You're Just My Ex-Husband,My Lord-Chapter 290- shook hands

Dave was driving his daughter back to Burg Eltz, but instead of going straight home, he decided to stop by the mall to buy a gift for Laurent. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Throughout the drive, his daughter hadn’t been particularly helpful in choosing the right gift, but Dave had figured it out on his own. When he was praising his daughter for being so great and making him so happy, the idea came to him.

As they walked through the mall, the first floor was filled with luxury jewelry and clothing stores, and the most famous one was show, the fashion store run by the notorious Tina from the A.T. fashion empire in Burg Eltz.

While walking with his daughter, Dave suddenly spotted a familiar figure standing by the show store’s window. The person was dressed casually in black clothes, but oddly, he wore a large black mask that covered almost his entire face.

With that mask on, it was nearly impossible for anyone to recognize him, but Dave immediately knew who it was. It was Bert.

Dave stood still, holding his daughter’s hand, watching Bert intensely studying the trendy clothes in the display window. He couldn’t help but let out a derisive snort.

Here’s a guy who used to be the head of Washington Co., and now he’s at the mall checking out clothes?

Dave knew all too well how busy that job was—he was practically spinning like a top every day—but Bert? He seemed to have the leisure to indulge in such trivial things.

Hah.

If he couldn’t let go of his own personal hobbies, then he shouldn’t be meddling in these affairs, trying to get Washington Co. back. Bert’s design company had potential; if he focused on it and applied his design skills, it could do well.

Combining what you love with your work, and making a living from it, is one of the greatest blessings—and yet, Bert was never content.

To Dave’s surprise, his sharp-eyed little girl immediately recognized Bert. She wrenched her hand from his and ran over, shouting,

"Uncle Bert! Uncle Bert!"

Despite not wanting to face Bert directly, Dave had no choice but to follow his daughter as she dashed over.

It was baffling how sharp the little girl’s eyes were—Bert had his face almost completely covered, yet she still recognized him.

Bert clearly hadn’t expected to run into them here, and when he realized they’d spotted him, a flash of awkwardness and discomfort crossed his face.

The truth was, he had been completely overwhelmed at work, buried under the weight of countless big and small decisions. To escape the stress, he’d changed clothes and come to the mall, hoping that looking at some fashion would calm his restless mind. It was the only way he could make himself feel alive again.

Due to suddenly taking over Washington Co., Bert had become a target for the media, so he had to disguise himself as much as possible with his appearance.

As the former lord of Washington Co., Dave was also a media focal point. Since becoming unemployed, Dave had moved away from his usual serious and formal suit-and-shirt attire, opting for simpler, casual clothes. His hair, no longer meticulously styled, fell naturally, giving him a relaxed, easygoing look.

Before entering the mall, he had deliberately worn amber-framed glasses, hiding his deep, piercing black eyes behind the lenses. This made him appear refined and scholarly, and few people would be able to connect this look with the previously stern and aloof Dave.

Both of them had intentionally disguised their appearances, which helped them avoid many prying eyes. As a result, they were able to stand there undisturbed.

Bert didn’t want to meet Dave, but with that enthusiastic little girl between them, and the fact that she had recognized him and come running toward him, he couldn’t just turn and walk away.

So, he stood there, slightly bending down to smile at her,

"emma, what are you doing here?"

In his heart, Bert used this name as a way to prove that he wasn’t like them, and that they weren’t family.

"I came with Dad to pick a gift for Mom."

She sweetly replied, smiling at Bert.

"Dad said Mom did two really amazing things, so he wants to reward her."

Children speak without thinking, with pure and kind hearts.

The little girl had no qualms about Bert, but that didn’t mean Dave was completely at ease, nor could Bert be. So the two men exchanged a brief glance, then each looked away, ignoring each other.

The little girl looked up at the two of them and, confused, asked Dave,

"Dad, why aren’t you talking to Uncle?"

Dave, "..."

Bert, "..."

"So, you’re both so leisurely?"

Finally, under the eager gaze of the little girl, Dave spoke first, letting out a cold laugh,

"As the lord, you seem to have so much free time. Has Washington Co. been managed so well under your leadership, or is it on the verge of bankruptcy? Though I guess it’s probably the latter."

His words were laced with biting sarcasm.

Dave didn’t want to show this side of himself in front of his daughter, but he couldn’t help it.

The little girl had no qualms about Bert, but that didn’t mean Dave was completely at ease, nor could Bert be. So the two men exchanged a brief glance, then each looked away, ignoring each other.

The little girl looked up at the two of them and, confused, asked Dave,

"Dad, why aren’t you talking to Uncle?"

Dave, "..."

Bert, "..."

"So, you’re both so leisurely?"

Finally, under the eager gaze of the little girl, Dave spoke first, letting out a cold laugh,

"As the lord, you seem to have so much free time. Has Washington Co. been managed so well under your leadership, or is it on the verge of bankruptcy? Though I guess it’s probably the latter."

His words were laced with biting sarcasm.

Dave didn’t want to show this side of himself in front of his daughter, but he couldn’t help it.

Bert wasn’t about to back down either. Though his face was mostly concealed by a mask, he let out a cold grunt.

"So what if it’s the latter? In just a few days, you managed to bury a century-old legacy. You must be heartbroken, right?"

"I don’t have anything to mourn," Dave replied casually. "In fact, I think life is pretty good now—wife, kids, warm home. That’s enough."

Dave wore a relaxed smile.

"Come to think of it, I should thank you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy this family happiness."

Bert was so enraged by his words that he gritted his teeth. The little girl, noticing the tension between the two, asked, "Did you guys have a fight?"

Both men huffed, refusing to look at each other. The little girl stood in the middle, tilted her head in confusion, thought for a moment, then stretched out her little hands. She took one of Dave’s hands and one of Bert’s, and placed them together. Both men quickly pulled their hands away, shaking them off.

What a ridiculous joke! How could I possibly shake hands with Dave! Bert’s inner monologue.

What on earth is my daughter trying to do? I’ll never shake hands with Bert in my life. In Dave’s mind, shaking hands would mean reconciliation.

The little girl, undeterred, tried again, pulling their hands back together. Then, she said, "The teacher says that after an argument, if you shake hands, it means you’re friends again."

"Boys should be magnanimous," she added, mimicking the words her teacher used when trying to settle arguments between two boys at kindergarten.

She had no idea about the deep animosity between the two men. She just thought it was a simple argument, and so, not giving up, she tried to get them to make peace.

In the little girl’s mind, her dad loved her very much, but her uncle was also very good to her. She didn’t want them to be unhappy with each other. After all, she was caught in the middle, and it made her feel awkward. Plus, she still wanted her uncle to keep drawing for her.

In the end, after much insistence from the little girl, the two men finally shook hands. They gripped each other’s hands tightly, squeezing so hard that it seemed like they might break each other’s fingers.