When Family Became a Place I Couldn’t Return To novel Chapter 426

Nelly didn’t realize who had walked in until the man stepped fully into the light. It was Brody. Again.

He moved quickly, like he belonged there, even though this was his first time in the house. Without hesitation, he headed straight for the empty seat beside her.

“Sorry, Uncle Nicholas. Traffic was a mess. I’m late,” he said, his tone casual.

Nicholas just smiled. “You know, sometimes it’s better to show up at the right moment than to be early. Nothing beats a hot meal.”

Brody nodded. “You’re absolutely right, Uncle Nicholas.”

Then he finally looked at Nelly. “Were you busy today? You didn’t answer any of my calls.”

Nelly lowered her voice, just barely keeping her frustration hidden. “Brody, why are you here?”

She had been in such a good mood before he showed up. Without even trying, she’d managed to get her biggest obstacle out of the way—thanks to her daughter’s help. But Brody’s sudden appearance ruined everything. Her happiness vanished in an instant.

She glanced over at Carrie, who was staring down at her plate, refusing to meet her eyes. Nelly immediately understood. This was all Carrie’s doing.

April piped up, her voice quiet but clear. “Wow, Carrie, your dad is really handsome.” April was shy, but she wanted to support her friend, so she forced herself to say it.

And it was true. When Brody walked in, April couldn’t look away. He looked like someone who’d just stepped out of a movie. Of course, her own dad was good-looking too, but Brody was different—he had that striking charm of a celebrity, but with more depth. He looked mature, confident, and powerful, like he was used to being the center of attention.

Nicholas was clearly giving Brody a chance to speak his mind. Brody took it, smiling softly. “You’re right. Sometimes you don’t realize what you have until it’s too late. That’s why you have to do whatever it takes to make things right.”

Nelly just kept her head down, pretending she hadn’t heard any of it.

Right then, Victoria came in with a big pot of chicken stew. She kept her head down, clearly hoping not to draw any attention.

Nicholas noticed her but didn’t say anything. April glanced at Victoria, her smile fading. She was still a little scared of her mother. Even though Nicholas had arranged therapy for April and kept telling her that things were different now, April couldn’t help but feel awkward and a little guilty whenever Victoria was around.

Victoria quietly set the stew down near Nelly. The movement caught Nelly’s attention, and she glanced over, but Victoria was still looking down, so Nelly couldn’t see her face. Still, something about the moment made Nelly look at April. Sure enough, April looked tense, but Nicholas didn’t seem to notice. He just kept putting more food on April’s plate.