Chapter 179. I Miss Him

Luis’s POV

Our names were written neatly on small white cards, each placed with deliberate precision on the polished wooden table. The seating arrangement was no accident—CC never left anything to chance. Mine was positioned on Ellis’s right hand, a subtle but unmistakable statement. Ellis sat at the head of the table, relaxed but commanding, our daughter perched comfortably on his lap as if the position were second nature to both of them. She played with the cuff of his sleeve, blissfully unaware of the undercurrents swirling around her.

To my left sat Cayden, already eyeing the pastries with barely restrained excitement. Next to him was Luis—my Luis—sitting far too still, his posture rigid in a way I recognized immediately. Melody and her husband followed, both smiling politely, making small talk that felt a little too rehearsed. Further down the table, strategically dista