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CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE
Last Updated:
2025-04-13 22:14:30
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TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX
086JOANA'S POVThe drive home was quiet, but my mind was anything but. I had escaped the dinner with Mr. Gates, Clinton, and Caleb, only to be greeted with Louisa’s venomous tongue in the parking lot.Putting Louisa in her place should have been a relief, but my weary body resisted any feelings of pride. I was completely beaten down.Peter took care of the children before I arrived home, so they had already drifted into sleep. I moved through the rooms quietly to look at all their tranquil expressions.Peter's exhausted appearance matched his body where Jake was holding on during sleep.My heart ached with love, protectiveness—and a tinge of fear. Mr. Gates’ words about their paternity still lingered in my mind.I was certain that Clinton would not go back on his words, but Mr Gates was someone that I needed to be wary of.But not tonight. I’d deal with it when I had to.I changed into my pyjamas and collapsed onto the bed, only to be greeted by a soft ding from my phone. Groaning, I
Last Updated : 2025-04-14TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN
087JOANA'S POVMy laughter burst out once Anita left. Seeing her exit with chaotic steps and giving false interpretations felt humorous even through her anger.Almost.The basic atmosphere during her stay bothered me deeply. She clearly came with emotional hazards as well as rage. Beneath her fierce anger buried an unexplained element.Something was clearly off.The fight lingered in the room as I sat back with folded arms gripping the chair and looking at the shut door. “Hypocrite,” she had called me.Calling me a hypocrite was far beyond my expectations of her. If we were being fair, she was the hypocrite amongst us, but what can I say.I reached for my coffee with a heavy sigh, leaving my lips. Despite the coolness and harshness of the beverage, I chose to consume it.An uncomfortable feeling started building inside me when I sipped my bitter coffee.The strong knocking brought me back into the present moment.No sooner had I finished my thought than Caleb entered the room with an
Last Updated : 2025-04-14TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT
088 JOANA'S POV Clinton maintained his normal posture without showing any reaction to my sudden shock. Clinton. Always the quiet storm. Without shouting, he generated dangerous tension in his surroundings. I gazed at him calmly while my heart raced. “To what do I owe this unexpected visit.” I shifted my tone to deliver the words like nothing bothered me inside. He stepped closer. He placed his right hand on my desk while keeping his left hand in his pocket as if no one else existed in the space. He made his request even more subdued this time by saying it. More certain. “We need to talk…” I nodded stiffly. “So talk.” There was a pause. The only way I could describe his gaze was through unreadable emotions crossing his pupils. He stood up and relocated behind me as he walked his way toward the chair. “I want you and the kids to move into the mansion with me.” I blinked. Once. Twice. “What? Tell me you're joking!” “I’ve already prepared rooms for Japheth, Jak
Last Updated : 2025-04-14TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE
089JOANA'S POVThe room remained totally quiet after I spoke.Clinton didn’t move. He stared at me without expression while folding his arms as if he expected more words. Nothing inside me wanted to speak any further. Life had taken its toll on me.He turned his body to face me and spoke his words without urgency.“There isn’t much time, Joana.”I looked up at him.“I’ve been buying time—delaying meetings, dodging questions, spinning stories for my grandfather. But it’s slipping through my fingers. He’s growing impatient.”I didn’t reply.Clinton took a step forward. “He has to respect the house rules since you stay with your children. This is my sole negotiating tool for now.”My breath caught. There it was again—the unspoken threat lingering behind every sentence. The sense that we were running out of options. And the terrifying truth was that Clinton might be right.Still, I didn’t answer him. I turned around and picked up my phone instead.“Who are you calling?” he asked.“Caleb.
Last Updated : 2025-04-14TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER NINETY
090 JOANA'S POV The ride home took longer than normal despite all the contrary conditions. Very few cars were on the road as the light approached dusk, making the sky calm. My hand stayed on the wheel as I terminated my path home without recognizing the turning points. Driving back home, Clinton's speech played repeatedly in my thoughts. “There isn’t much time…” The idea made me angry because my thoughts were leading me in this direction. I truly disliked both Caleb and him, agreeing with each other. Above all else, I disliked that taking this step could provide essential safety to the children. The heavy burden of my choice became too heavy to bear when I parked in front of the house. I just wanted to return home without creating a false impression of things having returned to ordinary. Because it wasn’t. Not anymore. The comforting smells of my house relaxed me when I entered quietly and shut the door. Peter worked at chopping vegetables while the children watc
Last Updated : 2025-04-14TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER NINETY-ONE
091 JOANA'S POV Heavy air surrounded us when we entered the Gates Estate through its gates. Everyone in the car maintained absolute silence instead of their typical conversation. Japheth sat in a tense posture beside me while he observed the entrance gates move like in a whodunit movie. Jake wore earbuds as he tapped his hands while Mirabel held her teddy bear for comfort because she felt her world had nothing else familiar. And me? I was trying not to overthink. The mansion came into full view, its stone walls almost glaring in the morning sunlight. Elegant, imposing, and far too big. A place that reeked of power and old money. The entrance was already met by Clinton, who wore a black shirt and trousers that fit him perfectly. He walked over and opened the car door. “Welcome.” I stepped out, nodding curtly. “Thanks.” The kids followed, eyes scanning the place like tourists arriving in a new country. Clinton crouched to Mirabel’s level and gave her a soft smile.
Last Updated : 2025-04-15TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER NINETY-TWO
092JOANA'S POVI marched straight up to her.“What the hell is that painting about?” I demanded, my voice colder than I intended. “Why am I in it?”She didn’t flinch. Not a blink. Not a twitch. Nothing.She ignored me completely as she passed by. “It’s nothing,” she said flatly.Our discussion grew tense as I confronted Anita. “You kept your painting of me public on display. Alone. Smiling like some prized possession. What the hell are you trying to pull?”But she merely gave me a placid smile. “Don’t overthink it, Joana. It’s just art.”Just art?We passed each other without any sign that our encounter had taken place earlier. My burning anger would not let me budge, but I stopped myself from talking. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.No, I’d get my answers another way.Later that day, I found Ciara in the east wing, cleaning the shelves.I pulled her aside. “Anything from her?.”She raised a brow. “Nothing in particular. Just…”Ciara scanned the hallway before answering in a hu
Last Updated : 2025-04-15TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER NINETY-THREE
093JOANA'S POVClinton's body pushed me against the floor with more weight than I had anticipated.He carried physical tiredness beyond purely just being tired. His words remained in my mind as his speech became slower and more truthful. "I miss you," he said.He slouched against me, too weak to stand still from his drunken state, which paralyzed me for a moment.He needed help because I could not let him remain on the hallway floor unattended. Despite my mixed feelings toward him and sleepless nights suppressing my old emotions, I still cared enough to help him even though my emotions for him seemed to have faded.I grabbed his arm to rest it on my shoulder, then carefully assisted him to pass through the building without attracting undue attention.Clinton muttered to himself occasionally while also trying to move nearer as if fearing I would disappear if he stopped looking at me.The room stayed dark because he pulled closed the drawn curtains while the light produced small patche
Last Updated : 2025-04-16
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TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN
116JOANA'S POVThe phone shot against the wall, and the bang of the glass against the wall greeted my ear; my ear filled with the chaos of my chest. I watched the broken pieces, and my hands trembled with rage and rage, swelling inside me like a violent storm. Everything about this felt wrong. It didn’t make sense. Anita—trying to take her own life? Why now? Why after everything?My door swung open with a thud. Caleb entered first, closely followed by Clinton, both of them visibly shaken. They must have already heard."Joana—" Clinton's voice was low, cautious.I didn’t answer. I simply walked to the window, wrapping my arms around myself as though they could shield me from this madness.Caleb spoke up, his voice more urgent. “We heard. It’s true, right?”I gave a small nod, still facing the window. “She tried to end her life. They found her unconscious in her cell. They rushed her to the hospital.”The room fell into a heavy silence. The kind that suffocates you slowly.Clinton fina
TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN
115JOANA'S POVCaleb didn’t speak much during the drive back. He must have known that I was trying to hang onto that last hint of calm I had. There was a soft hum of the engine, a sparse chirp of birds, and a gentle rustle of the wind in the trees between us, and we sat in a peaceful silence marked by this fragile truce.My cheek turned to the warm sun of the late afternoon leaning my head against the window. I was not ready to go home. Not really. I was also not ready to be anywhere else. All I had to do was breathe and again remind myself that even if the world was crumbling under my heels, the ground was yet to give way.The open window filled the car with the sound of laughter as Caleb pulled into the driveway. A laughter that brought me out of my thoughts right away.Caleb glanced at me, "they sound happy," he said quietly.I tried to smile. It came crooked, though, "they don’t know half of what’s going on."I opened the door and stepped out of the car. I stood there for a secon
TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN
114JOANA'S POVThe meeting room was colder than usual.Maybe it was just me. Perhaps it was the weight of the tonnage on my shoulders. I stepped inside, my heels clicking on the marble floor in an attempt to wear the mask of composure I had practised for years. Mr. Stone was already seated next to his legal advisor, and I could tell his smug grin meant he was up to something.I hated dealing with people like this, but I honestly had no choice."Good morning, Joana," Mr. Stone greeted, voice as smooth as his tailored suit."Mr. Stone," I replied curtly, taking my seat across from him.The Blue Heart jewellery redesign presentation was neatly set up on the screen behind him. The sketches looked impressive, and I had to give credit to the design team. It was meant to be a re-launch, a symbol of rebirth after the chaos, and it had to be perfect. But something about Mr Stone’s too-relaxed demeanour made my instincts scream."We’ve all seen the mock-ups and the numbers," he started, claspi
TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTEEN
113JOANA’S POVMy words brought smiles to his face, and he suddenly became calm. “Thank you,” it softly escaped his lips, “you won't regret it.”“You better don't,” I muttered under my breath, returning back to work when a soft ding erupted the soothing silence.“The court hearing has been scheduled for the 20th.”The whole world stopped. It felt like the walls were compressing as my eyes widened and my fingers trembled at the sight of the text.I squeezed the paper underneath my fingertips, closed the phone screen, and ran my fingers through my hair.Clinton had noticed it, “what's wrong?” He asked calmly.“The kids' birthday celebration will have to be moved.”He furrowed his brows, obviously confused, “what are you talking about? There's no way we are shifting the celebration.”“The court hearing is fixed for that day, and there's nothing we can do about it.”It felt like the world came crashing down for him. His expression immediately changed.“We can always celebrate it the nex
TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE
112JOANA’S POVI left the station with solely one thought in my mind: how do I make sure that Jason doesn't serve too much jail time?He didn't deserve it; I know that the sergeant was working on it, but honestly, I knew it was far from being possible.I got cut from my trance when my phone started ringing. It was Caleb.“Hello…” I picked up.“Where are you?” He tried his best to sound as calm as possible, but it didn't work well.“I'm at the station heading to the office to do one or two things.”“Why were you at the station? Don't tell me you went to see Anita?”I walked to my car, “technically I didn't.”“Joana…”I rolled my eyes, “Fine I went to see her, but I didn't spite her up, but a little though,”“She's not in jail yet, but she's still very dangerous, and I can't risk anything.”“Caleb, you need to calm down, I just wanted to see her current situation and also check up on Jason.”“I should calm down? Have you forgotten the way that girl thinks? She's like a ticking bomb and
TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN
111JOANA'S POVThe soft ding of my phone got my attention. It was text.“Mission complete.”I stared blankly at the screen. Who was this person? My mind quickly went to Jason.“Jason…”Caleb and Clinton both turned to me, “What are you talking about?” Caleb finally spoke out.“The person behind the shadows was Jason,” I let out a small laugh.“How? He's in jail!” Caleb pointed out.I strode to sit on the couch, a victorious grin on my face, “Yeah, he is, but remember the secret agency he's in.”“The same agency that tried to kill him for exposing Anita…” he scoffed, “I highly doubt, maybe it's someone that also wants Anita gone.”I darted my gaze slowly to him, “apart from me, who else wants her gone? Trust me, my guts tell me that Jason did this.”The two men shook their heads and headed into their rooms.Playing with the tip of the pen, I pointed to the huge clock, “tick-tock Anita… this time, your time is up.”__The car ride was silent, a soothing silence enjoying the cool breeze
TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND TEN
110JOANA'S POVThey had no shame.The confrontation had been explosive. Mr. Gates hadn’t denied it. He’d simply claimed that family should protect family—and Anita had sat smugly beside him, like a queen regaining her throne.She barely looked my way, but I felt her satisfaction and tasted it in the air like poison.Clinton finally turned from the desk. “You used your influence to override hard evidence. You know what she did. You saw the recordings. Heard the confession.”Mr. Gates didn’t flinch. “Evidence can be manipulated, Clinton. I don’t trust the words of men like Jason.”“You don’t trust facts,” Caleb spat. “You trust whatever keeps your family name clean. What kind of legacy are you trying to protect when it’s rotting from the inside?”Mr. Gates rose from his chair slowly, placing both hands on his cane. “You may not understand it now, Caleb. But one day, when you have your own family to lead, you’ll realize that loyalty matters more than any public trial.”I had enough. “Lo
TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINE
109JOANA'S POVSunlight from the arched windows entered the mansion and formed wide bands across the marble floors. I took my place on the living room sofa with a straight posture and crossed legs while I touched my tablet in silence. Instead of reading the screen, my eyes focused on distant mental work. The house stood at peace before violence broke out.The front doors opened.Footsteps echoed.Clinton and Caleb walked in together, dressed in work suits, loosened ties around their necks, carrying the usual exhaustion of a day at the office. But the moment they saw me, they stopped.I didn’t rise to greet them. Didn’t even look up."Joana?" Clinton said, his voice tinged with caution.I slowly looked up. My eyes were expressionless. Not angry. Not hurt. Not welcoming. Just... still. Stone still.Caleb moved forward first. "Is everything okay? Where are the kids?""Asleep. Upstairs. Safe," I replied, my tone flat.Clinton moved towards me from the couch to reach my position, where he
TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT
108JOANA'S POVThe mansion stood as an unspoken silent question without any reaction. As soon as Jason parked the car, he sped the tyres toward the garage, and before the engine idled, I bolted from my side to rush through the mansion's main entrance.I directed the security staff posted at the gate to inspect the area thoroughly. “Check the east and west wings—every single room. I want the kids found. Now.”The main door flew open under my hand as I stormed inside. “Where are they? Where are my children?”The maids inside froze at the sound of my voice, but one of them stepped forward immediately, wide-eyed. “We—We don’t know, ma’am. We thought they were in the greenhouse—”“Check the gardens, the poolside, the library, everywhere!” I snapped. My voice was cracking under the weight of my panic. “Clinton? Caleb?”One of the male workers appeared at the top of the staircase. “Mr. Clinton left early this morning. He said he had to meet a supplier downtown. And Mr. Caleb hasn’t returned
