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Chapter 25: Bridges of Hope
Huling Na-update:
2024-12-12 05:41:03
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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
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-12The 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
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-12The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 28: Shadows of the Past
Mandy's POVThe apartment was quiet, the kind of quiet that felt deliberate. Lucas sat across from me on the couch, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, like he was trying to read me without overstepping. For once, he wasn’t trying to fix anything. He wasn’t offering solutions or apologies or declarations of how much he’d changed. He was just... there. It was strange, this version of Lucas. Softer. Patient. It made me nervous, like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. But at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel myself relax, just a little. We talked about nothing in particular—work, the weather and somehow the conversation drifted to the past, and we ended up laughing about a memory I hadn’t thought of in years. It was one of those rare moments when things between us had been easy, uncomplicated. I mean, I didn’t realize how much I’d missed that. “I’ll grab us some tea,” Lucas said, standing and heading to the kitchen. So, I nodded and watched him go. The silence
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-01The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 29 : Frustration and Helplessness
Lucas’s POVDriving myself away from Mandy's apartment, the city lights blurred into streaks of gold and white as the weight of the evening pressed heavily on my chest. My hands gripped the steering wheel, tighter than necessary, but I couldn’t seem to loosen them. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts—frustration, confusion, and a gnawing helplessness that refused to let go. "What went wrong?" I wondered to myself.One minute, Mandy and I were laughing, sharing a moment that felt almost normal, almost like the way things used to be. And then—just like that—everything shattered. She froze, her face turned pale and her eyes became distant, like she wasn’t even in the room anymore. I’d seen fear before, but not like this. This was something deeper, something that reached into the darkest parts of her. And I had no idea how to help. I replayed the moment over and over in my head, searching for the trigger, the thing that had sent her spiraling. But nothing stood out. Was it someth
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-01The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 30 : The Weight of Silence
Mandy’s POV As the apartment became silent, save for the faint hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen. I sat on the couch, knees drawn to my chest, staring blankly at the coffee table. The events of the evening played on a loop in my head, each moment sharpening the guilt that had settled like a stone in my stomach. Why did I lash out at Lucas? I knew he didn’t deserve it. He hadn’t done anything wrong. In fact, he’d done everything right—giving me space, letting me lead the conversation, even making me laugh. For a brief moment, it felt... easy. Normal. And then the memory hit. The smell of his cologne, or maybe the way the light caught on the edge of his watch—it didn’t matter. Something had yanked me back to a place I never wanted to revisit, a place where fear ruled and my voice was silenced. I could still feel the weight of it pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the memory to fade, but it clung to me like a shadow.
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-02The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 31: A Breaking Point
Lucas’s POV The next morning arrived and I wasn’t sure what I expected when I pulled up outside Mandy’s apartment, but I knew I couldn’t stay away. Not after last night. The drive over had been a blur, my thoughts circling the same questions over and over. What had triggered her? What had I done wrong? How could I fix it? But the truth was, I didn’t know, with that, I knocked on her door, my heart pounding in my chest. For a moment, I thought she wouldn’t answer, but then the door creaked open, and there she was standing in front of me. She looked tired—like she hadn’t slept at all. Her eyes met mine, guarded and wary, but she didn’t shut the door in my face. That was something, at least. “Lucas,” she said quietly, her voice devoid of the warmth I’d started to hope for in recent weeks. “Can we talk?” I asked, trying to keep my tone calm, neutral. She hesitated, her hand tightening on the edge of the door, but after a moment, she said, "Come in," as she stepped aside, letti
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-03The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 32 : Alone in the Dark
Mandy’s POVThe silence in my apartment echoed loudly as It’s been hours since the argument with Lucas, and I’m still here, alone, trying to make sense of everything. I didn’t want to be alone, but at the same time, I couldn’t bear the thought of being near anyone. Not after everything that happened, not after I pushed him away. I had to do this on my own, I told myself. I had to figure out what was going on inside my head before I could even think about facing him again.I sat on the couch, my knees pulled to my chest, and I stared at the blank wall across from me. My phone was on the coffee table, face down, and I haven’t touched it since the argument. The last thing I wanted to do was call Lucas. I couldn’t. Not after everything I said. I could barely look at myself in the mirror, let alone reach out to him and apologize. The words I’d thrown at him still echo in my head, each one more painful than the last. So, I closed my eyes and tried to push the memory away, but it’s there,
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-03The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 33: Searching for Answers
Lucas's POV The day after our argument, I found myself standing in front of my office building, staring at the entrance. I should be heading inside, catching up on work, but my mind was elsewhere. It's been a restless night. I keep replaying the conversation with Mandy, the words we exchanged, the look in her eyes when she shut me out. It’s like I’m caught in a loop, trying to figure out what went wrong and how I can fix it.I’m not stupid—I know it’s not something I can just fix overnight. But I couldn't shake the feeling that I’m failing her. I don’t know how to help her, how to be the partner she needs me to be. And the more I think about it, the more I realize I’ve been approaching this all wrong. I’ve been focused on my frustration, on my own feelings, and I’ve neglected hers.Not long, I pulled out my phone and searched for therapists in the area. I’ve never been a fan of counseling, but right now, I don’t care. I’ll do whatever it takes. Mandy’s been through hell, and I can’
Huling Na-update : 2025-01-04
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The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 109 : Checkmate
Lucas’s POVIvan’s smirk was a razor slicing through my control. He stood there, holding Emily, his grip just tight enough to send my pulse into overdrive. My daughter whimpered, her big, frightened eyes darting between me and Mandy. “Let her go, Ivan,” I said, my voice low, even. Controlled. Because if I let the rage take over now, I’d lose her. Ivan chuckled, shifting Emily slightly in his arms. “You think it’s that easy?” His gaze flicked to Mandy. “You’ve always been so predictable, Lucas. Always acting like you’re the one in control. But look at you now.” He tilted his head. “Powerless.” Mandy stood frozen beside me, her hand gripping my arm like it was the only thing keeping her upright. I could feel her shaking, but she didn’t break. She didn’t scream or lunge at him. She trusted me. And she should. I forced a slow breath. I couldn’t make a mistake. Not with Emily in his hands. “What do you want?” I asked, keeping my voice steady. “Money? Territory?” I knew what his
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 108 : The Calm Before the Storm
Lucas’s POVMy hands shook as I put the phone back in my pocket. The words burned in my mind, like an acid that wouldn’t stop eating away at everything I’d fought for.So, I turned to Mandy, her face pale, eyes wide with fear. Her breath was shallow, and for a split second, I saw everything I’d worked to protect hanging by a thread. Emily. Her daughter. My child, too, whether we’d ever said the words out loud or not.“Lucas…” Mandy whispered my name like it was a plea, but I didn’t have an answer. There was nothing to say because I felt it too—everything we’d been through, everything we’d fought for, now felt like it was slipping through my fingers.I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “We’ll fix this, Mandy. I promise you.” But even as the words left my mouth, I wasn’t sure if I believed them.Her eyes locked onto mine, but her voice cracked as she spoke. “How? How do we fix this when he has Emily?”I didn’t have an answer. Not yet.But I knew one thing for sure: Ivan had c
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 107 – Into the Lion’s Den
Lucas’s POVThe moment Viktor’s voice crackled over the radio, my stomach dropped. “Ivan knows we’re coming.” The air in the van grew heavy, like we were all holding our breath at the same time. Mandy’s hand tightened around mine, her nails digging into my skin, but I didn’t care. Her fear was my fear, and it was all too real. “What do you mean he knows?” James’s voice came sharp and fast over the comms. “He’s moved his men,” Viktor replied, his tone clipped. “The hub isn’t empty. It’s crawling with guards. This isn’t going to be the surgical strike we planned.” My jaw clenched, anger bubbling just beneath the surface. “Then we adapt,” I said, my voice steady despite the chaos brewing inside me. “We didn’t come this far to turn back now.” Viktor’s silence was answer enough. He wasn’t going to argue, but he wasn’t happy about it either. “Stay sharp,” he said finally. “And for God’s sake, don’t get yourselves killed.” The radio went dead, leaving us in a suffocating sile
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 106 : Shadows Closing In
Mandy’s POVThe dust from the van’s tires still hung in the air, gritty and suffocating. My hands were trembling as I clung to Lucas, the warmth of his body grounding me in the chaos around us. But Viktor’s words rang in my ears like a death knell. *This was just the beginning.* “What do you mean?” I asked, my voice shaky. “What beginning?” Viktor crouched beside us, his gaze sharp and unyielding. “Ivan isn’t the kind of man who lets go of his prey. He wanted to make a statement tonight, and he succeeded. But this? This was just his opening move.” I looked down at Lucas, his face battered and bloodied but alive. Relief warred with terror in my chest. “Then we need to stop him. We can’t just wait for him to come after us again.” James appeared at my side, his jaw tight. “She’s right. We can’t keep playing defense. If we don’t take the fight to Ivan, he’ll keep coming until there’s nothing left of us.” Viktor let out a dry laugh. “And what exactly do you propose, James? Marc
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 105 : The Clock is Ticking
Mandy’s POVThe bloodied man collapsed to the floor, his words echoing in the tense silence. Ivan’s men were here. The weight of those words hit me like a punch to the gut. Viktor didn’t flinch. He leaned back in his chair, his sharp gaze flicking to the man crumpled on the floor. “So, it begins,” he said calmly, as though he’d been expecting this all along. James, however, wasn’t so composed. He grabbed my arm, pulling me back toward the door. “We need to leave. Now.” But Viktor’s voice cut through the panic. “Running will only get you killed. Ivan doesn’t leave loose ends.” James turned, his hand already reaching for his weapon. “Then maybe it’s time someone took care of Ivan.” Viktor chuckled, slow and deliberate. “Ah, the bravado of the unprepared. You think you can waltz into Ivan’s world and take him down? He’s been playing this game longer than you’ve been alive.” I stepped forward, my voice shaking but firm. “Then tell us what to do. If you know how to stop him, te
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 104 : Into the Lion’s Den
Mandy’s POVJames’s hand hovered near his jacket, ready to draw whatever weapon he had stashed there. But the man standing by the car didn’t even flinch. His calmness was unnerving, like he knew he had all the power in the world. “I said,” the man repeated, his voice sharp, “get in the car if you want to save Lucas. This isn’t a request.” I glanced at James, my heart pounding in my chest. “What do we do?” I whispered. James’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing. “We don’t trust him, that’s for damn sure.” The man smirked, as if he could hear us. “You don’t have to trust me. But you don’t have time to argue. Lucas’s life is ticking away with every second you waste.” Something about the way he said it made my stomach twist. He wasn’t bluffing. Whoever this man was, he knew exactly what was happening, and he wasn’t here to play games. “We don’t have a choice,” I said, my voice trembling. “If there’s even a chance he’s telling the truth, we have to take it.” James hesitated, hi
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 103 : A Debt in Blood
Mandy’s POVThe room erupted into chaos. People screamed, chairs toppled, and glass shattered as the armed men pushed through the crowd. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst. Lucas moved instantly, stepping in front of me like a shield. His hand gripped my arm, pulling me closer. “Stay behind me,” he growled, his voice low and commanding. The man who had barked Lucas’s name stepped forward, his gun aimed directly at us. He was tall, broad, and radiated an air of menace. “Mr. Vanderbilt, you’ve been a hard man to find. But you know how this works. You can’t run forever.” Lucas’s jaw tightened, his body coiled like a spring. “I don’t owe you anything.” The man smirked. “Oh, but you do. Ivan doesn’t forget, and he doesn’t forgive. You know that better than anyone.” “Ivan’s beef is with me,” Lucas said, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. “Leave her out of this.” The man’s gaze shifted to me, and I felt ice crawl up my spine. “Her? Oh, Lucas, you don
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 102 : A War on Two Fronts
Mandy’s POVDeliberate. The word echoed in my head like a gunshot, deafening and disorienting. Someone had intentionally hurt Emily. I felt Lucas’s hand tighten around mine, but I couldn’t look at him. My gaze was locked on the doctor, who stood there with an expression that teetered between pity and professional detachment. “What do you mean... deliberate?” My voice sounded foreign to my own ears—shaky, distant. The doctor hesitated, clearly choosing his words carefully. “The type of toxin we suspect—based on her symptoms—isn’t something one would encounter in everyday life. It’s... rare, and it would require deliberate exposure.” “Deliberate exposure?” Lucas’s voice was low, deadly. “Are you saying someone poisoned her?” The doctor nodded slowly. “That’s what we’re investigating. I’ve already informed the authorities. They’ll need to speak with you both as soon as possible.” Authorities. Police. Poison. I couldn’t process it. My daughter—my innocent, bright, beautiful
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 101 : The Thin Line Between Hope and Despair
Mandy’s POVThe room erupted into chaos. Nurses and doctors flooded in, their movements quick and precise, but to me, it felt like slow motion. I couldn’t move, couldn’t think—my feet rooted to the spot as I watched them surround Emily’s bed. “Clear the room!” one of the nurses barked, her voice sharp and commanding. “No!” I screamed, trying to push past Lucas, but his arms locked around me, holding me back. “Mandy, let them work,” he said, his voice firm but trembling. “I can’t leave her!” I cried, clawing at his chest, desperate to break free. “Lucas, let me go! She needs me!” His grip tightened, his face inches from mine. “She needs them to save her. Please, Mandy, don’t make this harder for her—or for yourself.” I sagged against him, my strength gone, and he guided me out of the room. The door shut behind us with a heavy thud, cutting me off from my baby. The hallway was eerily quiet compared to the chaos inside. My knees gave out, and I sank to the floor, my hands t
