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CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
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2024-11-05 17:13:54Related chapters
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
"You’re right mom," James's voice carried that perpetual note of superiority, "we should all go. This whole breakfast was clearly a mistake.""The only mistake," Isabella muttered, "was expecting anything different.""What was that?" Her mother's eyes narrowed."Nothing." Isabella reached for her water glass, hands trembling slightly. "Just wondering why we're still pretending this is about Dad's birthday.""And here comes the attitude." James rolled his eyes. "Can't you just behave for once?""Behave?" The word tasted bitter. "Like you…”"Isabella," her father's warning was soft but clear. "Not today.""Then when?" She set down her glass carefully, too carefully. "When exactly is it appropriate to discuss how this family works? Or should I just keep smiling while you all fawn over the people who—" She caught herself, breath hitching."The people who what?" Her mother's voice turned sharp. "Go on, Isabella. Say it. The people who actually bring joy to this family instead of constant d
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER THIRTY THREE
The elevator doors hadn't fully opened when Richard stormed out, his footsteps echoing through Stone Corps' executive floor."Richard, wait!" Eliza struggled to keep up. "You can't just leave me—""Find your way home," he snapped, already pressing the intercom. "Alice, emergency meeting. Everyone. Now.""But what's going—""Not now." He shook her off, barking into the intercom again. "I said everyone, Alice. Design team, project leads, everyone. Five minutes."Within minutes, they filed in like condemned men, fighting for the seats furthest from the head of the table. Eliza appeared in the doorway, breathless from trying to keep up with Richard's stride. She claimed her spot beside his empty chair, one hand protectively over her belly, the other scrolling furiously through her phone."What's this I'm hearing about Tuberose rejecting our designs?" His voice was deadly quiet. "Someone explain."Mark from the design team cleared his throat. "Sir, they've been... particular. They keep ref
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
Isabella smoothed her hand over the curve-hugging dress as she stood in front of the mirror. Tonight, she wanted to be someone else, someone who lived fearlessly. She was about to leave when she ran into Seth in the hallway, and his eyes scanned her slowly, his gaze catching on every detail.“What’s going on?” Seth finally asked, his voice low and wary.“Going on?” she repeated, feigning nonchalance. “I’m just going out. To a club.”He arched a brow, clearly not buying her casual tone. “And you’re dressed like this because…?”“Because it’s a club,” she said, exasperated, already feeling her resolve wavering under his intense gaze. “What else would I wear?”“Isabella,” he said, a note of concern softening his voice. “This isn’t you. Is something going on? Do you need to talk?”“I’m fine, Seth,” she replied quickly, brushing past him. “I’m just… ready to start living a little. My Uber’s waiting, I need to go.”“At least let me drive you there,” he offered, grabbing his keys.“I’m a big
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
Seth sat at his desk early Monday morning, a rare quiet settling over the office before the day officially began. A steaming cup of coffee in his hand, he scanned through his emails when one subject line caught his eye: "Tuberose Project - New Opportunities". His eyebrows shot up as he clicked it open. The panel of judges for the prestigious Tuberose design project had decided to expand their search for innovative designers. They were inviting other firms to submit preliminary designs. Seth's company was among those selected. A slow grin spread across his face. This was big—huge, even. He quickly forwarded the email to his assistant, instructing him to notify the design heads with a note: Urgent meeting at 9 AM. Conference Room A.By nine, the conference room buzzed with energy as the design team leaders filed in. It fell silent immediately Seth walked in. The quarterly design standings board behind him showed the stark numbers: Paige’s sustainable urban renewal designs had earned h
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER THIRTY SIX
Hours had flown by since that morning meeting. Isabella couldn't stop smiling as she worked, occasionally whispering to herself: "Design lead on the Tuberose Project..." She pictured Richard Stone's face when they won – the same man who'd called her ideas "unrealistic" and "too ambitious." Now here she was, working directly with Seth Donovan himself on those very same concepts. She can't wait to see his face when they meet at the presentation. Her tablet was filled with rapid sketches and notes. When her screen felt too limiting for the scope of her vision, she glanced at Seth's tablet sitting on his desk. He stepped out for an executive meeting, but surely he wouldn't mind...After all, he had said they were working together on this. She grabbed it, quickly setting up dual displays to visualize her ideas better.“Just promise me you'll eat," he'd said, setting down coffee and a sandwich before leaving the office.That was hours ago. The food sat forgotten as inspiration poured out of
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN
Richard's car scattered gravel as he swerved into Stone’s villa driveway. His phone had been blowing up all morning with the same message - fucking Seth Donovan was in the running for Tuberose. Of all the twenty-seven firms, that snake had to be one of them."Mother!" His voice echoed through the marble foyer.Victoria Stone didn't look up from her morning paper, a cup of Earl Grey steaming beside her. "I assume this dramatic entrance is about the announcement by Tuberose to open up their options?""Twenty-seven." Richard paced the Persian carpet. "Twenty-seven competing firms and all I can think about is one. Seth fucking Donovan."“Victoria sighed, setting down her paper. "You're acting like you've forgotten who you are. Calm yourself. There are dozens of prestigious firms entering this competition. Seth Donovan isn't guaranteed to be your main rival.""You don't understand. He's got Isabella and she-""Might be leading his team. Yes, I know." She set down her cup with deliberate pr
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT
The next morning, Seth showed Isabella to her new workstation for the Tuberose project. "This is Paige and Leo our design heads," he said, gesturing to them. "And of course, Karen's your direct supervisor." He checked his watch. "I'll need a full briefing by the end of the day. Good luck." With that, he was gone.Isabella's fingers flew across her tablet, making last-minute adjustments to her presentation. First impressions matter, she reminded herself."So," Leo's voice cut through her concentration. "This is what Karen's new prodigy came up with?""These solar panel configurations," Karen said, pointing to her designs ignoring Leo, "they're innovative, but have you considered the maintenance implications?"Isabella straightened her shoulders. "The AI system would optimize—""Theory is one thing," Paige cut in, arms crossed. "But we're talking about a multi-billion dollar project. Have you ever managed implementation at this scale?"Isabella felt her confidence waver. These weren't
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER THIRTY NINE
Isabella looked at her phone and sighed. “I should let you get back to work,” she said lightly, though her voice held a hint of reluctance. “I do not want to keep you any longer.”Before she could stand, Seth quickly interjected, "No, don't go. Your presence here, makes a real difference to me." He paused, then added with a sheepish smile, "In fact, why don't we wrap things up here and ride home together?"Isabella paused, a curious eyebrow raised. "Home, huh?" She glanced around the office, considering his words. "But you've still got work to do. I do not want to be a distraction."Seth's lips curved into a soft smile. "What if I told you I want you around?" he asked, his voice calm and sincere.Her lips curved mischievously. "Aw, is this your way of admitting you are scared of staying here alone?" she teased.He chuckled, a warm laugh that lit up his face. "Busted. I can not survive without my safety net." He met her eyes. "So, what do you say? Stay and wait for me?"Isabella preten
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Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT
The private room at Circa was exactly what Victoria Stone needed - intimate enough for secrets, but public enough to keep things civil. She watched Catherine walk in, noting how her confident stride faltered slightly upon seeing her."Mrs. Stone," Catherine said, smoothing her designer dress as she sat down. "When your assistant called, I must admit I was... intrigued."Victoria smiled, the kind of smile that never quite reached her eyes. "Please, call me Victoria. We're all friends here." She gestured to the waiter. "The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1945.”Catherine raised an eyebrow. "Expensive taste.""Only the best for important conversations." Victoria waited until the waiter poured their wine and left before continuing. “You know, I saw you with Seth last month at Le Chaumiere. You two made quite the striking pair."Catherine's face remained neutral, but her fingers tensed around the stem of her glass. "That was nothing. Just business.""Business?" Victoria took a sip. "Is that w
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN
Richard sat in his study. He leaned back in his chair, one hand massaging his temple while the other clutched a glass of water. His head throbbed, the fresh stitches pulling every time he moved. He glared at the water, clear and tasteless – a poor substitute for what he really wanted. His eyes drifted to the cabinet in the corner where he kept his scotch, eighteen years old and smooth as silk. The bottle stood there, taunting him"Try to stay away from alcohol while this heals," the doctor had said just yesterday, looking between him and Eliza. "Both of you need rest." Richard had nodded along, but now, with his head pounding like someone was using it as a drum, that promise seemed impossible to keep. He took another sip of water and made a face. Might as well have been drinking nothing.The painkillers sat on his desk, still in the pharmacy bag from last night. They helped with the pain, yeah, but they made his brain feel like it was stuffed with cotton. The scotch... now that would
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER FIFTY SIX
"Guess who brought lunch?" Isabella burst into Seth's office, dramatically posing with her lunch box like she was presenting a game show prize.Seth looked up, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Let me guess. McDonald's?"She rolled her eyes. "Do I look like I'm bringing fast food to the CEO?""Well, you look like you're about to win 'Lunch Presenter of the Year'," he teased, pushing aside his paperwork."Careful," she warned, setting down the lunch box. "Compliment me too much and I might start believing I'm actually good at something."“Something?” Seth laughed. “Is there anything Isabella isn’t good at? I haven’t seen it.”Their conversation was always easy. Comfortable. Like they'd been doing this dance for years, not months.Isabella started unpacking containers. Homemade food, each dish carefully prepared. No takeout. No quick fixes. This was deliberate. Thought out."Wow," Seth said, looking at the spread. "You actually cooked all these for me?"She rolled her eyes. “Is t
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE
Isabella was flying high. Not only had she woken up in the same bed as the man she could confidently call the sexiest alive, but she'd also gotten a follow from Catherine Fox. Yes, *the* Catherine Fox. The actress. The style icon. The queen of "effortless glam." She had met Catherine twice before, and Catherine had even asked her for a favor, but this was different. This was a social media validation that everyone could see. A follow from her wasn't just a notification—it was a whole event. Isabella felt like she'd hit a double jackpot.The morning couldn't get any better. She savored every bit of it, knowing mornings like this don’t come often. Some days, life just decides to be ridiculously good to you.She smiled to herself as she grabbed her things and headed to work. Today was already shaping up to be one for the books.At the office, she was relieved to find no whispers or gossip about Paige. It was a sign Seth hadn’t shared what he’d uncovered—something that could have demolis
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR
Richard tripped as he entered the front door and knocked the umbrella stand over. He had his jacket creased and clenched in his hand, his tie was half undone around his neck."Where the hell have you been?" Eliza's voice pierced through the entryway from where she stood at the base of the stairs, her arms crossed so tightly they seemed to be holding her together. "You didn't come home last night. Not a word. Nothing."Richard's bloodshot eyes struggled to focus on her. "Weren't you—" he swayed slightly, "—weren't you supposed to be at some doctor's thing?""Seven hours ago," she spat. "You missed it. Again. Couldn't even be bothered to send a text, could you?"He made a dismissive gesture that nearly threw him off balance. "But you're back now, aren't you? That's what matters." A hollow smile spread across his face. "I'll make it up to you. How about that necklace you were eyeing at Cartier's?""This isn't about jewelry, Richard."Her voice turned cold. "Where the hell have you been?"
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER FIFTY THREE
Seth sat for a long time in his car, his hands on the driving wheel. His head heavy from processing everything that had happened so far, he finally turned on the engine and drove home. He pulled into the driveway and found Isabella sitting on his front steps. She saw the fatigue in his movements as soon as he stepped out of the car and stood up. Without a word, she opened her arms.Seth hesitated for just a moment before stepping into her embrace. All the tension he'd been holding finally broke, and he let his head drop to her shoulder."I got you," she whispered, holding him tighter. "It's okay. Everything's going to be okay."They stayed that way for several minutes, Isabella's hand making small circles on his back. When they finally pulled apart, Isabella kept one hand on his arm.Come on," she said softly. "Let's get inside."Inside, the house felt unusually quiet. Seth headed straight for the stairs, exhaustion was evident in every step."I'm going to change," he said, loosening
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER FIFTY TWO
Paige stumbled out of the restaurant, her whole body trembling. She could feel the scorching sensation of the wire under her blouse. Her legs failed her and she slumped into a concrete barrier, struggling to breathe, immediately she reached the parking lot. David was already listening to the recording through his earpiece so he and Monica hurried to her side."Breathe, Paige," Monica said softly, kneeling beside her. "It's over now.""Did you—" Paige's voice caught. "Did you get what you needed? Please tell me this wasn't for nothing.""We got everything," David confirmed, carefully removing his earpiece. "Multiple admissions of blackmail, detailed accounts of the corporate espionage, even his plans for future theft. He handed us everything we needed."Seth stepped forward from where he'd been leaning against his car. "The security team will be with you to make sure Richard doesn't try anything stupid. Go home, Paige. We'll handle things from here.""Seth, wait." Paige stood on shaky
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER FIFTY ONE
"Everyone else can go," Seth said quietly. They filed out, shooting mixed looks of anger and pity at Paige as they left. But Isabella remained behind, standing near the door.Paige sat hunched in her chair, tears still streaming down her face. Seth waited until the door closed before speaking again."I meant what I said about helping you," he said. "But I need something from you first."Paige looked up, wiping her eyes. "Anything. I'll do anything to make this right."Seth pulled out his phone. "I'm calling our legal team. We're going to need their help to handle this properly." He paused. "Are you willing to tell them everything? About Richard, the blackmail, all of it?""Yes," Paige whispered.Twenty minutes later, two members of the legal team, David and Monica, arrived. Seth gestured for them to sit."Go ahead, Paige," he said. "Tell them what you told me."Paige took a shaky breath. "It started three months ago. Richard... he got hold of a video from a party. I was drunk, I did s
Regrets From Ex Won't Win Me Back CHAPTER FIFTY
The presentation hall felt different this time. Seth's team sat in the waiting area, each lost in their own thoughts. No one was sharing stories about Dr. Vivian now - they'd been through too much for small talk."Is everyone ready?" Seth asked, though he already knew the answer. They'd spent days perfecting each section."All set," Karen said, gripping her portfolio. The others nodded."Good." Seth stood up. "But I'll be handling the presentation today.""What?" Leo straightened in his chair. "You don’t have—"“Trust me,” Seth said softly. “I know how hard you all have worked, and I’m so grateful for each of you. No matter what happens today, I want you to know you gave it your all. So let me carry the weight this time.”In the presentation room, Richard was waiting with his team. Before they began, he raised his hands to speak.“Go ahead, Mr. Stone.” One of the judges said “I want to apologize in advance,” Richard began. “It looks like we’ve ended up with the same design again. I r
