Semua Bab Ex-Husband, You Don't Own me: Bab 11 - Bab 20

Susan was truly impressive for someone who had spent her life swallowing humiliation with a smile. But maybe that was a skill all mistresses mastered.Roger, for all his arrogance, knew how to read a room. But with Luke sitting here, his options were limited. All he could do was play the role of the concerned father.“Regina isn’t holding this against you,” Roger lectured stiffly. “But you’re still a married woman, Dexie. You can’t embarrass our family like this.”Dexie met his gaze for a moment, then sneered faintly. She turned to Luke.“Would you say I embarrassed the family?”It was the first time she’d directly spoken to him since he’d walked in.For reasons even he couldn’t explain, those simple words made the heaviness pressing on Luke’s chest lift just a little.“No,” he replied smoothly.Dexie smiled, satisfied. She turned back to Roger.“Did you hear that? He said no.”Roger’s face froze, words dying in his throat. Across the table, Susan and Regina looked equally stunned.Dex

Dexie fiddled with her bangs, her tone as careless as ever. “Do you really think my father would argue with me… over a servant like you?”The maid’s face turned pale. Everyone in this house had seen it—Mrs. Huxley Dawson had angered Mrs. Zellweger so much she collapsed, yet Mr. Zellweger couldn’t even touch her. If Mrs. Huxley Dawson really wanted to pursue this, how could a maid like her survive it?Her eyes filled with panic. Desperate to keep her well-paying, easy job, she quickly bowed her head. “I… I’m sorry, Mrs. Huxley Dawson. I didn’t mean to offend you.”Dexie glanced at her but didn’t bother to press the matter. She simply picked up her chopsticks and resumed eating, ignoring the stares around her, including Luke’s.No one understood how painful this meal was for her.From the moment she discovered Regina was Roger’s illegitimate daughter, the world she thought she knew shattered. The man who once adored her as his precious daughter… had been lying to her for years. Maybe, in

Luke felt like he couldn’t breathe when he heard Dexie repeat the word “divorce” and call him “Mr. Huxley Dawson.”A sharp pain tightened in his chest. He couldn’t even name what he was feeling, anger, frustration… fear? Maybe all of it at once.But what made it worse was that she didn’t even want to speak to him properly.Even about their divorce, she didn’t want to face him.Funny. Just days ago, he was the one avoiding her, too impatient, sending his lawyer instead.Now the tables had turned, and it drove him insane.Seeing that blank, uncaring look on her face made something snap inside him.His lips curled in a bitter smile as anger bubbled to the surface.“Dexie, so now you don’t want to talk about anything unless it’s divorce?”She met his gaze calmly, her eyes cold and distant.“No.”Just one word. Short. Final.They had been married for a year, and now they were here, strangers, standing on opposite sides of a broken promise.What was left to say?Dexie turned to leave, but Lu

Marilyn had told Dexie to divorce Luke more times than she could count.To Marilyn, he wasn’t just stubborn, he was a bastard.Her own brother, and still, he managed to disappoint her at every turn.Just hearing his name made her curse under her breath.Dexie took the glass of vodka Marilyn handed her, a faint smile on her lips.She brought it to her mouth and tipped it back in one go.The sharp burn hit instantly.She doubled over, coughing hard, her throat on fire.A wave of nausea twisted in her stomach, and for a moment, she thought she might actually throw up.“Dexie! Are you crazy? Who drinks vodka like that?”Marilyn hurried to pat her back, her voice full of concern. “Are you okay?”Dexie slowly straightened up, her face flushed from the coughing.She waved a hand, forcing a smile.“I’m fine. I was thirsty… I just drank too fast.”She looked away, her eyes clouded with pain she couldn’t hide completely.Reaching for the bottle, Dexie poured herself another glass, slower this ti

After the doctor left, Luke stayed seated, his face as dark as ever.Dexie was quiet now, slumped in his arms, her cheek pressed against his chest. Her lips moved faintly, whispering something, but no sound escaped.Without another word, Luke stood up, holding her close.“I’m taking her back,” he said flatly.Simon raised an eyebrow, mildly amused. “Didn’t you come here to drink with me?”Luke’s grip around Dexie tightened just slightly. “Another time.”He turned to leave, but Marilyn’s voice stopped him in his tracks.“Where exactly are you taking Dexie?” she asked, her tone lazy but laced with warning. “You don’t even have a proper reason. You know, dragging a woman around without permission… that’s called stalking.”Luke froze, his expression unreadable. He took a slow breath to steady himself.“Marilyn,” he said calmly, though his voice carried an edge, “Dexie Hansley is my wife.”His tone made it clear—whether Marilyn liked it or not, he thought he had every right.Marilyn’s eyes