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Chapter 22

Penulis: Nico
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-02-28 04:48:53

Leah’s POV

It has been three days since the flowers appeared on my desk, and I haven't seen Dwight once.

At first, I told myself it didn’t matter. I had made myself clear, drawn the line. This was exactly what I wanted—strict professionalism, distance, and no room for blurred boundaries.

But the longer his absence stretches, the more it bothers me.

I catch myself glancing at the hallways whenever I walk through the office, my ears unconsciously tuning in for the sound of his voice. The easy confidence in his stride, the low, controlled way he spoke—it’s like he has vanished.

And it’s unsettling.

I try to ignore it, push through my workload, and focus on anything else. But the nagging guilt in my chest refuses to fade.

Maybe I overreacted.

Maybe the flowers weren’t some ploy to get under my skin.

What if they really were just a kind gesture?

The thought makes my stomach twist uncomfortably. I had assumed the worst of him, snapped at him in a way that might have been harsher than necess
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  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 23

    Leah’s POVI don’t know how I make it back to my desk. One moment, I’m in Dwight’s office, frozen, watching Maya Kingston kiss him. The next, I’m sitting in my chair, staring blankly at my computer screen, unable to process a single word.My fingers hover over my keyboard, but I can’t type. My mind keeps replaying the scene over and over—the way she stood so close to him, the way her hand brushed against his collar, the effortless confidence in her movements. And then, the kiss.I tell myself it doesn’t matter.But it does.A man like Dwight is never alone for long. He’s powerful, wealthy, and effortlessly attractive. Women have always gravitated toward him. Why would that change now?Why would he change?Still, a small part of me wonders—is this because of me?I shake my head, annoyed at myself. The thought is absurd. Dwight doesn’t need my rejection to move on. If he’s with someone, it has nothing to do with me.Or does it?I groan, pressing my palms against my temples. This is ridi

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-28
  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 24

    Leah’s POVThe moment I hang up with Cece, I lean back in my chair, exhaling slowly. My mind is a mess, tangled in a web of emotions I don’t have the time or energy to untangle.Talking to Cece should have helped. Cece has always had the right things to say."You’re already with Ethan, but if seeing Dwight with another woman is shaking you up like this, maybe you need to take a step back and figure out what you really want."Maybe she did say the right thing. Maybe I was just the one who wasn’t ready to hear it...I should focus on work, not on the man who seems determined to unsettle me at every turn.Just as I click open my laptop, a knock sounds at my door. Ava, my assistant, steps in, her usual bright expression subdued.“Mr. Spencer wants to see you in his office. Immediately.”My stomach clenches.I sit up, feigning nonchalance. “Did he say why?”Ava shakes her head. “No. Just that it’s urgent.”A dozen thoughts race through my mind. Is this about my outburst in his office? Abou

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-28
  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 25

    Dwight’s POVI still can’t believe Leah barged into my office like that.It was reckless, unprofessional, and completely out of line. And yet, no matter how much I tell myself that, I can’t shake the look on her face when she saw Maya.That flicker of hurt—so brief I almost missed it. Almost.I rub a hand down my face, exhaling sharply. This shouldn’t bother me. Leah has Ethan now. She’s made that choice, moved on, built a life without me. So why did she look like that? And why does it still sit heavy in my chest?I lean back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.Maya.Last night with her had been easy. No tension, no games, no messy history weighing us down. Just two people enjoying each other’s company, no second-guessing. She’s sharp, confident, and refreshingly direct. She knows exactly what she wants and doesn’t hesitate to say it.She isn’t looking for something temporary.She wants a man who’s stable, dependable—someone who won’t waste her time.And I respect that.More than tha

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-28
  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 26

    Leah’s POVI don’t see Dwight again for the rest of the day.It shouldn’t matter. But God, it does.His words replay in my head, each one colder than the last."What if Maya had been an important client?"That one sticks the most. It confirms what I already suspected—Maya wasn’t there for business. He didn’t need to clarify further. The implication was clear.I exhale sharply, rubbing my temples. It shouldn’t bother me. Not when I’ve supposedly moved on. Not when I have Ethan.And yet, it does.More than that, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve ruined something. The almost-camaraderie we’d seemed to be developing, the rare moments when things between us felt easy, unforced. Now, that fragile thread has snapped, leaving only this unspoken wall between us.I push the thoughts away and glance at the time. Lunch. I have been skipping lunch too much lately and have noticed that my skirts have become a little loose around the waist.A break might help. A distraction.I stand, grabbing my p

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-28
  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 27

    Leah’s POVI stand in front of my closet, fingers trailing over the rows of perfectly pressed dresses.Pick your best.That’s what my father would expect.Anything less would be unacceptable.I exhale, stepping back slightly, my gaze sweeping over the meticulously organized space. Silks, chiffons, structured pieces in neutral tones—each one carefully selected, curated, and arranged. I know what he would say if I picked something too bold, too informal, too much like me.I finally settle on a sleek, dark green dress. It hugs my figure just right—elegant, refined, sophisticated. The kind of dress that doesn’t invite criticism.I slip it on, the cool fabric settling against my skin like armor.Next, my hair.I sink into the chair before my vanity, staring at the soft curls framing my face.Once, I had loved my curls.Wild and untamed, they had always felt like the truest expression of myself. Something uniquely mine. But my father had once told me, in his usual matter-of-fact tone, that

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-28
  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 28

    Leah’s POV When I arrive home, I feel more exhausted than I have been in months.I step out of my clothes as my brain plays back the events of today. From the woman who had been with Dwight to the brief meeting we had, where he pretty much warned me to stay professional.And then dinner with my father, where he reminded me that I wasn’t there to distract myself.But the truth was, I was deeply distracted by Dwight’s presence. And with the new knowledge that he had someone, I wondered how I was going to manage to keep my head in the game.I step out of my dress and into the shower, taking a much-needed bath. But as my body begins to tingle, I am reminded that I haven’t been touched in weeks.I shut my eyes and allow my fingers to roam my body as I try to drum up the image of Ethan in my head. Sweet, level-headed Ethan, whose love isn’t tumultuous, whose presence doesn’t leave my heart in turmoil.One finger flicks across one pebbled nipple, and I let out a low moan as the other hand s

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-03
  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 29

    Dwight's POVI lean back against the couch, one hand gripping my phone, the other swirling a glass of whiskey I haven’t taken a sip from yet. The city lights spill in through the tall windows of my apartment, casting a warm glow over the room. I exhale, listening as Maya’s voice fills my ear, light and effortless.“…So, of course, he tried to object, but the judge just looked at him like he was an idiot,” she says with a chuckle. “I swear, Dwight, the defense attorney was this close to getting held in contempt.”I smirk, shaking my head. “I don’t know how you deal with people like that every day.”“Easy,” she says. “I win.”I let out a low laugh, finally taking a sip of my drink. Maya is sharp—unapologetically so. Talking to her is easy. Entertaining. I’ve never been one for small talk, but with her, the conversations never feel forced.I should have done this months ago and not subjected my heart to hurt and hate. Talking to someone, getting to know how their day was, and telling the

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-04
  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 30

    Dwight's POV After we end the call, I stay seated on the couch, staring into my glass. The whiskey swirls, catching the dim light.Maya’s words replay in my mind, over and over."If you didn’t still have feelings for her, she wouldn’t be working for you."It’s a ridiculous thought. I have plenty of people working for me. My business is built on talent, not emotions. Leah is here because she’s good at what she does.That’s all.Right?I lean my head back, sighing.Maybe I did want to prove something to myself by bringing her onto this project. Maybe I wanted to see if time had truly dulled whatever we had.If I could be around her and feel… nothing.But I don’t feel nothing.I feel everything.Frustration. Annoyance. A strange, unwelcome sense of responsibility.And, worst of all, that lingering, unwanted pull. Had I tried to play with fire? Was this whole thing going to snowball on me?I shut my eyes briefly, willing the thoughts away.I don’t want Leah.Not anymore.But for some rea

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-04

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  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 72

    (Felix’s POV)The moment the call ends, I let out a slow breath and lean back in my chair, pressing my thumb and forefinger against my temples. The tension coiled in my chest begins to unravel, but only slightly. Leah is safe. She’s fine. That should be enough to put my mind at ease.And yet, it isn’t.Because the moment relief settled in, something else took its place. Guilt.I had lashed out the second I knew she was all right. Instead of expressing relief, I questioned her decisions, criticized her choices—like I always do.Like I don’t know any other way to communicate with my own daughter.I rub a hand over my face and sigh. Damn it, Felix.I should have told her I was glad she was okay. I should have told her that I had been worried sick, that my mind had been racing with worst-case scenarios ever since I heard she was gone.But no. Instead, I asked her where the hell she had been. Because anger is easier than fear. Because control is easier than vulnerability.And now, I might

  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 71

    Dwight’s POVThe jet touches down in New York just before dawn. The sky remains a murky shade of blue, the city still shrouded in the last remnants of night. I should be exhausted—I haven't slept in nearly twenty-four hours—but exhaustion isn’t something I have the luxury of feeling.Not when two of my workshops have burned to the ground in a single night.The moment the wheels hit the tarmac, I unbuckle my seatbelt, my jaw clenched so tight it aches. The cabin door swings open, letting in a gust of biting cold air. It does nothing to cool the fury simmering beneath my skin. Without waiting for my driver, I descend the steps swiftly, pulling out my phone as I cross the private runway.Jordan’s name flashes on the screen. I answer immediately.“Tell me.”His voice is sharp, controlled. “The fires were fully extinguished a few hours ago. Both locations are in ruins.”I exhale slowly, my grip tightening around my phone. “Any injuries?”“A few. Some minor burns and smoke inhalation. But n

  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 70

    (Leah’s POV)The phone sits in my palm, the screen illuminated with a single voicemail notification.Dad.My thumb hovers over the play button, hesitating, even though I know I have no choice but to listen. There’s a quiet, sinking feeling in my chest as I prepare myself for what’s coming. My father never leaves voicemails. If he calls and I don’t pick up, he simply moves on—because Felix Carrington does not repeat himself.But this time, he did.I press play.Static crackles for a moment before his voice comes through, deep and controlled, but unmistakably tight."Leah."He pauses."Call me back when you get this."Another pause. A sharp exhale. His next words are quieter, rougher around the edges."I need to know you’re alright."And then, the voicemail ends.I sit there, frozen, the weight of those five words sinking into me. I need to know you’re alright.It’s not an order. Not a command. It’s something else. Something I’m not used to hearing from him.Something close to worry.My

  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 69

    Felix’s POVThe house is silent. Too silent.I sit in the dimly lit study, a half-empty glass of whiskey resting on the desk beside me. The amber liquid catches the glow of the desk lamp, flickering like dying embers, but it does nothing to warm me. Nothing does. Not anymore.The air in here feels stale, the kind of stillness that settles when a place has been left untouched for too long. I don’t remember the last time I had company in this house. Not real company. Not the kind that fills a place with laughter, movement, life.My fingers tighten around the glass. I take a slow sip, the burn of the alcohol cutting through the numbness creeping into my bones. I used to hate whiskey. Now, it keeps me company more than anyone else.I exhale, rubbing a hand over my face, my mind spiraling in one direction, over and over again.Leah.Where is she? Is she safe? Is she thinking about me the way I’m thinking about her?The thought of anything happening to her sends ice through my veins. The ki

  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 68

    Dwight’s POVThe hum of the jet is steady, a low vibration that fills the silence. But Dwight isn’t listening to it. He’s gripping his phone so tightly that his knuckles turn white.Two workshops. Gone.The first call had been bad enough—a fire, a total loss. But the second? That was no accident. He knows it deep in his gut.He leans back in his seat, staring at the glass of whiskey untouched on the table before him. His mind is racing, threading through every possibility, every enemy he’s made over the years.This wasn’t some random misfortune. Someone did this.The problem is, he doesn’t know who.Glimmr has competitors, plenty of them. People who’d love to see him fail, even if they don’t know he’s the one pulling the strings behind the brand. But outright sabotage? Arson? That’s a different level of hostility.And whoever did it made sure there was nothing left behind. No trace. No evidence of arson. No trails.Scrubbed clean.Dwight exhales sharply and presses the call button. He

  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 67

    Ethan’s POV“Is it done?”“Yes, sir.”“Good,” I mutter.The world sees chaos as an accident. A tragic, unfortunate event.I see it as strategy.My glass rests against my lips, the whiskey burning down my throat as I watch the city below. A storm of lights flickers through the skyline, but my mind is elsewhere—on a different kind of fire. One that has already turned a part of Dwight’s empire to ash.I set the glass down with a quiet clink, my pulse steady, my satisfaction quiet but absolute.This moment should feel like victory. And in many ways, it is. The first strike has been made. A calculated, well-executed move that no one will suspect. By morning, the news will break—one of Glimmr’s major workshops, up in flames, reduced to nothing but ash and twisted metal.A tragic accident, they’ll call it.An unfortunate loss.And Dwight?He’ll know better.That’s the beauty of it. No one will point fingers. There will be no investigations, no trails leading back to me. Just whispers. Just u

  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 66

    Dwight’s POVLeah’s words cut through me like a blade, sharp and precise, leaving behind a wound that refuses to close."You never gave me a chance to choose."She’s still looking at me, her eyes burning with hurt, anger, and something else—something unspoken but undeniably there. The weight of it settles in my chest, suffocating, pressing down with the full force of every mistake I’ve made.I rake a hand through my hair, exhaling sharply. I had thought leaving had been the hardest thing I’d ever done. But standing here, seeing the pain my absence caused her, knowing that I was the reason she spent years believing she wasn’t enough—it’s unbearable.And yet, even now, with so much standing between us, I can’t stop looking at her.She’s still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.The silk of her nightwear clings to her in a way that makes it impossible not to notice every curve, every dip of her body. The soft glow from the lamp casts a warm hue across her skin, highlighting the deli

  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 65

    Leah’s POVThe night drags on, stretching endlessly as I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep remains elusive, chased away by the endless cycle of thoughts circling in my head. No matter how much I try to push them away, they keep coming back—Dwight’s words, Cece’s questions, the gnawing uncertainty that refuses to let me rest.I turn onto my side, gripping the sheets. The weight of everything presses down on me. I had spent years believing Dwight had chosen to leave. Years convincing myself that, for some reason, I wasn’t enough to make him stay. And now, with one revelation, the past has been rewritten.I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to slow my racing heart.I had searched for him. After he disappeared, I had called, emailed, even gone to his office. But I had always been met with silence, with a void where he should have been. Eventually, I had stopped searching. I had forced myself to move on.But had I really?If I had, why does it still hurt this much?I exhale sharply and

  • Billionaire's Regrets:He Hurt Me But Wants Me Back   Chapter 64

    Leah’s POVThe silence in my hotel room feels heavier now.I sit on the edge of the bed, staring at my phone, but my mind is still caught in the last hour—still replaying Dwight’s words over and over."I was taken, Leah. Held captive. Tortured."I press my palms against my temples, my breathing uneven.Maybe I should take a shower. Maybe that would help calm me. I step into the glass stall and switch on the overhead shower, sighing as the lukewarm water pelts my skin.But even the heady sensation of warm water does nothing to quell the endless thoughts swirling in my head.I don’t know how to process this.I can’t process this.Dwight was taken. Not just gone—not just choosing to leave—but forcibly removed from my life. It’s the kind of revelation that should change everything.And yet, somehow, it changes nothing.So much time has passed. Why did he not reach out? I had been waiting. Hoping. Praying.I'd anticipated his return. Dreamt of it. But I'd never gotten it. Maybe if he had r

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