You're Just My Ex-Husband,My Lord-Chapter 40- what about Leonardo then?

When Laurent entered the kitchen, Frank was busy washing and chopping vegetables. She walked over to help.

"Frank, let me help you."

In the five years since, though she hadn’t learned much else, she had certainly become skilled in the kitchen.

Frank glanced at her but said nothing, shifting aside to make space for her. She moved over and began washing vegetables with practiced ease.

Frank broke the silence first.

"I heard you and Dave got a divorce?" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Laurent responded mildly.

"Mm."

The divorce was already done. Even if she didn’t want Leonardo to know about it, sooner or later, the news would reach him, so there was no point in hiding or avoiding it anymore.

After a brief pause, Frank asked her.

"So, what are your plans now? My company is hiring recently—"

Laurent understood what Frank meant. She looked up and smiled at him.

"Thanks, Frank, but I don’t plan to stay in the county. I want to go back and stay with my parents."

Frank was surprised by her decision.

"Choosing to live in seclusion at such a young age?"

Laurent smiled.

"I’m not that young anymore. I’m almost thirty."

Frank shook his head.

"In our hearts, you’re still our little junior."

Laurent didn’t respond. She knew who Frank meant by "we." Besides Frank himself, it was Leonardo.

Laurent really didn’t want to associate her current self with Leonardo, which was why she had never told Vivian about her divorce.

Before Frank could say anything else, Laurent’s phone rang from outside. Vivian was calling her.

" Laurent, it’s your phone!"

Laurent wiped her hands dry and walked out. She saw Vivian holding her phone, looking at it with frustration.

"Wow, Dave’s calling? You’re divorced now, what does he want?"

Laurent was also curious about why he was calling. The divorce had been peaceful, and she thought they would never have any contact again.

However, she still answered the call, as they had a daughter together, and perhaps it was something related to her.

Vivian, with her big belly, leaned in gossiping and trying to eavesdrop. Laurent answered the call, responding coldly with a "Hello," and then Dave’s voice came through, cold and distant.

"Your daughter says she misses you."

Vivian, standing beside her, rolled her eyes in disdain. Laurent shot her a glare and then politely asked.

"Could I speak to my daughter?"

The phone was then handed to her daughter. The little girl’s clear voice rang through the line.

"Mom, do you have time tonight? I want to eat dinner with you!"

Hearing her daughter’s voice made Laurent’s heart melt, and her eyes watered.

During the days she spent alone with her daughter in Japan, Laurent had already decided to give up custody of her. She had carefully explained to her daughter about the divorce and told her that she would live with her father, along with Lord and Lady, her aunt.

Of course, she also shared her feelings with her daughter, telling her that even though she and Dave were getting divorced, and she wouldn’t be living with them anymore, she would always love her. No matter when or where, her mom would always love her, and she would always be her precious child.

Laurent hoped to soften the blow of the divorce for her daughter with sweet words, minimizing the pain it might cause.

Now that her daughter had invited her to dinner, Laurent couldn’t refuse, so she agreed

"Alright, what do you want to eat? Mom will take you."

Laurent also thought to herself that she would be seeing Marylin and Zoey soon, traveling between Shanghai and Beijing, which would take several days. She decided to have dinner with her daughter before she left.

The little girl, in her soft voice, made her request.

"I want French steak—"

Laurent felt a little pain in her wallet. She really knew how to eat! French steak—given her current financial situation, treating her to a French meal like that would make her wallet feel empty.

But she still responded gently.

"Okay, I’ll come pick you up tonight."

Before the little girl could say anything, Dave took over the conversation.

"You don’t have a car. Are you going to take the bus to pick her up?"

Laurent was left speechless by his remark. Then she heard him continue.

"Where do you want to go? I’ll drive you both there and back."

Vivian, who had been eavesdropping beside Laurent, rolled her eyes in even greater disdain. What was this? Now that they were divorced, she should avoid him, not meet up with him, let alone have him offer to drive them.

This lofty and cold Washington lord—was he reluctant to let go of Laurent, trying to stay connected through their daughter?

Damn, what about Leonardo then?

Vivian was really worried, fearing that even though Laurent had divorced Dave, she might be persuaded back by his sweet words.

After all, Laurent had once loved Dave so intensely, following his every word and even changing herself for him. If Dave treated her a little better now, Vivian worried Laurent might change her mind again.

What Vivian didn’t know was that it was exactly because she had loved so deeply and given so much that, in the end, the hurt was the greatest.

Such deep emotional scars couldn’t be healed by a few words.

So, her concerns were completely unnecessary.

Laurent didn’t hesitate to reject Dave’s offer to drive them.

"No need to trouble you. If you’re uncomfortable with me and my daughter taking the bus, I’ll just take a taxi back and forth."

Vivian, standing nearby, cheerfully cheered her on with a "Yay," applauding her refusal.

Laurent shot Vivian a glance and continued.

"But I don’t think taking the bus with my daughter is a problem. It’s good for her to experience a bit of ordinary life. Otherwise, if she’s always chauffeured around, she’ll grow up like a delicate flower in a greenhouse."

Laurent mentioned taking a taxi because she didn’t want to argue with Dave. She knew he had a controlling nature, and if she insisted on taking the bus with their daughter, they’d end up in a fight, saying things she didn’t want to hear. She didn’t want to speak another word to him.

If it weren’t for their daughter, she wouldn’t even answer his calls.

However, compromising by taking a taxi didn’t mean she supported his way of raising their daughter.

Girls should be spoiled, but not excessively pampered.

That’s why she added this final remark.

Once she finished, Vivian excitedly made a "Yay" gesture, applauding her for directly confronting Dave.

Laurent almost laughed. If Vivian knew that she had scolded him, slapped him, and splashed water on him, she would probably scream in excitement.

On the other end, Dave was clearly angered by Laurent’s words.

"Can’t we have a proper conversation? Do you have to go against me all the time?"

"Laurent, just to remind you, the custody of our daughter is in my hands. How I raise her is none of your business."

He still spoke in that domineering and condescending tone. Laurent sneered, not backing down, and countered.

"Likewise, when I visit our daughter, you have no right to interfere with how I raise her."

"I’ll pick her up tonight. Goodbye."

She ended the call immediately. Initially, she had intended to compromise and take a taxi with her daughter, but now, after their exchange, she was determined to take the bus with her.

Once again, the conversation ended on an unpleasant note.

Dave was furious with her tone and distant attitude, but he couldn’t express his anger because their daughter was still around.

The little girl eagerly asked him, "Will Mommy pick me up tonight?"

"Yes," Dave grumbled, trying to suppress his frustration.

The little girl beamed and excitedly said, "Great!"

"I need to pick out a pretty dress for my date with Mommy."

With that, she ran off to choose her clothes.

Dave glanced at his daughter’s excited expression, feeling a bit heavy in his chest. Then he remembered that woman saying she was going to take their daughter on the bus, and his chest tightened even more.