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Chapter 20
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2024-12-19 10:12:57
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After 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 : 2025-01-22After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 25
Emily‘s POVThe hospital corridors smelled of antiseptic, sharp and sterile, as I walked briskly toward my father’s room. My heart felt like a stone in my chest, heavy and cold. I hadn’t slept since the news came in, my mind caught between worry for my father and the mess my life had become. The fluorescent lights above flickered slightly, adding to my unease. I paused at the door, steadying myself before pushing it open.Inside, my mother sat in a chair beside my father’s bed. Her hands were clasped tightly, her face pale with worry, but her eyes lit up when she saw me."Emily," she said softly, rising to meet me. "He’s awake. He’s weak, but the doctors think he’s stable now."A rush of relief swept over me, momentarily lightening the weight on my shoulders. I stepped closer to the bed. My father, once strong and proud, now looked frail against the stark white of the hospital linens. His skin was pale, his cheeks sunken, but his eyes flickered open when he heard my voice."Emily…" His
Last Updated : 2025-01-24After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 26
Maya’s POVThe soft glow of candlelight flickered against the bedroom walls as I nestled against Louis’s chest, savoring the quiet intimacy of the moment. His arm rested possessively around my waist, and for once, the world outside felt distant and unimportant. Just as my fingers traced lazy patterns along his collarbone, his phone buzzed insistently on the nightstand.I stiffened. Who would dare intrude on our time together?Louis sighed, his breath warm against my hair. He reached for the phone, casting a brief, apologetic glance my way. I craned my neck to catch the name on the screen, my heart sinking when I saw it.Emily.Of course, it had to be her. That woman was like a ghost that refused to be exorcised from our lives. Louis hesitated, his thumb hovering over the screen. For a brief, delicious moment, I thought he might ignore it. But then, to my dismay, he answered.“Emily,” he said, his tone tinged with impatience. “What is it? Don’t call me like this. Maya might misunderst
Last Updated : 2025-01-25After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 27
Damian’s POVI stood in front of my closet, staring at the rows of neatly pressed shirts and perfectly matched ties, as though they held the secret to tonight's success. Dinner with Emily. Just the thought of her name was enough to send a flutter of nerves through my chest. It wasn’t a date, at least not officially, but it felt monumental, like the start of something I didn’t quite dare to name yet.Formal attire seemed too stiff, too calculated, as though I were attending a business meeting. Casual felt careless, disrespectful even, as if I weren’t taking her seriously. In the end, I chose a crisp white button-down shirt and dark slacks, a balance between effort and ease. The reflection staring back at me in the mirror looked composed, but inside, I felt anything but.As I drove to Emily’s house, my thoughts raced. Memories from our childhood at the children’s home flooded back, unbidden and vivid. Back then, she had been the light in a dim, uncertain world. Her laughter could chase
Last Updated : 2025-01-27After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 28
Lucy’s POVMaya’s family home was just as I’d expected—squat, with a sagging fence, chipped paint, and a yard barely clinging to life. “Mrs. Whitmore,” Lyla, Maya’s mother, greeted us with a disarming smile. Her golden locks were gathered in a delicate bun, and a modest purple gem sparkled at her neck. Though her dress was plain, it was clean and well-kept.“Mrs. Evans,” I replied, my voice smooth and composed. “Thank you for having us.”Lyla inclined her head graciously but didn’t smile. “It’s my pleasure.”There was a quiet dignity in her bearing that caught me off guard. I had expected subservience, an almost eager deference from a woman of her station. But Lyla stood poised, her gaze steady as she regarded me.As Louis exchanged pleasantries with her, my attention drifted across the street. Emily was in her yard, tending to her vegetable garden. She looked up, her gaze fixed on us with an air of calm detachment, as though she had all the time in the world.A prick of embarrassmen
Last Updated : 2025-01-28
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
