All Chapters of My Ex, the Widowed Billionaire: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

I stared at the cheque, my fingers tightening around the envelope as my pulse pounded in my ears. Five hundred thousand dollars. The amount was staggering, enough to pull Ryan out of the mess he was in. But coming from Callum? It felt like a slap in the face.Slowly, I lifted my gaze to meet his. He was watching me, his expression unreadable, but I could see the satisfaction in his eyes. He thought this was an easy win. That dangling this money in front of me would be enough to keep me leashed.“You think this changes anything?” My voice was barely above a whisper, but the weight behind it was undeniable.Callum leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. “It’s not about changing anything, Athena. It’s about helping you.”I laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Helping me? You don’t get to say that. Not after what you did.”His smirk faltered, but he recovered quickly. “I made a mistake.”“A mistake?” I repeated, my voice rising. “You left me, Callum. You proposed to me,

Callum's lips twitched slightly, but the humor didn’t quite reach his eyes. “The catch is just do what I say and just do the job well without being stubborn.”I narrowed my eyes, crossing my arms as I studied him. “That’s it?”“Yes,” he said simply. “Take the time off, be with Ryan, and when you come back, you do your job without pushing back on every damn thing I tell you to do.”I huffed, turning my attention back to Ryan, who was finally resting peacefully. The anger that had flared earlier still simmered inside me, but exhaustion dulled its edges. Maybe Callum was right. Maybe I did need this time off. But I hated that he had taken control of the situation without my input.Ryan stirred slightly, his fingers twitching against my hand. His face was still pale, but the tension in his expression had eased. I exhaled slowly, brushing his hair back before looking at Callum again. “Fine.”A flicker of relief crossed his face, but it was gone in an instant. “Good.”The room fell into a t

I placed the bags on the small hospital table, my hands unsteady as I unpacked the contents. The smell of freshly cooked food filled the room—warm soup, soft bread, and a variety of dishes carefully packaged. It wasn’t just any meal. It was thoughtful. Comforting. Exactly the kind of food someone would send if they knew we hadn’t eaten properly all day.I hated how that realization made my chest tighten.My mother sat beside Ryan’s bed, watching me carefully. She didn’t say anything, but I could feel the unspoken words hanging in the air.I sighed, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand. “Do you want some?”She hesitated before nodding. “You should eat too, Athena.”I wasn’t sure I had much of an appetite, but I pulled out a container of soup. As I lifted a spoonful to my lips, the warmth spread through me, comforting in a way I hadn’t expected.We ate in silence, the only sounds the occasional beeping of the monitors and the hum of the hospital outside. Ryan remained asleep, his

CALLUM’S POV 2I arrived at Rhodes Enterprises exactly one hour later, my suit pressed, expression neutral. The weight of Richard’s expectations sat heavy on my shoulders, but I refused to show any cracks.As I stepped into the boardroom, a dozen pairs of eyes flicked toward me—some wary, some calculating, all waiting for me to falter. Richard sat at the head of the table, his gaze impassive.“Callum,” he said smoothly, motioning for me to take my seat. “Let’s begin.”I forced a nod, suppressing the lingering headache from last night’s whiskey. This was my battlefield now. To survive, I had to play the game.The meeting was brutal. The board questioned everything—my competence, leadership, and ability to carry the Rhodes name forward. Richard stayed silent, letting them tear into me like vultures. I answered each challenge with precision, refusing to be rattled.By the time the meeting ended, I’d made one thing clear: I wasn’t just Emilia’s grieving husband. I was the man who would le

I clutched the soft handkerchief in my hands, my breath still uneven as I stared at the man before me. He wasn’t demanding, wasn’t overpowering—just there, offering a quiet sense of comfort I didn’t realize I needed.He leaned slightly against my desk, his hands tucked into the pockets of his tailored slacks. “I’m Daniel, by the way,” he said with an easy smile. “Daniel West. New Chief Technology Officer.”My eyes widened slightly. CTO? He was an executive?I quickly straightened myself, wiping the last traces of tears from my face. “Oh. Um—welcome to Rhodes Company.” My voice was still shaky, but at least I could manage words now.“Thanks.” He chuckled, tilting his head slightly. “Not exactly the best first impression, huh? Finding you crying in your office?”I swallowed, looking away. “I—I don’t usually do this.”“I believe you.” His tone was gentle but certain. “Rough day?”I scoffed, shaking my head. “Something like that.”Daniel nodded as if he understood without needing any expl