults. If there''s any way to make it work, maybe hold on until he''s older... So, what caused the split?"
Nathaniel froze.
大
Eventually, he admitted the truth-that Alistair used to be his daughter''s husband- and that he was hoping Alistair coulde visit Daniel sometime.
Because the truth won
tashi Mariage to ? Stunning t
Chapter 123 Like a Beautiful Dream
Nathaniel was drowning in regret.
Who would''ve thought Alistair, of all people, would end up with someone like Caroline-a woman known in elite circles as a brilliant, sharp-minded business genius?
At Mabel''s, he smiled politely, made all the right pleasantries, and then carefully steered the conversation toward Alistair.
He casually mentioned that Daniel had been asking about his
dad. Mabel tilted her head. "His dad''s not around?"
Nathaniel sighed, "The parents are divorced."
Mabel gave a sympathetic nod. "It''s always the kids who suffer when things fall apart between adults. If there''s any way to make it work, maybe hold on until he''s older... So, what caused the
split?"
Nathaniel froze.
Eventually, he admitted the truth-that Alistair used to be his daughter''s husband- and that he was hoping Alistair coulde
visit Daniel sometime.
Because the truth was, this whole mess started and ended with
20:21
Chapter 123 Like a Beautiful Dream
Alistair.
**) 19 min lett
If Alistair hadn''t broken off from the family, Vireon Technologies wouldn''t have cklisted Whitfield Group. And if that hadn''t happened, none of the chaos that followed would''ve unfolded.
To fix this, they needed the one person who''d set it all in motion.
If Alistair agreed to a truce, everything else would fall back into
ce.
But the real problem was that no one could get in touch with either Alistair or Caroline.
So Nathaniel''sst resort? Use Daniel as an emotional bargaining
chip.
Sure, the marriage was over-but the kid missed his father. That had to count for something, right?
He figured Mabel, being the warm and rational woman she seemed to be, would understand.
As long as he could get face time with Alistair, he''d talk sense into him. Lay it all out-six years of sacrifice, a little injustice maybe, but hadn''t it led to Alistair getting that two million dors? That money had helped his family.
20:21
Chapter 123 Like a Beautiful Dream
> 19 min lof
Back then, Alistair had been meek, amodating. Nathaniel was sure he still had a chance to reason with him. And if he could get Alistair on his side, Caroline would follow. Or so he thought.
Mabel smiled sweetly and said, "But Alistair''s not his biological father, is he? Doesn''t feel quite right. Maybe his real dad should spend more time with him. Help build that bond."
Later that night, when Mabel recounted the exchange to Alistair and Caroline, Caroline practically burst with pride. “Grandma, you''re amazing!"
Mabel kept Eloise overnight again.
It was bing a routine the little girl loved. Mabel always had the best stories; there was a cute puppy in the house, and-best of all-none of the people who used to call her a burden.
Eloise, who used to cling to Caroline like a lifeline, now adored staying at Ashbourne Manor. She gave her parents a beaming goodbye, reminded them sweetly to go to bed early, and darted off after Nugget into the garden.
Alistair, meanwhile, had to pull every charm he had to convince Caroline to take a hot bath with him.
One soak turned into a very long soak.
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Chapter 123 Like a Beautiful Dream
(^^)) 19 min leg
By the time they got out, Alistair picked up the hairdryer, as he always did, and started drying her hair.
Caroliney t on the bed, totally rxed. Once her hair was mostly dry, he coiled the cord, put it away, and then scooped her up into his arms. She curled against his chest, her face nestled
against the open cor of his pajama top. Her fingers wandered,zily tracing the edge of his corbone.
Alistair bent down, brushing his lips against her smooth forehead. "Your grandma asked me today when we were nning on having
a baby."
Caroline froze. Her yful fingers stilled.
She looked up, cautious, eyes searching his face. "And what did you say?"
Alistair ran his fingers through her hair, slow and steady.
Her hair was still a little fluffy from the wash-soft, light, and silky
smooth.
"I told her I''d go with whatever you wanted."
Caroline nced at him, trying to keep her voice neutral. "But what about your opinion?"
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20:21
Alistair knew what she meant.
He really didn''t have another answer. That was his opinion. Not a polite lie. Not some carefulpromise.
But he could tell Caroline was afraid he might be downying his real feelings
just to amodate her.
So he looked her straight in the eye and said, "That is my opinion."
She didn''t respond right away. Just looked at him, long and quiet.
doubted any artist on earth c
Her eyes were so beautiful, it was hard to look away. Alistair doubted any artist on
earth could capture the colors that lived in her gaze.
He murmured, almost to himself, "Is this a dream?"
Caroline blinked. "Hmm?"
"Just... everything''s so perfect, sometimes I wonder if I''m dreaming," Alistair said,
his voice low. "You''re so good, sometimes I feel like I don''t deserve you. Like I''m
the lucky one in this
rtionship. And if I''m honest, I''m scared. Scared one day you''ll wake up, realize I''m not worth it, and leave."
Caroline frowned and poked him in the head with her finger. "What kind of nonsense is that? Don''t say stuff like that again.
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Chapter 123 Like a Beautiful Dream
19 min Toff
Who says you''re not worth it? You just haven''t had the chance to show what
you''re capable of."
Worried he might be spiraling into self-doubt again, she rushed to pull him back
before the thought took root. What she saw in him had nothing to do with money, titles, or achievements-it was the man he was, the way he carried himself, the quiet steadiness in his character.
She genuinely believed he''d spent years being dragged down by Reba, and if he''d had the freedom to grow on his own terms, there was no doubt in her mind-
he would''ve be someone
remarkable.
"If
I wanted a man who worked himself to the bone, I''d have married ten of them
by now," she said, “but I didn''t. I married you. I don''t need you to suffer or prove anything. Just be happy. That''s all I want."
"You''re really not embarrassed to be with someone like me?" he asked, half- joking, half-serious. "A guy with no career, no money, living off his wife?" Forget what others thought-he sometimes felt like the world''s luckiest parasite.
Being with Caroline felt like a fairy tale he didn''t belong in. She was
– and brilliance, and he couldn''t for the life of him figure
LIKE a beautiful Dream
out what she saw in someone like him.
Caroline shot up, nearly bumping into his chin.
"I won''t let you talk about yourself like that," she snapped. "We''re married. Our finances are shared. What''s mine is yours and vice versa. Yeah, I''ve got more
money. So what? That doesn''t mean a damn thing. You''ve given me things no amount of money could ever buy."
She ticked them off on her fingers. "Love. Security. A real home
for me and Eloise."
Alistair didn''t argue.
She gave me all those things too... which means, technically, I''m still the one
getting the better end of the deal...
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