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Chapter 128
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2025-05-09 20:01:23
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After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 129
Maya’s POVThe day was warm and beautiful, and the sun was casting soft shadows across the polished table where I sat across from my mother. Lyla. My mother, my enigma, my constant contradiction. She looked so elegant in that pale lilac silk blouse, her wrists adorned with delicate bangles that clinked gently every time she lifted her wine glass. Her hair was swept back with effortless grace, a loose bun that framed her face with that familiar softness I remembered from childhood. There was something different about her that afternoon. She looked… peaceful, resolved. It unnerved me.I had just finished opening the latest round of extravagant gifts that had arrived since my induction into The Salvare Society. A Baccarat crystal rattle. A limited-edition baby carriage from some obscure Italian designer. Tiny hand-stitched gowns made of French lace. Silver spoons with my child’s initials already engraved. The rich did not simply give—they performed. And I had become their stage."Can you
Last Updated : 2025-05-09After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 130
Madelin’s POVThe restaurant was dimly lit, all shadows and soft music, the kind of place where lovers leaned in too close and secrets were whispered into wine glasses. I sat in the farthest booth, hidden beneath the brim of a wide hat and a veil that shimmered like mist. The staff didn’t question me. Money has a way of silencing curiosity. I had slipped out of the estate days ago, or was it longer? Time meant very little to me now. The days bled together, foggy and slow, like honey dripping from a broken jar. No one noticed I was gone. Or perhaps they did, and they just didn’t care.Then, through the clink of glasses and the low hum of conversation, I saw them. Charles, Maya, and Lyla. The triumvirate of my former life, sitting under golden lights like a scene from a dream I’d never been invited into. Maya was radiant, her hand protectively resting over her rounded stomach, smiling, laughing, receiving every doting glance from Charles like she had earned them. Lyla looked different—w
Last Updated : 2025-05-09After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 1
Emily's POVI was packing my husband's suitcase and found a box of used condoms in the pocket.I open the box and find only four condoms even though the box says it's a pack of six. A wave of nausea washes over me as I sink onto the floor in disbelief - I'm afraid of what this means. Ten years of good, solid marriage. We’d gotten comfortable, perhaps too comfortable, but still, I thought we had true love. Louis wouldn’t throw it all away on some random business trip, right?“Babe? I’m home!” Louis’ voice rang through the house, smooth and confident, like it always did. I shoved the box back into the suitcase pocket with shaking hands, snapped the zipper shut, and forced myself to stand.I met him in the foyer, where he dropped his briefcase and smiled, that wide, boyish grin that once made me weak in the knees. “Hey, there’s my girl.” He pulled me into his arms, and I stiffened before I could stop myself. His cologne, the one I’d picked for him years ago, smelled cloying now—familiar
Last Updated : 2024-12-18After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 2
Louis's POVAs the first of morning light came creeping in through the curtains, I sat on the edge of the bed, watching Emily as she slept. Despite her peaceful expression now, I knew she had slept restlessly most of the night, tossing and turning in her sleep. Guilt formed a knot in my stomach. I knew it was because of me. I knew I was the reason for her sleepless night, even if she didn’t yet. I had betrayed her. I broke a trust so fundamentally that I knew it would all be over if she found out. She would never look at me the same again. Still, the selfish, cowardly part of me hoped she would never find out. Some things were better left unsaid. Maybe if I kept it hidden, I could protect her, protect us.Just keep telling yourself that, coward. I looked at her one last time before slipping out of bed. And as I got ready for work, bittersweet memories came rushing in. ***I first noticed Emily on the sixth hole at Westridge Golf Club, struggling under a heavy bag while two older
Last Updated : 2024-12-18After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 3
Emily's POVI stretched with a soft, lazy smile, rolling over in bed as the morning light filtered through the curtains. For a moment, the fears of yesterday were a distant memory. Then my phone buzzed on the nightstand, and I reached for it, mumbling, "Wonder who’s up so early..."As I unlocked the screen, an unknown number flashed, followed by a message that made my heart stop:Louis cheated on you."What?" I gasped, sitting bolt upright. "No, no, no. I must be dreaming.”My phone slipped from my trembling fingers and clattered to the floor. I stumbled out of bed, my mind all over the place. A whirlwind of emotions coursed through me—disbelief, anger, and a terrible sadness. Was I the only one out in the dark? Did everyone else seem to know about this except me?"Breathe, Emily, breathe," I told myself as I ran a shaky hand through my blonde hair. "It's probably just a prank. Yeah, that's probably it." But as I said it, I looked in the bedroom mirror and could see the doubt on my fa
Last Updated : 2024-12-18After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 4
Emily's POVI tried to sit up but hissed when my hand sank into a ceramic piece. I had fallen on the shattered bowl. Now, I was covered in cuts and “fertility soup.” Yay.A movement to my right startled me, and I looked to see Lucy there, seemingly unaffected by my fainting spell and subsequent injuries. She couldn’t care less about me; I knew that. It was just startling to see her exact level of indifference. For god’s sake, she was yawning. Like my pain bored her.I heard the front door open before fully collecting myself and trying to rise to my feet. I knew it was Louis just by his thundering footsteps as he ran across the house towards the kitchen. When he entered the room, his eyes immediately zeroed in on me, and seemingly genuine concern appeared on his face.“Emily,” he murmured as he walked over and carefully knelt beside me. “Emily, are you okay? What happened?”Why was he so concerned? Didn’t he remember what I had screamed at him through the phone?He put his hands on my
Last Updated : 2024-12-18After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 5
Emily's POVLouis had gone to get some dinner at the hospital cafeteria. I was left twiddling my thumbs and staring at the IV in my hand like it magically held all the answers to my problems.I was startled when Dr. Anderson came into the room. She had been so nice to me; I felt bad for being so distant towards her.“Hey, Emily. How are you feeling?”I attempted a smile and looked her in the eye as I said, “I’m feeling okay. Better. Do you have those test results?”She nodded, and I was confused by her cheery expression until she said, “Congratulations, you’re pregnant!”Pregnant. I’m pregnant.My heart raced with mixed feelings that I couldn’t quite get a handle on—fear, uncertainty, but, strangely, a bit of joy that I hadn’t expected to feel.“Where’s Louis? He’ll be so happy to find out—”“You can’t tell him!” I snapped. At her shocked expression, I apologized. “I’m sorry. But please, don’t tell him.”Jenna looked at me with concern. “Of course, Emily. What you want confidential st
Last Updated : 2024-12-18After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 6
Louis’ POVShe can’t find out. She can’t find out.I tapped my fingers on my desk in a stunted, anxious rhythm. This uncertainty, this nervousness, was not like me. I was usually so well put together, so confident, and full of pride. But what I had done had reduced me to practically a sniveling mess.“Dammit!” I shouted and slammed my palm on my desk. “Sir, is everything all right?” my new secretary, Susan (a middle-aged woman; I will not make the same mistake twice) asked as she peeked her head into my office.I waved a hand but couldn’t wipe the scowl on my face as I said, “I’m fine.”She looked at me skeptically but didn’t argue. I didn’t hire her to argue. I hired her to get Maya out of my life, at least until the baby came.God, what had my life become?When Susan left, I stood up and looked out the window. I clenched my fists, staring out at the storm brewing in the distance. I used to be in control—always two steps ahead, always confident. But now, everything felt like it was
Last Updated : 2024-12-19
Latest chapter
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 130
Madelin’s POVThe restaurant was dimly lit, all shadows and soft music, the kind of place where lovers leaned in too close and secrets were whispered into wine glasses. I sat in the farthest booth, hidden beneath the brim of a wide hat and a veil that shimmered like mist. The staff didn’t question me. Money has a way of silencing curiosity. I had slipped out of the estate days ago, or was it longer? Time meant very little to me now. The days bled together, foggy and slow, like honey dripping from a broken jar. No one noticed I was gone. Or perhaps they did, and they just didn’t care.Then, through the clink of glasses and the low hum of conversation, I saw them. Charles, Maya, and Lyla. The triumvirate of my former life, sitting under golden lights like a scene from a dream I’d never been invited into. Maya was radiant, her hand protectively resting over her rounded stomach, smiling, laughing, receiving every doting glance from Charles like she had earned them. Lyla looked different—w
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 129
Maya’s POVThe day was warm and beautiful, and the sun was casting soft shadows across the polished table where I sat across from my mother. Lyla. My mother, my enigma, my constant contradiction. She looked so elegant in that pale lilac silk blouse, her wrists adorned with delicate bangles that clinked gently every time she lifted her wine glass. Her hair was swept back with effortless grace, a loose bun that framed her face with that familiar softness I remembered from childhood. There was something different about her that afternoon. She looked… peaceful, resolved. It unnerved me.I had just finished opening the latest round of extravagant gifts that had arrived since my induction into The Salvare Society. A Baccarat crystal rattle. A limited-edition baby carriage from some obscure Italian designer. Tiny hand-stitched gowns made of French lace. Silver spoons with my child’s initials already engraved. The rich did not simply give—they performed. And I had become their stage."Can you
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 128
Barrett’s POVThe car was silent, tense like a drawn wire ready to snap. I sat between Maya and Charlotte, a wall of expensive cologne, perfume, and pride keeping us all in separate orbits. Neither of them looked at each other, and frankly, I preferred it that way. Maya, in a sleek dark emerald gown, her baby bump delicately concealed but not hidden, stared out the window with a smirk that didn’t reach her eyes. Charlotte, resplendent in a tailored navy-blue suit dress that reeked of polished ambition, kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, her jaw tight, her fingers twisting the strap of her clutch. I could feel it—the storm of resentment between them swirling like a hurricane against the glass. But I said nothing.They were going to be introduced to the Salvare Society tonight whether they liked it or not. It had taken long enough. My hand tightened around the handle of my cane. This wasn’t about who deserved it more. It wasn’t even about them. It was about legacy. It was about preserv
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 127
Charles’s POVI stepped out of the car, cane in hand, my breath fogging in the cool air. The facility was just as pristine and peaceful as always, with its manicured gardens and soft music playing behind the glass walls. A place designed for tranquility. For forgetting. For hiding people too delicate for the real world. I paid for that illusion, month after month. My name on the donation plaques ensured discretion, ensured comfort. But it could never bring back time.I walked slowly, every step measured, every inhale deliberate. I had postponed this visit for weeks, maybe months if I were honest. There was always a reason not to come. A meeting. A dinner. A fabricated emergency. I had buried myself in the rituals of my empire, pretending I had no ghosts left to face. But they lived here. She lived here. And I was out of excuses.The nurse greeted me at the door. A young girl with a polite smile and eyes that were far too curious for my liking.“She’s in the solarium,” she said, motion
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 126
Barrett's POVI had heard the shouting. Not unusual in this house, no. Emotions ran high, and the Barrett mansion had always been a place where drama echoed off the marble floors like thunder. But this—this was different. This wasn’t the irritated bickering of cooks or the clipped tones of Charlotte talking on the phone. This was raw. Violent. Human. I sat up straighter in my chair, the fine wood creaking beneath me, and tilted my head, trying to catch more. But by the time I reached the hallway, adjusting my robe and gripping my cane with one steady hand, everything had fallen silent.The lights down the corridor flickered briefly as I stepped into the hallway. And then I saw Alfred, the butler, coming up from the west wing, his face pale, his hands shaking slightly in their white gloves.“Where is Charles?” I asked sharply, my voice cutting through the silence.“Gone, sir,” Alfred said quickly. “He rushed Mrs. Lyla to the hospital. She… there was an accident. She fell. She hit her h
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 125
Charles’s POVLyla’s voice sliced through the stillness of our bedroom like a jagged piece of glass, sharp and trembling, trembling not just with rage but with years of swallowed tears and disappointment. I could barely look at her, but I couldn’t look away either. Her eyes, red-rimmed and glistening, stared straight into me, as though she could see the rot beneath my composed surface. My tablet was still in my hands, but my fingers had gone numb, and the glowing screen now felt obscene in the face of her heartbreak.“I just want my daughter to live with dignity!” she cried out, each word unraveling like a stitch pulled too tight. “Without guilt, without feeling like she doesn’t belong!”I flinched. There it was. The thing I had been pretending didn’t exist for years now. The truth. Ugly, bleeding, and long overdue. I stared at her, silent, pinned to the mattress by the weight of my own cowardice. My mouth opened, but nothing came out. How could it? I didn’t have the right to defend m
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 124
Lyla’s POVMaya turned, holding a plush white bear with a satin bow. “Still nothing?”“No,” I said, blinking back the sting in my eyes. “It’s fine. He’s probably just busy.”“With what?” she snapped. “Charlotte’s endless parade of guilt? That woman could turn a sunny day into a funeral. I swear, if she says one more thing about how he ruined her childhood, I will personally frame every photo of you raising Damian and make her eat them.”I laughed, despite the tightness in my chest. “She just misses her mother. And Charles... he carries that guilt like a stone.”“He uses it as a shield,” Maya muttered. “To push you out.”We went back to the mansion just before five. Maya excused herself for a nap, her hand resting protectively over her belly. I watched her walk away down the long corridor, her robe trailing like a queen’s train, and I felt a sudden ache so deep I nearly staggered. I had done everything for this family. I had been the glue, the thread, the silence between their shouts.
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 123
Lyla’s POVThe moment the doors closed, Maya turned on me like a storm. “I hate seeing you like this—like some kind of servant in the Barretts' house. You do things out of kindness, and they just don’t get it. They don’t see you. And let’s be honest, you don’t even have a place there—not officially.”The words hit me like a slap. My hands trembled, and before I could stop it, the tears came. Hot, humiliating, relentless tears. I didn’t even wipe them away. I just stood there, crying, whispering, “I’m sorry, Maya. I’m so sorry,” again and again like a broken record.Maya’s anger faltered. Her expression cracked, and she stepped forward, her voice softer now. “Hey. No. No, no, no.” She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close, one hand stroking my hair the way she used to when I was the strong one and she was just a frightened little girl.“It’s not your fault,” she whispered. “But you can’t keep living like this.”I sobbed into her shoulder, my fingers clutching at the fabric of
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 122
Lyla’s POVThe morning sun filtered through the gauzy curtains of the garden canopy, spilling soft light across the freshly trimmed hedges and carefully positioned wrought-iron furniture. The air smelled faintly of lilacs and expensive fertilizer, the kind that came in black-and-gold packaging and boasted European soil enhancements. I sat quietly across from Maya at the little round table near the fountain, my hands cupped around a delicate porcelain coffee mug, steam curling into the spring air like the ghosts of my intentions. Maya looked stunning, of course, as she always did—even with her pregnancy making her visibly rounder. She wore that expensive silk robe I had given her, pale blue with gold piping, and her skin glowed like she had been kissed by candlelight. I couldn’t stop staring at her, not because I was jealous, but because she had everything I had once dreamed I’d give to a daughter of my own.“Coffee is perfect today,” she murmured, taking a sip, her voice casual but cl
