LOGINShare
Chapter 40
Last Updated:
2025-02-09 23:59:14
Related chapters
DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 41
Olivia’s POVDinner was warm, lively, and exactly what I needed. Sitting at the table with Vivian and Aiden filled the emptiness that had been lingering in my house for weeks. It had been so long since I felt this kind of joy—simple, uncomplicated happiness. Watching Aiden’s tiny hands struggle to cut his food while Vivian helped him, laughing at his exaggerated expressions, made me realize how much I missed moments like this.“You’ve barely touched your food,” Vivian pointed out, eyeing me as she fed Aiden a piece of chicken. “Are you okay?”I blinked, realizing I had been lost in thought. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just... happy you’re both here.”Vivian smiled warmly. “We’re happy to be here too, right Aiden?”Aiden nodded enthusiastically, his cheeks stuffed with food. “Mhm! Aunty Liv, your food is the best!”I chuckled, reaching over to ruffle his curls. “I’m glad you like it.”Just as we finished dinner, Vivian’s iPad rang from the table. The screen lit up with Marcus Calling. Befo
Last Updated : 2025-02-10DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 42
Olivia The air in Robert Miller’s office was heavy with anticipation. I had spent the morning going over every possible scenario, rehearsing my pitch, and convincing myself that I was ready for this. Nexus needed this deal, and after everything that had happened, I needed a win. I stepped out of the elevator, my heels clicking against the polished marble floor as Robert’s assistant greeted me with a polite smile. “Mr. Miller is expecting you, Ms. Smith. Please, follow me.” Ms. Smith. It was the name I had chosen to use professionally—the name I had taken from my mother. But as I walked into the spacious office, and saw the infamous Robert Miller sitting confidently behind his massive desk, I had the unsettling feeling that it was going to be a long day of negotiations. “Olivia,” he greeted me warmly, standing up and extending a hand. “It’s been a long time.” I hesitated for a moment before shaking his hand. “Mr. Miller, thank you for meeting with me.” “Robert, please,
Last Updated : 2025-02-13DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 43
OliviaThe moment Robert left the room, silence settled between me and Preston like an unspoken challenge. The weight of the past, the shock of the present, and the uncertainty of the future pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.I clenched my hands in my lap, willing myself to stay composed. I wouldn’t let him see how much his presence unsettled me. Not here. Not in a professional setting.“So…” His voice was lower than I remembered, steady but cautious. “How have you been?”I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze. “Busy.” My response was clipped, but I had no energy for small talk.His lips pressed into a thin line, as if he expected my reaction but still found it disappointing. He exhaled slowly. “I figured.”Silence again. A heavy, suffocating kind of silence.He shifted, adjusting his cufflinks, and I caught the subtle movement of his throat as he swallowed. The sight of it irritated me. I didn’t want to notice these small things about him. I didn’t want to be here, sit
Last Updated : 2025-02-14DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 44
OliviaI inhaled deeply, trying to steady myself. The encounter with Preston had left me shaken, and my hands still gripped the contract a little too tightly. I had spent months avoiding him, and now, in one afternoon, I had been forced to sit across from him, listen to him speak, and acknowledge that our lives would be entangled again—at least professionally.I exhaled and walked toward my car, my heels clicking against the pavement. I needed to get out of here, away from the weight of his presence, away from the suffocating reality that we would be working together again.I slid into the driver’s seat and inserted the key into the ignition. I turned it. Nothing.Frowning, I tried again. The engine gave a pathetic sputter before falling silent. My heart sank. Not now. Not here.“Great,” I muttered under my breath, slumping against the seat.A soft knock on my window made me stiffen. I turned my head, already knowing who it was.Preston stood outside, hands in his pockets, watc
Last Updated : 2025-02-16DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 45
Olivia’s POVThe hospital smelled like antiseptic and uncertainty. The overhead lights buzzed faintly, their artificial glow casting pale shadows against the white walls. I sat in the waiting area outside the emergency room, my fingers curled tightly around my phone. My heart hadn’t stopped pounding since Vivian’s panicked call.Lucas sat beside me, silent but alert. He hadn’t left since we arrived, even though he had no reason to stay. I had barely spoken to him on the drive here. My mind had been too consumed with worry for Aiden.Vivian had rushed past us the second we arrived, disappearing with the nurses behind the heavy double doors. I had wanted to go with her, but the staff insisted she be alone with Aiden while they assessed his condition. Now, all I could do was wait.I swallowed hard, gripping my phone tighter as if it would somehow tether me to reality. “He’s just a kid,” I whispered. “He shouldn’t have to go through this.”Lucas shifted beside me. “He’ll be okay.” His
Last Updated : 2025-02-17DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 46
OliviaThe hospital air was thick with the scent of antiseptic and something else—something heavier. Fear. Worry. It clung to me, seeped into my skin, and settled in my chest like a weight I couldn't shake.Aiden was inside, and we had no idea what was happening to him. Vivian had been with the doctor for what felt like forever, and I couldn’t sit still. My legs bounced restlessly, my fingers clenching and unclenching around my phone. I had texted her twice. No response.Lucas sat a few seats away, his posture relaxed, but I wasn’t fooled. His fingers tapped against his knee in an uneven rhythm, and he kept glancing at the doors like he expected someone to burst through them at any second.The silence between us stretched, uncomfortable but familiar. We had shared too many moments like this before—waiting rooms, tense breaths, uncertain futures.I didn’t want to think about that.The doors finally opened, and Vivian stepped out. Her face was pale, her eyes red-rimmed. She looked sm
Last Updated : 2025-02-18DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 47
Olivia’s POV The past two days had drained me. Between sleepless nights, endless worry over Aiden’s condition, and trying to keep my business running smoothly, I felt like I was barely holding myself together. I had buried myself in work, hoping it would be a distraction. But no matter how much I tried to focus, my thoughts kept drifting—back to the hospital, to Vivian’s exhausted face, to Lucas’s unreadable expression when he had driven me there without hesitation. And now, sitting in my office, my body ached with exhaustion, my mind fogged from too little sleep. I rubbed my temples, forcing myself to concentrate on the contract in front of me. The Nexus deal was at a crucial stage, and I couldn’t afford to let anything slip. But even as I tried to refocus, I couldn’t ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach. A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I barely looked up before Natalya, my secretary, stepped inside. "Ms. Smith," she said, her voice professional ye
Last Updated : 2025-02-19DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK Chapter 48
Olivia’s POVMorning came too soon. My head ached from the restless night, and the influence of exhaustion pressed against my body as I forced myself out of bed. The past few days had drained me completely—Aiden’s condition, Vivian’s struggles, and Lucas’s unexpected presence in my life again.I sighed, rubbing my temples as I pulled my blazer over my shoulders. I barely had the energy to go to work, but I didn’t have the luxury of taking a break. The deal with Preston Robotics was at a crucial stage, and I needed to stay focused. I headed to the hospital to check up on Aiden before going to the office.I walked down the hallway of the hospital with the heels of my shoes clicking against the tiled floor as I approached Aiden’s room. It had been two days since he was admitted, and though his condition had stabilized, the fear still clung to me like a second skin.Pushing open the door, I found Vivian sitting beside Aiden’s bed, her fingers gently brushing over his forehead as he sle
Last Updated : 2025-02-20
Latest chapter
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
