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Chapter 21
Last Updated:
2025-01-15 13:32:30
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After 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 : 2025-01-28After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 29
Emily’s POVThe brisk winter air nipped at my cheeks as Emma and I wandered through the bustling streets of downtown, the golden glow of shop windows casting fleeting warmth on our path. She had insisted on window shopping, her idea of distracting me from the storm of emotions swirling within me after visiting my father. The streets were alive with laughter, conversations, and the clink of teacups from nearby cafés. It was a world so full of life and light that I almost forgot the weight on my shoulders. Almost.“Emily, look at this!” Emma exclaimed, tugging at my arm as she gestured toward a hat in one of the shop windows. “You’d look so chic in this!”I gave her a faint smile. “Maybe, but I’d feel more like I was wearing a birdcage on my head.”She burst out laughing, and I couldn’t help but join her, the sound of our mirth cutting through the cold air. For a moment, it was easy to pretend that life wasn’t so complicated.That was until we stepped into the cozy embrace of a nearby
Last Updated : 2025-01-30
Latest chapter
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
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 107
Barrett’s POVThe phone call had gone better than expected. Emily had answered after three rings, her voice a delicate mix of confusion and caution, but the moment she realized it was me—Barrett Augustus—her tone shifted to something more respectful. I could hear the hesitation behind her words, the hesitation of a woman who had been burned too many times, who had learned the hard way that even well-dressed men with deep pockets carried knives behind their backs. But I was not calling to hurt her. No, I had far more interesting things in mind.I told her I wanted to take her somewhere important, somewhere that mattered to me, and she agreed without pressing too much. That pleased me. A young woman with enough intuition to know when not to push an old lion too hard. She insisted, however, that once our little errand was over, I would join her at her restaurant for tea and pastries. Tea and pastries. The very idea of it made me laugh, but there was something endearing about her. She did
