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Chapter 14: The Welcome Party II
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2024-12-10 05:38:30Related chapters
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 15: Beneath the Surface
Chapter 15Lucas’s POV I should’ve known the night wouldn’t end smoothly. It never does with Mandy. Grandma’s face twisted into a polite but unmistakable grimace when Mandy emerged from the bathroom wearing that ridiculous mini-skirt. My jaw clenched so hard I thought my teeth might crack. What the hell was she thinking? “Mandy, dear,” Grandma began, her tone sharp enough to slice through the murmurs in the room. “This isn’t appropriate for the occasion. What happened to the dress you were wearing earlier?” Mandy’s eyes flitted to mine for a fraction of a second before lowering. Her voice was calm, steady even, which somehow made it worse. “I didn’t mean to cause offense, Grandma. This was all I had.” All she had? That was a lie. Mary had gone out of her way to lend Mandy a perfectly good dress just moments ago. Why she refused to wear it was beyond me. I stepped forward, my voice quieter but no less irritated. “Mandy, we talked about this.” Her gaze lifted to meet mine,
Last Updated : 2024-12-10The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 16: The Thin Line
Mandy's POVThe morning light filtered through the curtains, but my chest felt heavy, like a storm cloud had settled over me. I couldn’t stop replaying Lucas’s expression from last night—the tension, the frustration, the way his eyes seemed to drill into me, looking for answers I wasn’t ready to give. Let him wonder. Let him stew in his own questions. I’d made my choice long before we started this arrangement. This wasn’t about him, and it never would be. My focus was on saving Grandma Claire, and once she was safe, I’d walk away from Lucas and everything he represented. Still, there was this tiny, infuriating tug in the back of my mind. The way his voice softened when he spoke to me last night lingered longer than I wanted it to. I shook my head and forced myself to focus. Whatever kindness he tried to show didn’t matter. I wouldn’t let it weaken my resolve. I was pulling my hair into a loose bun when my phone buzzed on the dresser. “Hello?” I answered, pinching the bridge
Last Updated : 2024-12-10The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 17: Collision
Lucas's POVThe hum of the club hit me the moment I stepped inside—a dim red glow cast long shadows across the room, while the low chatter, and the heavy bass of music thumping through the walls. I shouldn’t have been here. Hell, I knew it was wrong, especially with Mandy always looking at me like I was some kind of monster when it came to my choices. But I couldn’t stop myself. Suddenly, Ethan clapped a hand on my shoulder as we walked toward a table near the back. “You’ve got it bad, man. I’ve never seen you this hung up on someone.” “It’s not like that,” I muttered, my eyes already scanning the room, scoffs. I didn’t even believe my own words. “Sure,” Ethan said with a smirk, sinking into his chair. The truth was, I didn’t know what it was. This woman—the masked dancer—I couldn’t get her out of my head. She was a puzzle I couldn’t solve, and for some reason, that drove me insane. And not long, the lights dimmed suddenly as the music shifted, my attention snapped to the
Last Updated : 2024-12-10The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 18: Shattered Truths
Mandy’s PovAs Lucas forced me into his car, the silence in the air became suffocating as Lucas’s grip on the steering wheel was so tight his knuckles turned white. I sat stiffly in the passenger seat, staring out the window, with my heart pounding in my chest. I could feel his anger radiating off him, and part of me wanted to say something, anything, to break the tension. But the other part—the part that had been living in survival mode for months—kept my lips sealed. But when we were almost halfway home, I couldn’t take it anymore so I broke the silence.“Lucas,” I said softly, testing the waters. “I didn’t mean for you to find out like this.” His jaw tightened, but he didn’t look at me. “Didn’t mean for me to find out at all, you mean.” I flinched at the bitterness in his voice. “I wasn’t trying to lie to you. I needed to survive and it was my only option,"“Your only option?” he repeated, his voice rising. He finally turned his head, his eyes flashing with anger. “You could
Last Updated : 2024-12-10The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 19: A Step Toward Healing
Lucas's POVI sat on the edge of the couch, elbows on my knees, head in my hands, as Ethan’s voice rang out over the phone, blunt as always. “So let me get this straight,” he said. “You stormed into the club, dragged her out, and then lost your damn mind at her?” “Yeah,” I muttered, already regretting my decision to call him. “That about covers it.” “You’re an idiot.” “Thanks, Ethan. Super helpful.” “No, seriously. What were you thinking? Mandy’s not one of your employees, Lucas. She doesn’t need a boss—she needs a partner, don't be a fool,"That word hit like a sucker punch partner. How had I missed that? Ethan sighed. “Look, man, I get it. You’re used to fixing problems, keeping things under control, making sure nothing spirals out of hand. But Mandy isn’t some situation to manage. She’s a person, Lucas. And instead of trying to understand her, you bulldozed right over her, same way you did to her three years ago,"I leaned back and stared at the ceiling. Damn it. He w
Last Updated : 2024-12-11The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 20: A Glimmer of Hope
Lucas’s POVThe house felt emptier than usual that evening and the silence seemed to stretch on endlessly, filling up the space where her laughter, her voice, her very presence used to be. It was hard to remember what it felt like to have Mandy here. Even harder was the reality that, no matter how much I tried to fix things, I still hadn’t figured out how to fix us.I tossed my keys on the kitchen counter and dragged my fingers through my hair, staring at the table where we’d shared meals, arguing, and laughing. That damn mug she always used, the one with the chipped handle, still sat there like a cruel reminder that I’d screwed everything up. I’d spent the entire day digging into her financial situation. The club, the debt, the medical bills—none of it had surprised me, but it stung to see how much she’d been hiding. Mandy had always carried her burdens alone, even when I was right there, a damn fool, too stubborn and too proud to see what was happening right under my nose.Howeve
Last Updated : 2024-12-11The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 21: A fragile beginning
Mandy’s POVSitting at the edge of my bed, I stared at the chipped mug in my hands. It was one of those small, stupid things that you don’t realize holds meaning until it’s too late. The faded lettering on it—Queen of Everything—mocked me in the dim light of my room. Grandma Claire had given it to me when I was still in high school, a little reminder to never let anyone make me feel less than I was worth. Back then, it was a joke. Now, it felt like a taunt. Lucas had apologized last night. A real apology, the kind where he didn’t just say the words but looked me in the eye, laid himself bare, and admitted he’d screwed up. It wasn’t something Lucas did often—admit fault, I mean. He was the man who had everything figured out, the one with the answers, the solutions, the damn checklist for how the world should work. But last night, he’d been different. Raw. Real. Vulnerable, even. And I... I didn’t know how to feel about it. I turned the mug over in my hands, my thoughts circ
Last Updated : 2024-12-12The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 22: A Quiet Effort
Lucas’s POVI’d spent hours in my office today, looking over everything I could find on Mandy’s financial situation. It wasn’t just the bills or the debts that haunted her. No, it was something deeper—something that clung to her even when she smiled, even when she pretended everything was fine. The weight of it all had been too much for her, and I’d been too blind to see it. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my face. How the hell had I not seen it before? Mandy had been living like she was carrying the weight of the world, all while I’d been focused on my own damn problems. Her pride, her independence—they had always been part of who she was, but I never stopped to think about what those things might cost her. I thought about the way she’d looked at me the night before—unsure, guarded, but still willing to listen. There was hope in her eyes, but it was fragile, like glass. And I didn’t want to break it. I knew I had a lot of work to do to make up for everything I’d done. But
Last Updated : 2024-12-12
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The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 27: Patience in progress
Lucas’s POVIt had been weeks since that conversation with Mandy. I’d spent most of those weeks walking on eggshells, trying not to overstep, trying to be more patient, more understanding. But what I’d learned in all that time was that patience wasn’t something I was particularly good at. I was used to getting what I wanted, to making things happen with a push, with influence, with money. But none of that worked with Mandy despite knowing her all my life. She wasn’t like everyone else. She was stubborn, but not in the way I was. She wasn’t built to rely on anyone, not even me.I leaned back in the chair in my office, staring out the window. The view was the same—tall buildings, busy streets—but today, it felt different. More distant.Maybe because I wasn’t feeling as in control as I usually did. The business, my life, everything had always been about control. But Mandy, she wasn’t someone I could control, and that had been a hard lesson for me to learn.I picked up the phone, about
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 26: Truths and Consequences
Mandy’s POVI sat at the kitchen table, my fingers running over the edges of the letter, the words blurring together in front of me. It was a letter from the club’s manager, something about my canceled performances and some backdoor deal that had been made to cover my financial losses. The numbers were high, too high for someone who had been in my shoes for the past few months. It was generous, but it felt wrong.I hadn’t asked for this. I hadn’t wanted it. It felt like someone had swept in and fixed things for me without asking if I needed them fixed at all.The realization hit me like a cold wave, one that I couldn’t ignore Lucas. He had done this. He had found a way to fix my mess, just like he always tried to do—whether I wanted him to or not. Part of me wanted to be grateful. Hell, it was hard not to be, considering how close I’d been to losing everything. But the other part of me felt suffocated by his actions, trapped in this constant cycle where I was always the one needin
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 25: Bridges of Hope
Mandy’s POVI sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the phone in my hand. The screen was lit up, but I didn’t touch it. I hadn’t called Emily in what felt like weeks. I missed her voice—her laughter, her little jokes, the way she’d say “I love you” before hanging up, like it was the most natural thing in the world. I knew I should call her, but something inside me held me back. There were too many things I was hiding from her. Too many things I didn’t want her to worry about. But today, I couldn’t ignore it any longer. I needed to hear her. I needed to feel that connection, that bond I’d built with her over the years. So, I finally tapped my phone screen and selected Wendy's name from my contacts, waiting for the call to connect. I didn’t know what I’d say once Emily answered, but the thought of hearing her voice was enough to push past the hesitation.When Wendy picked up, it was as if a weight I hadn’t realized I’d been carrying lifted off my chest."Hi Wendy, sorry for disturb
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 24: The Past Uncovered
Lucas’s POVThe truth was, I hadn’t expected the last few weeks to be this hard. I had hoped—naively, maybe—that all the damage I’d done would somehow fade away, that time and a few apologies would be enough to rebuild what I’d broken. But Mandy wasn’t something that could just be fixed with a few words. She was complicated, layered with history and pain, and a part of me had always known I’d have to dig deeper if I wanted to truly understand her.I had made up my mind a while ago that I was going to make things right, not just for the sake of getting back together, but for her—for her peace of mind. She’d let me in, little by little, but there were still pieces of her that I hadn’t touched, parts of her past that she kept hidden. However, one night, as I sat at my desk at home, sorting through a mix of emails, paperwork, and random thoughts, a thought crossed my mind. Grandma Claire. Maybe Grandma Claire held the key to understanding Mandy better despite her being my grandmother.
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 23: Unspoken Struggles
Mandy’s POVI shouldn’t have been surprised, but I was. It was a quiet Monday morning when I walked into the club and saw the look on Dan’s face. He didn’t even have to say anything—his expression said it all. I knew the moment I’d been informed about my canceled performances, the ripple effects were inevitable. I hadn’t expected it to be this bad, but there it was. “Mandy,” Dan started, his voice cold, even though I’d worked for him for over two years. “Can you explain to me why you’re not following through on your contract? The club needs you. You know that.” Hearing this, I stood there for a moment, trying to steady my nerves. My hands had started shaking, and I hated that. I hated feeling so out of control. The last thing I wanted to do was disappoint anyone—especially not Dan, who had always been fair with me. But the truth was, I couldn’t go on like this. “I know,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended. “It’s just... I need a break. Things have been rough lately. I’m
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 22: A Quiet Effort
Lucas’s POVI’d spent hours in my office today, looking over everything I could find on Mandy’s financial situation. It wasn’t just the bills or the debts that haunted her. No, it was something deeper—something that clung to her even when she smiled, even when she pretended everything was fine. The weight of it all had been too much for her, and I’d been too blind to see it. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my face. How the hell had I not seen it before? Mandy had been living like she was carrying the weight of the world, all while I’d been focused on my own damn problems. Her pride, her independence—they had always been part of who she was, but I never stopped to think about what those things might cost her. I thought about the way she’d looked at me the night before—unsure, guarded, but still willing to listen. There was hope in her eyes, but it was fragile, like glass. And I didn’t want to break it. I knew I had a lot of work to do to make up for everything I’d done. But
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 21: A fragile beginning
Mandy’s POVSitting at the edge of my bed, I stared at the chipped mug in my hands. It was one of those small, stupid things that you don’t realize holds meaning until it’s too late. The faded lettering on it—Queen of Everything—mocked me in the dim light of my room. Grandma Claire had given it to me when I was still in high school, a little reminder to never let anyone make me feel less than I was worth. Back then, it was a joke. Now, it felt like a taunt. Lucas had apologized last night. A real apology, the kind where he didn’t just say the words but looked me in the eye, laid himself bare, and admitted he’d screwed up. It wasn’t something Lucas did often—admit fault, I mean. He was the man who had everything figured out, the one with the answers, the solutions, the damn checklist for how the world should work. But last night, he’d been different. Raw. Real. Vulnerable, even. And I... I didn’t know how to feel about it. I turned the mug over in my hands, my thoughts circ
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 20: A Glimmer of Hope
Lucas’s POVThe house felt emptier than usual that evening and the silence seemed to stretch on endlessly, filling up the space where her laughter, her voice, her very presence used to be. It was hard to remember what it felt like to have Mandy here. Even harder was the reality that, no matter how much I tried to fix things, I still hadn’t figured out how to fix us.I tossed my keys on the kitchen counter and dragged my fingers through my hair, staring at the table where we’d shared meals, arguing, and laughing. That damn mug she always used, the one with the chipped handle, still sat there like a cruel reminder that I’d screwed everything up. I’d spent the entire day digging into her financial situation. The club, the debt, the medical bills—none of it had surprised me, but it stung to see how much she’d been hiding. Mandy had always carried her burdens alone, even when I was right there, a damn fool, too stubborn and too proud to see what was happening right under my nose.Howeve
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 19: A Step Toward Healing
Lucas's POVI sat on the edge of the couch, elbows on my knees, head in my hands, as Ethan’s voice rang out over the phone, blunt as always. “So let me get this straight,” he said. “You stormed into the club, dragged her out, and then lost your damn mind at her?” “Yeah,” I muttered, already regretting my decision to call him. “That about covers it.” “You’re an idiot.” “Thanks, Ethan. Super helpful.” “No, seriously. What were you thinking? Mandy’s not one of your employees, Lucas. She doesn’t need a boss—she needs a partner, don't be a fool,"That word hit like a sucker punch partner. How had I missed that? Ethan sighed. “Look, man, I get it. You’re used to fixing problems, keeping things under control, making sure nothing spirals out of hand. But Mandy isn’t some situation to manage. She’s a person, Lucas. And instead of trying to understand her, you bulldozed right over her, same way you did to her three years ago,"I leaned back and stared at the ceiling. Damn it. He w
