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CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE
Last Updated:
2024-12-08 22:55:03
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Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR
“Wear something that makes you happy," Seth's text read. Isabella stared at her closet, clothes scattered across her bed like evidence from a fashion crime scene. Four outfit changes and two minor meltdowns later, she still could not decide what to wear. Everything felt wrong.Her phone buzzed again.Seth: Stop overthinking itSeth: I can literally feel you overthinking from hereSeth: You could show up in sweats and I would still think you are the most beautiful person I have ever seenIsabella smiled despite herself, typing back:Isabella: Sweats it is thenSeth: Don't you dareSeth: I mean you would look amazing but I have PLANS womanIsabella: Oh so NOW you are dress coding me? 🤨Seth: I plead the fifthSeth: But also please hurry I miss your faceShe caught herself grinning at her phone like an idiot. God, when did she become this person? This stupidly, ridiculously happy person who smiled at text messages?The emerald dress caught her eye - the one she had bought months ago an
Last Updated : 2024-12-09Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE
There's a special kind of poison that comes with sudden wealth – the kind that seeps into your bones and rewrites your DNA until you can't remember who you used to be. The Riveras had tasted that poison the day Richard Stone married their daughter, and they'd been addicted ever since.It wasn't just about the money, though God knows Richard had plenty of that. It was about belonging to a world they'd only glimpsed through magazine pages and reality TV shows. About trading their cramped apartment for a house in the right neighborhood, their off-the-rack clothes for designer labels, their mundane problems for sophisticated ones.Richard had given them everything they'd ever dreamed of, and all it cost was their souls.Even after everything Richard had done—things that should would have destroyed lesser families – the Riveras didn't crumble. They polished. They positioned. They smiled wider, laughed louder, clinked champagne glasses with even more enthusiasm.Their daughter's broken hear
Last Updated : 2024-12-11Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX
Desperation, Isabella had learned, looked different from the outside. For her parents, it was the frantic attempts to cling to Richard Stone's world. To her, it was the daily work of rebuilding a self that had been carefully dismantled, piece by painful piece.They were both fighting for survival. Just in very different ways.Her mother would scheme. Her father would negotiate. They would do anything to maintain the illusion of the life they'd grown accustomed to. But Isabella? She was done with illusions.Some days, survival felt like a middle finger to everything that tried to break her. A silent "fuck you" to the world that thought it could define her, box her in, tell her who she was supposed to be. Each small "no" was a revolution. Each boundary was a battle won.Growth wasn't about winning. It was about people choosing their own lives – their hopes, their dreams, their fears and doubts – time and time again even when the whole world appeared to wait in anticipation for their fa
Last Updated : 2024-12-12Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN
The thing about chaos is that it loses its power once you stop fearing it.Isabella had learned this truth somewhere between her mother's dramatic performance at the restaurant and the hundredth whispered conversation that died when she walked past. The sidelong glances and hushed voices that followed her through the office hallways barely registered anymore. Either she'd grown a thicker skin, or Seth's steady presence in her life had become an armor strong enough to deflect the worst of it."Seriously, put the phone down," Seth said for what felt like the millionth time that week, reaching across his kitchen counter to snatch her phone. "GossipWatch will still be there tomorrow. And the next day. And probably until the heat death of the universe."Isabella rolled her eyes but let him take it. "I wasn't even looking at that. I was checking emails.""Uh-huh." Seth's skeptical expression made her laugh despite herself. "And I'm secretly a circus acrobat.""That would explain the flexibi
Last Updated : 2024-12-13Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT
Victoria held up a hand, cutting off Eliza’s outburst. Maria looked nervous, caught between Victoria's cold stare and Eliza's explosive anger."Sit. Down," Victoria said quietly to ElizaBut she couldn't sit. Her whole body was shaking. "You can't be serious right now," she whispered, her voice coming out all choked. "Mom!"The baby kicked hard like it was trying to remind her what was at stake here. As if she could forget. Maria wouldn’t even look at her—typical coward. She’d betray anyone if it meant getting what she wanted. She just sat there, staring at her shoes. Just a few days ago, Maria was kissing Eliza’s ass. But now? Now she’d seen a bigger opportunity and decided to play a different game. Typical Maria—always chasing the next post to hang her ambitions on."It could literally be anyone else," Eliza said, her voice rising again. "Why does it have to be Richard?"Victoria just raised one perfect eyebrow at Maria. "Yes, enlighten us. Why him specifically?”And then Maria got
Last Updated : 2024-12-14Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER SEVENTY NINE
Isabella was having one of those rare perfect moments.You know the kind - when everything just feels right? When the sun hits differently and makes your whole room glow like something out of a movie? Yeah, that was exactly what was happening as she sprawled on her favorite window seat, laptop balanced on her knees.God, she loved this. Just...peace. No drama, no chaos, just her, her man and the afternoon sunlight warming her face while she scrolled through her Instagram. Her feed was full of her design work - sleek modern houses, cozy spaces that looked like they belonged in magazines, rooms that actual people could actually live in. She'd worked her ass off on every single one of them. Sometimes she still could not believe she had managed to pull herself back up after everything that went down. But here she was, rebuilding her life one project at a time, with Seth by her side.Speaking of Seth… the roses he’d planted outside her window were blooming. Pink and white, perfectly arran
Last Updated : 2024-12-15Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER EIGHTY
The first thing that came into Isabella’s consciousness was a pain in the head, throbbing, persistent and barely bearable. The second was the scent—clean linen mixed with a faint trace of cologne she knew all too well.Her stomach dropped, dread tightening like a vice around her chest. No. It couldn’t be. She forcefully shut her eyes, willing the sensation away, but when she opened them, the nightmare was real.This was not her room. The sheets were not hers. And lying beside her, calm as ever, was Richard.She gasped, sat straight up and instinctively held her sheet to her chest to cover her nudity. “No, no, no, no,” she muttered more and more nervously, her voice rising.Richard opened his eyes and yawned, his mouth twisting into that self-absorbed smile she had not been able to purge from her memory.“Good morning, sweety,” he greeted flirtatiously while she grumbled, feeling irritated by his attitude.Lifting her gaze to his face, Isabella frantically tried to pick up the sheet wi
Last Updated : 2024-12-16Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER EIGHTY ONE
Seth could not go home that night. The walls would suffocate him, every corner haunted by memories of Isabella's laughter, her smile, and the life they had built together. Instead, he found himself in his officeHis hand shook as he reached for the bottle of whiskey he kept in his desk drawer—a gift from a client he had never opened. Until now. He did not even bother with a glass, just tipped it back, the burn doing nothing to dull the ache inside.His phone buzzed again. Isabella. The twentieth call in two hours. He let it ring, staring at her face on the screen until it faded to black.The envelope on his desk caught his eye again. Plain. Unmarked. His name printed neatly across the front. It had been placed there by Michael—obviously. He reached for it slowly, almost like he did not want to touch it. His fingers hesitated on the seal before tearing it open. The first photo slid out, landing on the desk.His world stopped.It was Isabella. His Isabella. Her hair spread across a pi
Last Updated : 2024-12-17
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Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN
The elevator doors slid open with a soft ding, and Isabella stepped out, her mind still reeling from the lunch encounter with her parents. She was so lost in thought that she almost walked right into Seth, who was waiting by the reception desk with two coffee cups in hand."Lunch without me?" Seth's teasing voice snapped her out of her reverie. "I'm wounded. Deeply, profoundly wounded."Isabella couldn't help but smile, some of the tension leaving her shoulders at the sight of him. "Trust me, you didn't miss much.""Oh?" He fell into step beside her, offering one of the coffees. "The cafe's turkey club is usually worth writing home about. And I know how much you love their homemade chips.""Didn't get to order." She dropped into her office chair with a sigh, gratefully accepting the coffee. The familiar aroma helped ground her. "My parents showed up this morning, wanting to reconcile now that Eliza's true colors are showing."Seth's eyebrows shot up as he settled on the edge of her de
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE
"You have loads of nerve, don't you?" As Eliza's figure vanished beyond Zenith's glass doors.Isabella's mother muttered something under her breath. James Sr. responded, "Calm down," but there was little conviction in his voice. He stirred his coffee absently. "There is nothing to be gained by creating a scene here."“Calm down?” She snapped, throwing her napkin onto the table. “That ungrateful little—” She caught herself, looking at the surrounding tables where diners were beginning to take notice. She lowered her voice to a harsh whisper. “We brought her up! Took her into the fold like she was one of ours. And this is the thanks we get?”With an astonished look on his lips, James Jr, who had been drinking an expensive gin and tonic, sat back in his chair. "You didn't exactly act with good intentions when you did that, Mother, and I hate to tell you that. Let’s not rewrite history.”She shot him a warning look. “Don’t you dare speak to me like that?”James Sr. pinched the bridge of h
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN
Eliza couldn't sleep.How could she, when Jackson's entire apartment looked like some crazy rich person had exploded all over it? Not that she wasn't used to his place by now - God knows she'd spent enough time here while Richard thought she was at "pregnancy yoga." The thought made her smile as she snuggled deeper into Jackson's chest, his steady breathing usually enough to lull her to sleep.But not tonight.Maybe it was the millions in stolen goods scattered around them. Or maybe it was just that their son was at Maria's place. Although, JJ always slept better with Jackson around - probably because he was actually his father, not that Richard had ever figured that out, but they needed alone time."You're thinking too loud," Jackson mumbled against her hair, pulling her closer. Even half-asleep, he knew exactly how to hold her."Sorry, baby." She turned in his arms, pressing a kiss to his jaw. "Just worried about JJ.""He's fine. Maria's got him." His hands slid under her (his) t-sh
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TEN
Louis couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu as he walked through the precinct door. It all felt like yesterday and a lifetime ago at the same time.The first person to spot him was Robin from records. Then Paul. Then Angela. One by one, they started clapping. Louis felt his ears grow hot as more officers joined in, some whistling, others calling out. "Welcome back, Detective.""Alright, alright, save some noise for the actual criminals!" The captain's voice cut through the applause. He stood in his office doorway, arms crossed, trying and failing to hide a smile. "Detective Louis. My office."Louis made his way through the crowd, accepting handshakes and back pats. Inside the captain's office, he couldn't help but smile at the memories that kept flooding his mind - back-to-back countless briefings and debriefing"Something funny, Louis?" Captain asked."Just thinking, Cap. Happy to be back." "Sit down, son," He said, closing the door. "It's nice to officially have you back. Not like
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINE
Jackson left with all that was given to him, and Eliza went back to grabbing whatever else she could find. That's when she saw it - a picture that had fallen behind Richard's desk. The one from that night they'd finally broken Isabella.She picked it up, a smirk playing on her lips as she remembered how Isabella had stood there, clueless about what was coming. Her own cousin, so trusting, so stupid. The glass was cracked now, right through where Isabella should have been standing."How fast things can go wrong?" Eliza traced the crack with her nail, remembering how Isabella had cried and begged her to tell the truth. Like she'd ever admit that getting Richard into bed had been the easiest part of her plan.“The strongest family now a laughing stock."All those family dinners, all those times Isabella had confided in her about her marriage problems. God, it had been almost too easy. And Victoria - she'd played right into Eliza's hands, doing the dirty work of destroying Isabella's repu
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT
The patient's dog eats the fattest bone – or so they say. But sometimes, that patient dog might just starve to death waiting for scraps that never come. But that wasn’t the case for Eliza. Oh, no, Eliza was no ordinary dog. She watched, calculated, and planned. The bone had always been her target, fat and juicy, waiting just out of reach. She had endured Richard Stone's controlling behaviour, his condescension, and his family's thinly veiled disdain. And now? The universe had finally served her dinner on a silver platter, and she was ready to devour every last bite. Eliza lay back on her chaise lounge, her silk robe draped loosely around her. The morning sun streamed through the tall windows, hitting the marble floors in a way that could blind you if you looked directly at it—but that was the charm of having floor-to-ceiling windows in a Bali villa, wasn’t it?She couldn't stop scrolling through her phone, biting back the smile that threatened to take over her whole face. Her lip glo
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVEN
There was a buzz about the precinct that Louis hadn't experienced in a long time. Officers hurried back and forth, their footsteps resonating against the worn vinyl floors, as phones rang nonstop. Richard Stone's downfall had caused confusion, but it was the correct kind of upheaval, as if justice had finally found its feet.Louis couldn't help but lean forward on the bench near the holding cells, his hands clasped together as he watched the scene unfold. His suspension might have kept him from being in the thick of it, but wild horses couldn't drag him away now. Not when they were this close.The main doors swung open with a bang. Lieutenant Rodriguez strode in, flanked by two officers who had Richard Stone between them. Even in cuffs, Stone carried himself like he owned the place. His expensive suit was only slightly wrinkled, and that insufferable smug smile still played on his lips."Get him processed," Rodriguez ordered, his voice cutting through the noise. "Full intake. I want p
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIX
Tara could not sit anymore. She leaned back from her laptop, her mind was racing a million miles an hour as she paced back and forth across her kitchen floor. Holy shit. Holy. Actual. Shit. Oh my god, she thought. Human trafficking. And all these powerful people involved. They were way over their heads.Louis watched her from his seat, his fingers drumming lightly on the table as he gave her space to process. “What is the problem, Tara?” he finally asked.She spun around to face him, her eyes wild. “What is the problem?” she echoed. “Louis, this could kill us. You know that, right? Come on, let’s be realistic! I know we are happy we have this, but”She ran her hands through her hair for probably the hundredth time, making it look even more of a mess, but she couldn't care less right now. This is bigger than them and they need to face it. She began pacing again and gestured to the screen like it was a bomb about to explode. “This isn’t just a little dirt we can throw at Richard. This
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE
Louis nodded. “How is her dad?”“Pre-op tests all morning. Surgery's scheduled for two." Seth said, leaning against the hallway wall next to Louis. "Man, the chairs here are brutal."The sound of footsteps made them both turn. Tara walked towards them, holding a paper cup of what was probably the world's worst coffee. "Tara.” Louis’s voice cracked slightly, betraying the emotions he was trying to hold backShe froze for half a second, her grip tightening on the flimsy coffee cup. "Louis," she said back, her voice carefully steady, but her eyes told another story. They always did when it came to him.Seth looked between them, then cleared his throat. "I should...check on Isabella. My girl should be starving.” He squeezed Louis’s shoulder. “Text me if you need me.”The silence that followed felt heavy enough to touch. Louis’s eyes stayed on Tara as she lifted the cup to her lips, taking a small sip. Her nose wrinkled at the taste. It was such a small, familiar thing, but it hit him har
