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Chapter 22
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-01-25 00:21:29
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DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 23
Olivia’s POVEarlier that day,The soft touch of a kiss on my forehead woke me gently. I blinked my eyes open and found Ethan leaning over me, a warm smile on his face. “Good morning, Liv,” he said, his voice as soothing as ever.“Good morning,” I mumbled, stretching lazily. I smiled up at him and pulled him into a quick hug.“You’re leaving already?” I asked, my voice laced with disappointment.“Yes,” he said, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. “I have to catch my flight. But I wanted to see you before I left.”I sat up and gave him a playful pout. “Have breakfast with me before you go.”He laughed softly. “I don’t have much time, but for you, I’ll stay.”We moved to the dining room, and over breakfast, Ethan’s concern surfaced again. “Are you sure you’ll be okay here all by yourself?” he asked, his brow furrowing slightly.I waved off his concern. “Ethan, I’m fine. You’ve already left me with a small army of maids and everything I could possibly need. What could g
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-25DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 24
Olivia’s POVI was typing furiously on my laptop. The work I hadn’t finished yesterday loomed over me, demanding my attention. I sipped my coffee, trying to drown the persistent ache in my ankle. I had barely made any progress when a knock came at my door.“Come in,” I called, not looking up.One of the maids stepped inside, her voice gentle. “Ma’am, the family doctor is here to check on your ankle.”I closed my laptop with a sigh. “Alright, I’ll be down in a minute.”Rolling my wheelchair to the living room, I greeted the doctor with a polite smile. He was an older man with kind eyes, someone who had been treating our family for years. “Good morning, Doctor.”“Good morning, Olivia,” he said, his tone warm. “How are you feeling today?”“Better, I suppose,” I replied. “The pain isn’t as sharp as before.”“That’s good to hear. Let’s take a look, shall we?”The session began with him asking me a series of questions about my ankle. As he gently massaged the area, I winced but kep
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-26DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 25
Olivia’s POVAfter Lucas and I finished dinner, he insisted on cleaning up the dishes. I tried to tell him it wasn’t necessary, but as usual, his stubbornness won. So I let him. The sound of water running in the kitchen filled the house as I sat back in the living room, staring at the candle I’d lit earlier.Soon, Lucas returned, wiping his hands on a towel. He looked more at ease than I’d seen him in years. “All done,” he said with a faint smile, settling onto the sofa opposite me.I watched as he reached for the stack of magazines and books on the center table, his fingers pausing when he picked up Wuthering Heights. A familiar nostalgia tugged at me as I saw the worn-out cover in his hands.“Wuthering Heights?” he said, glancing at me. “You’ve read this?”“Of course I have,” I replied, leaning back against the cushions. “It’s one of my favorites. Though I have to admit, it’s not the easiest story to love.”Lucas flipped through the pages, his brows furrowed. “I read it years
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-26DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 26
Lucas' POVThe vibration of my phone startled me awake. My neck was stiff from sleeping awkwardly on the couch in Olivia’s living room. Groaning, I rubbed my face, trying to blink away the remnants of sleep. It was still dark outside; the rain from last night had stopped, leaving a cool, damp quietness in its wake.The phone buzzed again. I reached for it, squinting at the screen. Amelia. My jaw tightened, and for a second, I considered ignoring the call. But something about the time—5:42 a.m.—made my thumb hover over the answer button.I sighed and pressed it. “What do you want, Amelia?”Her voice came through the line, high-pitched and frantic. “Lucas, it’s an emergency! It’s your mother—she’s not well. You need to come home right away!”My heart dropped. “What happened? Is she in pain? Did she fall?”“She... she just woke up feeling really bad, and I think it’s serious. Please hurry.” Her voice cracked, and any lingering doubts I might’ve had dissolved in an instant.“I’m on
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-27DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 27
Lucas’ POVThe city buzzed around me as I drove to my office, but all I could hear was Olivia’s voice echoing in my head.“How am I supposed to believe that? You cheated on me, Lucas. You lied to my face for months. What’s stopping you from taking something else that doesn’t belong to you?”My hands tightened on the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white. The memory of her words cut deeper than I wanted to admit. I had made mistakes—plenty of them—but stealing? That wasn’t me. How could she think so little of me?I pulled into the underground parking lot of my office building and slammed the car door shut behind me. The anger burning in my chest didn’t ease as I rode the elevator up to my floor. My pride was wounded, sure, but it was the hurt in Olivia’s eyes that haunted me.She thought I was a thief.The soft ding of the elevator pulled me out of my thoughts. I stepped into the cool, sterile air of my office and made my way to my desk. Tossing my keys onto the surface, I sl
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-28DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 28
Olivia’s POVThe sun casted thin lines of light across my bedroom walls. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying last night’s argument with Lucas over and over in my head. Each time, the scene ended the same way: with him walking out, furious, and my heart feeling like it was caught in a vice.I rolled onto my side and groaned. Why did I have to accuse him?But the necklace was gone, and he had been the only one here. The logic felt airtight last night when I was caught up in anger and fear. Now, in the harsh light of day, doubt crept in. Lucas might have been a liar, even a cheat, but was he really capable of stealing from me?I couldn’t shake the guilt gnawing at my chest. There was only one way to settle this once and for all.Throwing off the covers, I got out of bed and headed for the kitchen, where Marcy, one of the housemaids, was busy wiping down the countertops.“Good morning, Miss Olivia,” she greeted me with her usual chipper tone.I offered a weak smile. “Mo
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-28DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 29
Lucas’ POVThe moment I stepped into the house, I could feel the tension clinging to the air like a heavy fog. My chest was tight, my jaw set. The confrontation I’d been replaying in my head on the drive here felt inevitable now, and I wasn’t sure how much restraint I had left.My mother was in the living room, lounging on the cream sofa with a cup of tea in hand. She looked up as I walked in, her face lighting up in a way that made my stomach churn.“Lucas, sweetheart! What a pleasant surprise,” she said warmly, setting her cup down.I didn’t return her smile. “Where’s Amelia?”Her brow furrowed slightly. “She’s upstairs. Why? Did something happen?”“Yes,” I said curtly. “And I need to talk to her. Now.”“Lucas,” my mother said, her voice taking on that warning tone she used whenever she thought I was being unreasonable, “I don’t know what’s got you so upset, but—”“Don’t,” I snapped, cutting her off. “Not this time, Mom.”She pursed her lips, a flicker of irritation crossin
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-28DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 30
Olivia’s POVThe days following the fight with Lucas passed in a haze of frustration and self-doubt. No matter how much I tried to distract myself, his face—the hurt in his eyes, the anger in his voice—kept resurfacing in my mind. I hated that he had this kind of power over me, that he could stir emotions I wasn’t ready to confront.I was in my home office, reviewing a report Natalya had sent over, when the sound of hushed voices drifted up from the hallway. It was the maids. Normally, I would have ignored it, but something about the tone of their conversation caught my attention.“…I’m just saying, if Mr. Preston really cared about her, wouldn’t he have come back by now?”“Maybe he’s too proud,” another voice replied. “Or maybe she scared him off. You know how intimidating she can be.”My grip on the pen tightened. Intimidating? Scared him off? Who were they to speculate about my relationship—or lack thereof—with Lucas?“Either way, it’s a shame,” the first voice continued. “Th
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-31
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DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK CHAPTER 132
Olivia's POV The office was quiet, the hum of the day winding down as I stood at my desk, stacking files and shutting down my laptop. My heart was a tangle of guilt, longing, and a fragile hope I couldn’t name, caught between Lucas’s pull and Austin’s steady care within the past few weeks.I rubbed my eyes, exhaustion seeping into my bones, when my phone buzzed, Austin’s name lighting up the screen. A small smile tugged at my lips, his reliability a quiet comfort in the chaos.“Hey,” I answered, my voice soft, tinged with weariness but warmed by his call. “You checking up on me again?”His chuckle was low, grounding, a sound that eased the knot in my chest. “Always,” he said, his tone light but laced with concern. “You done? Ready to head home? I can swing by.”I glanced at the clock—nearly five, the office emptying out—and nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “Yeah, I’m just finishing up,” I said, my voice steadier now, a flicker of relief at the thought of him waiting for
DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK CHAPTER 131
Lucas's POV The weight of the past weeks clung to me like a second skin, a relentless burden of accusations, betrayals, and the constant threat of losing everything I’d built. My office, once a sanctuary of control, felt like a battlefield, littered with the fallout of Amelia’s outburst, the press’s relentless scrutiny, and the plummeting stock prices that mocked my every effort to salvage my reputation. My chest was a knot of frustration, exhaustion and sleepless nights.I’d been hounding the police daily, my calls and visits a desperate attempt to force them to act, to find the source of the false story that had painted me as a murderer. Each time, they’d met me with barely concealed irritation, their eyes narrowing when they challenged my alibi to the press, their voices dripping with skepticism.“You told the world you were working late with Ms. Holmes,” one detective had snapped last week, his tone sharp, his arms crossed as he leaned across his desk. “But your story’s got h
DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK CHAPTER 130
Olivia's POV My screams tore through the air, raw and desperate, as I lunged toward Austin, my voice breaking with every plea. “Stop, Austin! Please, stop!” Tears streamed down my cheeks, my heart pounding with a mix of horror and fear as I watched him pummel Ryan’s father, his fists a blur of rage, blood staining the pavement beneath them. Richard’s face was a mess, his movements weak, his groans fading, and Austin’s fury showed no sign of slowing. My legs trembled, my chest heaving as I grabbed at Austin’s arm, my fingers slipping against his tense muscles, my voice a choked sob. “Enough! You’re going to kill him!”Finally, my words—or maybe my touch—broke through. Austin froze, his fist raised, his chest heaving, his face twisted with a rage that slowly melted into shock. He dropped his arm, stumbling back, his eyes wide as he looked from Richard’s bloodied form to me, his breath ragged. My tears fell faster now, my body shaking as I stood there, the violence of the moment
DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK CHAPTER 129
Olivia's PovThe morning sun beamed through the kitchen window, casting a warm glow over the breakfast table, but my heart was still heavy, tangled in the aftermath of yesterday’s chaos. Austin’s quiet defense of me—they swirled in my mind, a relentless storm of guilt, longing, and fear that kept me awake most of the night. My coffee sat untouched, cooling in its mug, as I stared at the table, my fingers tracing the grain of the wood, trying to anchor myself in the present. Austin’s confession—“I’m starting to fall for you”—echoed in my chest, a tender ache that clashed with the pull I still felt toward Lucas, making every breath feel like a battle. I wanted to be grateful, to lean into his care, but my heart was a mess, and I didn’t know how to untangle it.Austin appeared in the doorway, his presence steady but cautious, his eyes searching mine with a concern that made my throat tighten. “Olivia,” he said, his voice gentle but firm, breaking through my haze, “I’ve been thinkin
DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK CHAPTER 128
Lucas's pov I stood frozen, my heart pounding, my breath shallow as I processed the sight of her—Amelia, the woman who’d always wielded her pride like a weapon, now stripped bare, her ego shattered in a way I’d never imagined possible. My chest tightened, a surge of surprise mingling with the anger still burning from her slap, her accusations, the public spectacle she’d turned our lives into. The press was gone, their cameras silenced for now, but the weight of their lenses lingered, a reminder of the chaos she’d unleashed, the chaos I’d fueled with my own choice.I should’ve felt triumphant, seeing her humbled, but instead, a hollow ache settled in my gut, a mix of guilt and exhaustion that made my shoulders sag. Her desperation was real, her tears a mirror of the pain I’d caused, but it didn’t erase the fury still simmering inside me. She’d pushed me too far—her rage, her accusations about Olivia, the way she’d humiliated us both in front of the world. Yet here she was, beggin
DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK CHAPTER 127
Lucas's povThe sting of Amelia’s slap burned across my cheek, a sharp, searing shock that snapped my head to the side and left my ears ringing. I stood frozen at the base of the podium stairs, my heart pounding, my mind reeling as the press conference hall buzzed with the chaos of her outburst. The cameras flashed like a swarm of fireflies, their relentless clicks a reminder of the vultures circling, ready to feast on this fresh scandal. My chest tightened, a mix of shock, anger, and dread flooding through me as I registered Amelia’s face—twisted with fury, her eyes blazing with a venom that made my stomach churn. Before I could even process the pain, her voice erupted, shrill and piercing, cutting through the murmurs of the crowd like a blade.“You didn’t come home for two days!” she screamed, her hands flailing, her words dripping with accusation. “You’ve been cheating with your ex, haven’t you? With Olivia!”Her words hit like a punch, stealing the air from my lungs, my heart
DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK CHAPTER 126
Olivia's pov Austin’s confession hung in the air like a fragile thread, his words—“I’m starting to fall for you”—settling into my chest with a weight that was both startling and strangely familiar. I sat frozen in the café booth, my hands clasped tightly in my lap, my heart a frantic drumbeat as I processed what he’d said. I wasn’t shocked—not entirely. Deep down, I’d suspected it, a quiet whisper in the back of my mind that no one could be as kind, as steadfast, as Austin had been without some hidden feeling driving it. Nobody signed up to be a husband on paper, to weather my chaos and stand by me through it all, without something more attached. Yet hearing it aloud, raw and unguarded, sent a tremor through me, a mix of warmth, guilt, and fear that made my throat tighten and my eyes sting with unshed tears.I looked at him, his face open, vulnerable, his eyes searching mine for a reaction, and my chest ached with a tenderness I hadn’t expected. Austin—steady, caring Austin—had
DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK CHAPTER 125
Olivia's povAmelia’s departure left a hollow echo in the corridors my office, her heels clicking away into the distance, her silence a victory I hadn’t expected but didn’t fully trust. My words—“I’ll marry him again… fight for full custody”—hung in the air like smoke, bold and reckless, their weight settling into my chest with a mix of triumph and dread. My heart pounded, my hands trembling as I stood there, the morning air sharp against my flushed skin. I’d faced her down, held my ground, but the fire of my defiance was already fading, replaced by a gnawing guilt that twisted my stomach. What had I done? Threatening to take Lucas back, to tear apart their family—it wasn’t me, not really, but the words had spilled out, fueled by her venom and my own tangled longing for a past I couldn’t reclaim. I took a shaky breath, my legs unsteady, and forced myself toward my desk, desperate to bury the encounter in work, to escape the storm of emotions threatening to drown me.I settled at
DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK CHAPTER 124
Olivia's POV The morning sun was barely cresting the horizon as I pulled into the company parking lot, the engine’s hum fading into a heavy silence that matched the turmoil churning inside me. My hands lingered on the steering wheel, knuckles pale from gripping it too tightly, as if holding on could steady the storm of emotions still raging from last night. Austin’s words—“I didn’t ask you to care for me”—echoed in my head, each syllable a fresh wound, laced with guilt and regret that burned hotter with every replay. My eyes stung, gritty from tears and sleeplessness, my chest a tight knot of anger, shame, and a longing for Lucas I couldn’t shake, no matter how hard I tried. I took a shaky breath, willing myself to focus, to bury it all and face the day, but the weight of it clung to me, heavy and unrelenting.I pushed open the car door, the cool morning air hitting my face like a slap, and stepped out, my heels clicking against the asphalt. That’s when I saw her—Amelia, standin
