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Chapter 45
Last Updated:
2025-02-18 11:14:21
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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
Last Updated : 2025-02-18After 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
Last Updated : 2025-02-18After 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
Last Updated : 2025-02-18After 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
Last Updated : 2025-02-18After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 50
Maya's POVThe glow of the dim overhead lights reflected beautifully off the rim of my glass as I lifted it, savoring the expensive cocktail in my hand. Around me, my friends laughed and chatted, their voices a gentle hum of admiration and indulgence. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfume and fine whiskey, a mix of sophistication and luxury—everything I had always deserved.Louis sat beside me, his dark, smoldering gaze locked onto me with that slow, knowing smile that made every other woman in the room seethe with jealousy. I could feel it, the way they watched us, the way they whispered. They wanted what I had. They wanted to be me. And who could blame them? I had it all—wealth, beauty, power, and a fiancé who worshipped the ground I walked on.“This place is… quaint,” one of my friends, Ava, mused, running a manicured finger along the rim of her glass. Her usual taste ran more toward exclusive members-only lounges with imported champagne and name recognition.I smil
Last Updated : 2025-02-27After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 51
Maya's POVEmily moved through the bar ready to take their order, her face perfectly neutral, her posture stiff.A slow smile curved my lips. The moment was too perfect.Seizing my opportunity, I gestured toward her with syrupy sweetness. “Oh, everyone, you must meet Emily.” I let my voice rise just enough to ensure I had the group’s full attention. “This is Damian’s ex-girlfriend.”The reaction was instant. Heads snapped toward her, eyes widening with interest. The conversation that had been focused on me—on my flawless life—shifted, their curiosity now directed at the woman who had, once upon a time, held Louis’ heart.Emily’s steps faltered for just a fraction of a second, her fingers tightening around the tablet in her hand. She recovered quickly, but I had seen it. The weakness. The sting.I tilted my head, feigning innocence. “Oh, you don’t mind the introduction, do you, Emily?” My voice was light, pleasant, perfectly polite, but the underlying message was clear.She met my gaze
Last Updated : 2025-02-27After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 52
Maya's POV“Oh, Damian has always been the noblest of men,” I cooed, swirling my untouched champagne as I leaned forward, my smile delicate yet sharp. “It’s no wonder he has such a dedicated following. Isn’t that right, Emily?”Emily barely spared me a glance as she set down another tray of drinks with practiced ease. Her expression was composed, unreadable, and it infuriated me.“I wouldn’t know,” she said lightly, her tone void of any emotion that would suggest familiarity. “I was never his patient.”The table let out an exaggerated collective gasp, ever the dramatists when a bit of juicy gossip was at play.“Oh?” I feigned a surprised blink. “I thought… well, with everything I’ve heard…” I trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air like perfume.Emily smiled at me then, and I despised how calm she looked. “Damian is a wonderful doctor, but we’ve never had that kind of relationship.”I tapped my chin as if deep in thought. “Interesting. But tell me, Emily, how is your fami
Last Updated : 2025-03-06After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 53
Damian's POVI never intended to come to this party.When Eloise extended the invitation, I had every intention of declining. I had been preparing excuses in my head, knowing that social gatherings hosted by Maya were never just friendly get-togethers. There was always an underlying motive, a scheme brewing beneath her carefully poised smile.But then Eloise mentioned the venue.Emily’s bar.I agreed before I had time to think about it.Now, as I stepped inside with Eloise on my arm, I was immediately reminded of why I had hesitated.Maya was already holding court, her voice lilting with amusement as she spun yet another version of the story she wanted the world to believe. The moment she noticed me, her eyes gleamed, and she turned her attention toward Emily, her tone growing deliberately louder.“Emily, you must know how we feel,” Maya purred, her voice honeyed with false concern. “After everything that’s happened, it’s just so unfortunate that people keep bringing up old wounds. I
Last Updated : 2025-03-07
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After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 116
Charlotte’s POVThe string lights above the terrace twinkled like distant stars, casting a soft, amber glow over the garden that had been transformed for Grandfather’s birthday. I stood by the fountain, my fingers wrapped tightly around a flute of champagne, watching as the guests trickled in, their voices rising in cheerful bursts. The old guard was here tonight—Larry with his ever-present cigar tucked behind one ear, Saul in his ridiculous plaid bowtie, and Carl, who’d brought his wife even though she could barely stay awake through a conversation. These were the men who’d built an empire alongside Barrett Augustus. They were also men who knew how to tell a story and raise a glass in honor of a legacy. Tonight, that legacy was turning seventy.I looked across the tables set out with fresh flowers and gold-rimmed plates and spotted Emily, laughing at something Damian had just whispered in her ear. I smiled without thinking. She was wearing a pale blue dress that floated when she walk
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 115
Barrett’s POVThe next morning, I sat in my leather recliner, nursing a secund cup of black coffee, and staring out over the manicured estate. Thoughts of the approaching date churned in my mind, and I found myself… restless. Seventy. The big seven-zero. The number itself tasted both bitter and regal on my tongue. I had not planned to celebrate, not publicly anyway. But as the morning wore on, I began to feel something stir in my chest. A small fire. A whisper of sentimentality. Perhaps, I thought, a modest gathering with those closest to me would not be entirely foolish.I reached for the landline beside me, its polished brass and ivory buttons still more satisfying than any of these cursed smartphones. I dialed Charles’ office number and waited.“Father,” Charles answered, his voice clipped, professional. Always the executive, even for me.“I hope I’m not interrupting your hostile takeover of a rival firm,” I said, smirking to myself.“You’re lucky I find your sarcasm charming, Fath
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 114
Barrett’s POVThe morning sun filtered through the heavy drapes of my suite, casting golden beams over the thick Persian rugs and polished mahogany furniture. I had just finished a satisfying breakfast of poached eggs, grilled asparagus, and a piece of toast slathered with just enough marmalade to remind me of Madelin’s old habit of sneaking sugar into everything. I was reclined in my massage chair, the mechanical hum of the rollers easing into my lower back as I sipped a small glass of tomato juice. My slippers were warm, my robe wrapped perfectly around me, and for a brief, fleeting moment, I allowed myself the luxury of peace.Then came the knock.It was not sharp or aggressive, but steady, insistent. I assumed it was Becky, my nurse, coming to check my vitals and shuffle me off to the pool where I would wade like a disoriented walrus through lukewarm water in the name of cardio. I did not mind. At my age, movement was a celebration, not a punishment.“Come in,” I called, not turni
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 113
Emily’s POVThe house was silent, that comforting kind of quiet that settles just before twilight. I had dimmed the lights in the kitchen and lit the candles I kept tucked away for special occasions, letting them cast soft, flickering shadows across the table. The scent of roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil danced through the air, blending with the heady sweetness of the vanilla candle near the door. Damian had texted me an hour ago to say he was finally headed home after a brutal day at the hospital. I could almost hear the exhaustion in his message.He had been working late all week, dealing with a string of emergency surgeries and difficult patients. I had seen it in the shadows under his eyes and the way his voice sometimes trailed off mid-thought. I hated seeing him that way. So tonight, I decided, was just for him.The table was set with our mismatched plates and the fancy cloth napkins we never used. A bottle of Chianti stood like a soldier at attention beside
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 112
Emily’s POVThe smell of garlic, rosemary, and lemon zest lingered in the air as I stirred the sauce gently in the pan, the soft clink of the wooden spoon against metal filling the silence between bursts of laughter. Damian sat on a stool near the island, slicing up bright heirloom tomatoes for the salad, his sleeves rolled up, forearms dusted with a trace of sea salt. There was something sweetly ridiculous about how domestic we’d become. Just last week I was navigating legal documents and emotionally charged confrontations, and now, I was arguing with this man—this impossibly handsome, frustrating, tender man—about how thick tomato slices should be.“Thicker, Damian. They fall apart when they’re paper-thin. What is this, a salad or carpaccio?” I teased, shaking my head.He looked up at me with mock offense, eyes sparkling with humor. “Excuse you, this is art. Not everything needs to be manhandled into submission.”I flicked a little water at him from the edge of my fingers and he gas
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 111
Barrett’s POVThe afternoon light filtered in through the tall windows of Emily’s restaurant, casting a soft golden hue across the crisp white tablecloth and delicately arranged tea set before me. I leaned back slightly in my chair, cigar long extinguished, the aroma of fresh herbs and warm fruit filling the air. Emily moved with the grace of a dancer, placing platters of vibrant foods before Tom and me, her smile glowing with sincerity and quiet confidence. It was a different kind of strength than I was used to — not forged in boardrooms or battles, but grown in the soft, persistent soil of daily intention and care. A strength you could eat, I thought, marveling at the spread before us.“I wanted to do something special,” she said as she settled into the chair across from me. “This is part of something I’ve been dreaming up — a lifestyle brand built around nutrition, mindfulness, and family. Something real. I’ve spent so long building something for myself, and now… I want to build so
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 110
Barrett’s POVTom turned the wheel smoothly, his gloved hands steady on the leather steering wheel as the car pulled up in front of Emily’s restaurant. The warm amber glow of the morning sun bathed the little bistro’s façade, catching the edge of its elegant signage and making the gold lettering sparkle. It was half-past ten, a peaceful hour before the doors opened to the bustle of brunch service. I reached for my phone, preparing to dial Emily and let her know we had arrived, when the front door of the restaurant swung open.There she was. Bright-eyed and graceful, waving as she stepped into the sun with a smile that could make a bitter man sweet. I rolled down the window and gave her a gentleman’s wave, the kind I had perfected over the decades. There was charm in that wave, intention too. I always made a show of things. She crossed the sidewalk quickly, her steps light and full of purpose, and Tom, ever the reliable footman, was already out of the car and opening the door before sh
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 109
Barrett’s POVI opened my mouth to decline, but my stomach betrayed me with a traitorous growl. Tom chuckled and patted his own gut."I haven’t eaten breakfast," he admitted sheepishly. "Wouldn’t say no to something light.""Then it’s settled," Emily said with a delighted nod. "Come inside. I’ll whip something up quickly before the restaurant opens."Inside, the space was warm and inviting. Clean wood, exposed brick, and the scent of cinnamon and espresso hung in the air. She led us to a corner booth and told us to make ourselves comfortable before disappearing behind the kitchen doors.I leaned back against the leather banquette and glanced around, noting the framed photos, handwritten menus, and stacks of mismatched ceramic cups. It had charm. Real charm. Not that fabricated kind the decorators installed into million-dollar spaces with rustic beams from fake barns in Vermont.A few minutes later, Emily returned carrying two plates and two steaming mugs of coffee."Spinach, egg, and
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 108
Barrett’s POVOnce they were gone, I called Tom, who had wisely waited downstairs in the car, no doubt reading the paper or texting his wife about what groceries to pick up on the way home.“Tom,” I said, “it’s time. We’re going to Emily’s restaurant to pick her up.”He chuckled on the other end. “That was quick, sir. Thought you’d be stuck there all afternoon.”“It does not take long to make people uneasy,” I said with a laugh, lighting one final cigar before snuffing it out prematurely. “Sometimes all you have to do is show up.”I stepped out from my office and walked through the executive corridor with purpose, nodding politely at those who dared look me in the eye. I was not a ghost of the past. I was still the storm that shook the windows. I took the elevator back down, passing floor after floor of carefully polished egos and glass walls, watching my reflection in the silver doors. There he was—Barrett Augustus, still in control, still calling the shots.The lobby greeted me with
