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Chapter 26: Truths and Consequences
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2024-12-12 05:43:10
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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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 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’
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-04The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 34 : Taking Responsibility
Mandy’s POVGetting to my apartment, the silence inside still feels suffocating. It’s been a day since the argument with Lucas, and the weight of it is still hanging over me. I can’t stop thinking about what I said, the way I pushed him away even though I didn’t want to. My chest tightens every time I remember his face—confused, hurt, and so damn patient. I’ve spent the last few hours pacing around, trying to make sense of it all, but the truth is, I’m not sure what to do next. I reach for my phone, my thumb hovering over Lucas’s contact. I want to call him. I want to apologize, to explain myself. But every time I think about it, the fear grips me, and I pull away. How do I tell him about the things that haunt me? How do I let him in when I’m still not sure if I can trust him with all of me?Instead, I text Wendy as usual as she’s always been the one I turn to when I’m drowning in my own head, when the emotions become too overwhelming to handle on my own. I need her advice, her stea
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-05
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The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 140 : The Underground Clinic
Mandy’s POVThe SUV’s tires screeched as it came to a halt, the eerie silence of the abandoned warehouse district swallowing the sound. My pulse raced in my ears as I sat motionless, gripping Emily’s limp body tightly. Each second felt like an eternity. The night air outside was thick with tension, the kind that made you feel like something terrible was about to happen, but you had no idea how to stop it.Lucas didn’t even glance at me as he opened the door and stepped out of the car. His face was set, hardened, like he was preparing for war. I followed quickly behind him, clutching Emily closer to my chest, her tiny body a fragile weight in my arms. The warehouse loomed in front of us—an ugly, decaying building at the edge of the city. There was nothing welcoming about it, nothing that suggested it could be a place of hope. It was a hollow structure, abandoned and broken, much like the world we had stepped into.We moved quickly toward the entrance, the dim lights of the street
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 139 : A Deal with evil
lucas’s POVThe phone call felt like a weight around my neck, each second dragging me deeper into something I never wanted to revisit. My grip tightened on the steering wheel, knuckling white as I stared out the window. But my mind wasn’t on the road ahead—it was on the voice that had just spoken through the phone. "You should be rotting in a cell, Lucas."His words rang in my ears like a death sentence. Every syllable is a reminder of the mistakes I’d made, the enemies I’d created, and the man I once was—the man I still couldn’t fully outrun. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay calm. "I don’t have time for grudges," I said, my voice clipped and controlled. "I need your help."The silence on the other end of the line stretched painfully long. I could hear him breathing, the rasp of air in and out as if he were savoring the moment. Finally, he spoke again. "Bring her here. But after this, you owe me."The words hit me like a blow to the chest, but I forced myself not to re
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 138 : The Line Between Life and Death
Mandy’s POVEverything around me blurred into nothing. The cold pavement bit into my knees, but I barely felt it. My arms tightened around Emily’s small, lifeless body, my hands trembling as I pressed my forehead against hers. "Please, baby… please…" My voice cracked, but no response came. The weight of her in my arms, too still, too cold, made it impossible to breathe. A strangled sob tore from my throat as I rocked her, desperate to bring life back into her. She had been laughing just hours ago, giggling in my arms, full of energy, full of love. Now, she was slipping away, and I couldn't stop it. "We need to get her to a hospital!" Ethan's voice cut through the fog of grief, sharp and urgent. He was crouched beside me, his hands hovering as if afraid to touch her, as if touching would make this nightmare real. Lucas stood frozen, his face unreadable, but his hands were clenched into fists at his sides. His knuckles were white, his whole body rigid. "If anything happens t
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 137 :Blood on the Pavement
Lucas’s POVThe world felt like it was closing in on me. The lights flashing from the police cars outside the warehouse, the sound of sirens wailing in the distance, it all blended into a haze of confusion. Mandy had been pulled away, and I could only watch as she and Ethan ran for their lives. The chaos unfolding around us seemed like a nightmare I couldn’t wake from. Sophia had done this. She’d planned every step with the precision of someone who was playing a long game, and now, I was caught in it. A pawn. And I had no idea how to fight back. My mind was racing, but there was no time to think. I had to do something—anything—to protect her, to protect Emily. The weight of what was happening pressed heavily against my chest, suffocating me with guilt and fear. Mandy and Emily were in danger, and it was because of me. As I moved toward the door, my body tense and ready for whatever was waiting outside, my eyes caught the movement in the distance. The alley—where Mandy and Eth
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 136: Escape into the Night
Mandy’s POVEthan’s grip was unrelenting as he pulled me through the dark corridors of the warehouse. My heart thundered in my chest, and the sound of hurried footsteps echoed off the cold concrete walls. Behind us, the chaos erupted—yelling, shouts of orders, the sound of heavy boots pounding the floor as the police scrambled to respond. I barely registered it all. All I could think about was the fact that Lucas was being arrested. We were running, but for what? "We can’t let them take Lucas."His words hit me like a cold splash of water. He was right. We couldn’t let them take him, but how were we supposed to stop this? I stumbled slightly, still trying to process everything—Sophia’s cruel smile, the video, the betrayal I felt in my bones. Lucas… Lucas had never told me about his past with Sophia. I didn’t know what to believe anymore. Could I trust him? Should I? "What do we do?" I gasped, the words slipping out before I could stop them. My mind was clouded, and fear was s
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 135 : Wanted Man
Lucas’s POVThe moment the police stormed in, their weapons raised, I knew Sophia had been waiting for this. The blue and red flashes of sirens painted the dim warehouse in a kaleidoscope of chaos. The tension in the air thickened like a noose tightening around my throat. "Lucas Vanderbilt, you’re under arrest."The lead officer’s voice rang with authority, cutting through the heavy silence that followed. Beside me, Mandy tensed, her fingers twitching at her sides. I could hear her sharp intake of breath, but my focus stayed on the officers, on Sophia, and on the pieces of this twisted game she was playing. "For what?" I asked, keeping my voice controlled, even though my pulse pounded in my ears. Sophia let out a delighted hum, stepping forward as if she were the one running the show. "Oh, Lucas. You didn’t think I came empty-handed, did you?"My stomach tightened. Of course, she hadn’t. Sophia had never been the type to strike without a plan. She had been pulling the strings
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 134: The Rift Between Us
Mandy’s POVI stood there, frozen, the weight of everything pressing down on me. The room felt suffocating as my chest was tight, my pulse racing as I tried to make sense of the video, of what I had just seen. My hands shook, my mind in a whirlwind of disbelief, hurt, and anger. "I trusted you!" I finally shouted, my voice breaking, raw with emotion. The words left my lips before I could stop them, and the pain behind them was suffocating. I had let my guard down. I had believed in Lucas, in us. But now, everything was shattered. The man I thought I knew, the man I had given my heart to, had lied to me—about something so crucial, so fundamental. I couldn’t even look at him. My eyes blurred with unshed tears, but I refused to let them fall. Not now. Not when I was this angry, this betrayed. Lucas’s expression faltered, his usual calm demeanor giving way to something more vulnerable—more desperate. "I didn’t leave her. I thought she was dead, Mandy. I thought I lost her that night
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 133: The Night That Changed Everything
Lucas’s POVI could see Mandy hesitating, her finger hovering over the play button, but her eyes were locked on the screen, as if she were trying to prepare herself for what was coming. I could see the turmoil in her face, the confusion, the disbelief, and it made my stomach churn. What was about to unfold was something I had buried so deep, so far away from her, that I had hoped we would never have to confront it. But Sophia... she had found a way to drag it all back into the light.My heart pounded in my chest as the screen flickered to life. The darkness of the alley filled the frame, shadows stretching long and ominous. I could see myself, younger, desperate, pacing with a sense of urgency that was palpable even through the grainy footage. My voice echoed through the alley as I shouted Sophia’s name. "Sophia!" I could hear myself calling out, panic in my tone. "Sophia!"The air around me felt like it was thick with dread, and I could almost feel the weight of the night again.
The Club Star Ex-Wife He Wants Back Chapter 132 : The Truth Lucas Hid
Mandy’s POVThe world around me felt like it was slipping away. My body trembled, not from the cold, but from the weight of the words in the air. Each one felt like a stone being dropped into the abyss, echoing through me, making everything I thought I knew shake. I had always believed in Lucas, in the man who stood beside me, and yet now, his past was unfurling before my eyes, and I wasn’t sure if I even knew him at all.Sophia leaned in closer, her breath hot against my ear, and I froze. There was a dangerous calmness in her voice as she whispered the words that made my heart stop."He let me die, Mandy. He chose himself over me."Her words rang in my ears, and for a moment, everything inside me froze. He chose himself over her? The very idea cut through me like a knife. I could barely breathe, let alone process the enormity of what she was implying. Lucas was beside me, his fists clenched at his sides, his jaw tight with barely contained fury. His voice cracked through the silen
