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Chapter 16
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2024-12-19 10:11:12
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After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 17
Maya’s POVI leaned back on the plush couch in my apartment, staring at the ceiling. My fingers twirled idly through my hair as memories of the past unfurled, mingling with my current schemes. Emily. She was the anchor of every thought, every plan, every bit of envy that burned quietly within me.It had always been Emily. Back in high school, she was the golden girl—beautiful, driven, and effortlessly adored. Beside her, I was just the shadow, the girl people noticed only when Emily wasn’t around. Even the teachers who praised me for my hard work always added, “You and Emily make such a great team.”A laugh escaped me, bitter and hollow. Emily’s glow made my achievements look like scraps. I’d smiled at her wedding, clapping politely, but the jealousy had gnawed at my stomach as I watched her glide down the aisle. She didn’t just get a husband—she secured Louis Whitman, a man who seemed to have everything: charm, intelligence, and a future paved in gold.When Emily reappeared in my lif
Last Updated : 2024-12-19After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 18
Emily’s POVThe drive to my parents’ house felt longer than usual. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as I sped away from Louis and our marriage. When I arrived, the usual warmth of home greeted me—the gardenias my mother planted still blooming by the porch, the faint aroma of fresh bread wafting from the kitchen. But none of it settled the unease in my chest.“You’re here so soon!” my mother exclaimed, pulling me into a hug.I forced a smile. “I thought I’d surprise you.”She frowned. “What’s wrong?”“I’ve been worried about dad’s health,” I said quickly, brushing past her and into the house. “I wanted to spend time with you both today and get my mind off of everything.”Her brow furrowed with concern, but she let it drop. My father appeared from the living room, frail and pale but smiling as he walked over to hug me. The sight of him weakened something in me, but I pushed the emotions down.“How’s my girl?” he asked as I helped him to his recliner. His heart condition had l
Last Updated : 2024-12-19After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 19
Emily' POVThe pounding on the bedroom door was relentless—each thud louder, angrier than the last. “Emily!” Louis’s voice boomed, full of irritation. “Open the door!”“Emily, open up! This is ridiculous—you’re just being petty!” Maya screeched, her shrill voice grating against my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.I didn’t move, arms crossed. From inside, their overlapping voices grew louder—his furious commands clashing with her whiny pleas. “Louis, calm down,” Maya purred. “She’s doing this to make us look bad!”I turned as the clatter of hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway. Lucy swept into view, sporting her polished curls and her garishly flamboyant suit.“What in God’s name is going on here?” She demanded.Without a word, I flung the key at the door with a sharp clink. “There,” I nodded at it with my chin, “Your golden boy and his mistress are locked inside together. Go on, let’s see what Mommy Dearest makes of that.”Lucy glared at me as she stalked forward, snatched u
Last Updated : 2024-12-19After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 20
Emily' POV“A most wonderful friend of mine,” I beamed, eyeing Louis and Lucy cheerfully. “Nice to meet you all.” Damian replied coolly, hands in his pockets. “A friend?” Louis sneered, his voice thick with sarcasm. “Don’t insult me, Emily. What is he? Your lover? Trying to make me jealous?”“Why would I?” I winked, “It’s not like you’ve given me any reason to.”Maya jumped in, angry and mocking. “You have no right to judge anyone when you’ve clearly been screwing around behind Louis’ back!”“Hypocrite,” Louis bit out.“Careful,” Damian said, his voice soft but cutting as he turned to Maya. “People in glass houses should not throw stones. Or the sticks and bricks might just come back for a bite.”Maya went pale and derided. “What’s that supposed to mean?”Damian gave a slight grin “Just don’t reach for things that don’t belong to you.”“Maya?” Louis peered uneasily at her face, “What’s he talking about?”“Everything's fine." Maya said with a faint smile, her voice soft. "They're just
Last Updated : 2024-12-19After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 21
Emily‘s POVI stepped into the sterile, fluorescent-lit hallway of the hospital, the smell of antiseptic stinging my nose. My heart pounded in my chest, a mix of nerves and guilt gnawing at my insides. Damian walked beside me, his steady presence both comforting and overwhelming."Are you sure you're okay to do this alone?" he asked, his voice low and soothing.I nodded stiffly. “I’ll be fine. You’ve already done so much. Thank you for coming with me.”He hesitated, his hazel eyes scanning my face as if searching for cracks in the fragile mask I wore. “Call me if you need anything.”I watched him disappear down the hall before taking a deep breath and heading toward my father’s room. The sound of my boots clicking against the tile seemed deafening as I approached the door.Inside, the scene struck me like a blow. My sister, Lola, sat beside our mother, Sienna, who looked like the weight of the world had settled on her shoulders. Lola’s arm was draped around her, murmuring soft reassu
Last Updated : 2025-01-15After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 22
Emily's POVThe dim glow of the flickering neon sign outside the bar cast long shadows across the near-empty room. The coldness of the place wasn’t just physical—it seeped into my bones, wrapping around me like an unwelcome shroud. I sat slumped in the corner, nursing a half-empty bottle of whiskey that I’d convinced myself would help me unwind. Instead, it only made the edges of my world blur into a dark and distorted haze.The bitter liquid burned as it slid down my throat, but it didn’t warm me. I stared at the amber ripples in my glass, my reflection distorted and unrecognizable. My mind swirled with every regret, every misstep. The room around me seemed to grow smaller, the silence louder. It was as if the world had shrunk to just me, my failures, and the suffocating weight of isolation.The alcohol churned in my stomach, threatening to revolt, but I kept drinking. The brave front I’d put on for so long was cracking, revealing the raw, trembling fear underneath. I pulled my coat t
Last Updated : 2025-01-17After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 23
Damian‘s POVSitting in my car with her slumped against the passenger seat, murmuring to herself, I felt the weight of the years between us, the distance that wasn’t just about time but also pain, loss, and things left unsaid.Her voice was low, a soft, slurred mumble. Most of it was unintelligible, but then she said it: “Angel.” The name hit me like a punch to the chest. My grip tightened on the steering wheel as my mind flashed back to the orphanage, to her tear-streaked face looking up at me for comfort. No one called me that anymore. No one even remembered.Except for her.Her tears came in waves as she slumped against my shoulder, crying with the rawness of someone who’d held it in for far too long. It felt like stepping into a memory, back to when she was just a little girl who leaned on me when the world was too cruel. And here she was again, not so little anymore, but still breaking in front of me, trusting me to catch her.I carried her up to my condo, every step heavy with th
Last Updated : 2025-01-21After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 24
Emily‘s povI stood frozen for a moment after I uttered the words, “I’ll think about it.” The room felt heavy, as though my own uncertainty had filled it. Damian's eyes searched mine, a faint glimmer of hope lingering in their depths, but he didn’t press me. He made one hell of a case.“I’m well-educated, have no bad habits, and I would never betray you. You can be sure about that. I take loyalty very seriously.” Damian’s words were steady and confident, a reflection of his composed demeanor.Damian was everything anyone could hope for in a man—kind, empathetic, and the picture of respectability. His every action seemed deliberate, rooted in a deep sense of integrity. Yet, I couldn’t understand why someone like him would want to be with me. My life was a mess. I was a divorcee, reeling from betrayal, and all he’d seen of me was my most vulnerable, broken self.As perfect as Damian seemed, my heart wasn’t ready. The timing felt off, like the universe had decided to test me just as I was
Last Updated : 2025-01-22
Latest chapter
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 49
Emily's POVThe morning air was cool against my skin as I made my way to the restaurant, the scent of fresh bread and roasted coffee drifting through the streets. My head still ached from last night’s disaster, but the worst part wasn’t the hangover. It was the mortifying memory of how I had fallen apart in front of everyone—my family, Damian… Damian.I groaned, rubbing my temples as I quickened my pace. The sooner I got to work, the sooner I could drown myself in tasks and forget that last night ever happened.But, of course, the universe had other plans."Emily."I froze mid-step, my heart lurching violently against my ribs.Damian stood just a few feet away, hands in his pockets, his dark eyes fixed on me with quiet intensity. He looked impossibly calm, as if he hadn’t spent the night witnessing my complete unraveling."You’re up early," he observed, his gaze scanning me as if assessing whether I would collapse at any moment. "How are you feeling?"“Fine,” I said sharply. The tense
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 48
The car rolled to a slow stop in front of my house, and the weight of the night pressed down on me like a thick, suffocating fog. My head swam, my body heavy with exhaustion, but beneath the drunken haze, a sharp edge of dread coiled in my chest. I knew what was waiting for me behind that door.Damian shifted in the driver’s seat, exhaling through his nose as he glanced toward the house. The porch light glowed dimly, a beacon against the night, and through the front window, I could see faint shadows moving inside."They’re awake," he muttered.I groaned, letting my head flop against the seat. "Of course they are. Because why wouldn’t they be waiting up for their mess of a daughter?""You’re not a mess," he said firmly.I snorted, cracking an eye open to look at him. "I am currently drunk, dramatically spiraling, and about to walk into a family intervention. That, my dear doctor, is the definition of a mess."Damian didn’t argue, but his jaw tightened as he stepped out of the car and w
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 47
Emily's POVThe band had wrapped up for the night, but the revelry showed no signs of stopping. I perched on a barstool, my cheeks flushed from drink and the remnants of adrenaline still rushing through my veins from my impromptu performance.Emma clinked her glass against mine, grinning like a cat who had just knocked something expensive off a shelf. "To finally seeing you let loose," she declared, swaying slightly as she threw back the rest of her cocktail.I giggled, leaning on her shoulder dramatically. "I always let loose."She snorted. "Oh, please. You are the queen of restraint. If there was an Olympic event for brooding, you’d take home the gold.""I’m not that bad," I protested, slurring slightly.Emma raised an eyebrow. "You just spent the last six months looking like a Victorian widow haunting her ex-lover’s estate."I gasped, clutching my chest. "I am deeply offended.""You should be." She winked. "But you’re also drunk, which means I win."She wasn’t wrong. The room swaye
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 46
Emily's POVThe next night back in the city, the bar pulsed with life. The air was thick with laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the scent of whiskey and warm candle wax. It was a full house tonight, the kind of crowd that thrived on the energy of music and conversation. Once, a night like this would have exhilarated me. But tonight, the weight in my chest was too heavy, the dark cloud over my mind too thick to shake."You're brooding," Emma teased, nudging me with her elbow as she sipped on her cocktail. "Again. Honestly, I should start charging you every time you slip into moody silence."I shot her a look, but a reluctant smile tugged at my lips. "I’m not brooding."She arched a brow, clearly unimpressed. "You’re sitting at a bar, staring into your drink like it personally wronged you. That is textbook brooding."I sighed, swirling the amber liquid in my glass. "I just-.""Ah-ah," she interrupted, wagging a finger. "No tragic monologues tonight. You need to have fun, Emily. Rea
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 45
Emily's POV“The whole thing was unbelievable,” a woman at table four murmured, her voice carrying just enough for me to hear.“I know,” her friend replied, barely bothering to lower her tone. “Imagine—him of all people. And right here, in her restaurant? Poor thing, she must be humiliated.”I didn’t need to ask who they were talking about.Rumors had spread like wildfire, twisting and turning with every retelling until I barely recognized the truth within them. Some said Damian’s family had stormed in, demanding he return home as if I were some villainous temptress keeping him hostage. Others whispered that it had been a dramatic public breakup, a love triangle exploding right before their eyes. A few even speculated that I had known all along—that I had planned for this scandal, as if I thrived on chaos.None of them were right.But none of them were completely wrong either.The restaurant bustled with life around me, the clang of silverware against plates, the murmur of conversatio
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 44
Emily's POVThe night had barely ended, but exhaustion clung to me like a second skin. The warmth and excitement that once filled the space had long since faded, replaced by something colder, something that left a bitter taste in my mouth.And at the center of it all stood Damian.He looked at me with an expression I couldn’t bring myself to decipher—desperation, regret, something deeper. His hands were clenched at his sides, as if he was holding himself back from reaching for me.“Emily, please,” he started, his voice raw. “Just let me explain.”I folded my arms. “You had plenty of chances to explain. But instead, you lied. Again and again.”His jaw tensed. “I never wanted to lie to you. I—”“No.” I cut him off sharply. “You pretended to be kind while hiding the truth. And now? I have no idea who you really are.”Damian flinched, like I had physically struck him.“I understand why you’re angry, but I swear to you, everything I did was because I—”I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 43
Damian's POVLouis stood too close to Emily, his presence a vile intrusion, his gaze dark and taunting. He had no right. Not after what he had done to her. Not after he shattered her heart and left her to pick up the pieces alone.I stepped in front of her, blocking his path. “Back off, Louis,” I warned, my voice low and lethal. “You have no place here.”A slow, mocking smirk curled at the corner of his mouth. “Oh? And you do?” He crossed his arms, his tone dripping with disdain. “I must say, Damian, your hypocrisy is astounding. You stand here, acting like some noble protector, when you’re the one dragging her into your family's endless disgrace.”Emily stiffened behind me, her fingers gripping the fabric of her dress. I could feel the tension radiating from her, the confusion, the pain. She didn’t deserve this. She didn’t deserve any of this.Her parents, standing nearby, moved closer, instinctively positioning themselves in silent defense. Her mother’s gaze burned with quiet fury,
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 42
Damian's POVThe restaurant had been warm before, filled with the rich scents of simmering sauces, seared meats, and the gentle hum of admiration. Now, the air was thick with something else entirely. Something cold. Something suffocating.Barrett Augustus stood at the center of the chaos, his commanding presence drawing every eye in the room. His sharp, calculating gaze bore into me with quiet fury, his voice slicing through the tension with the ease of a blade."You have defied the family’s wishes for far too long, Damian," he stated, his words clipped and deliberate. "Pretending to date other women, keeping up appearances, when all along, you were secretly pursuing her?"He turned then, his piercing gaze settling on Emily."Tell me, my dear," he continued smoothly, his tone laced with something that sent an unmistakable chill down my spine. "Has my grandson told you the truth?"Emily’s brows furrowed, confusion flickering in her green eyes. "What are you talking about?"Barrett’s li
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 41
Emily's POVAs the tension over my creative originality hung thick in the air, the crowd watched with bated breath. Damian stepped onto the stage beside me, his presence commanding attention. With a few swift taps of his fingers, the screen flickered to life, revealing a candid moment from my kitchen—hair messy, face dotted with splashes of sauce, and me fumbling with the ingredients for the dish I’d just introduced. The contrast couldn’t have been more striking.“Stop! Damian, I’m still experimenting!” I protested, laughter spilling out as I fumbled with the ingredients, my hands—no doubt covered in sauce—smeared across the counter. “Promise me you’ll never show this to anyone! You’re supposed to capture my best, not my clumsiest moments!”“Well, it’s the process that shows your genius,” Damian said, zeroing in on me and the cutting board. “What’s next? Tell me about your thought process.”“Well,” I smiled playfully, tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear, “maybe a Thai and Szech
