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Chapter 76
Last Updated:
2025-03-27 15:57:05
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After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 77
Maya's POVI couldn’t take it anymore. My hands were trembling as I clutched my phone, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps. The sheer disgust of what I had just seen, the chaos of this house, the stench that clung to every surface, it was all too much. I swiped at the tears on my cheeks, pressing the call button with shaking fingers. The phone barely rang before Louis picked up."Maya?" His voice was steady, indifferent, as if he hadn’t just left me to drown in this nightmare of a house.I felt my composure shatter the moment I heard his voice. "Louis, I can't do this anymore," I cried, my words tumbling out in a desperate, breathless rush. "I swear to God, I am losing my mind in this house! Your mother—she is unbearable! She is always here, always interfering, always shoving her ridiculous remedies down my throat, and I have had enough!"There was silence on the other end, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. "She keeps making these disgusting concoctions and insists I drink them.
Last Updated : 2025-03-27After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 78
Louis's POVThe moment my phone rang and I saw Maya’s name flash on the screen, I knew something was wrong. I had been getting ready to leave work, shrugging on my jacket, when I answered. The second I picked up, her voice hit me like a storm, raw, frantic, and nearly breaking apart with rage and frustration."Louis, I can't do this anymore!" she cried, her voice shaking. "I swear to God, I am losing my mind in this house! Your mother is unbearable! She’s always here, always interfering, always treating me like I’m some child who can’t take care of myself! And those—those disgusting concoctions she keeps forcing on me, I can’t take it, Louis, I won’t take it! Do you have any idea what I walked into today? Do you? The house is a disaster! It looks like some kind of apothecary exploded, and the kitchen—Louis, I went into the kitchen, and there were dead bugs in the food. Dead. Bugs!"I gripped my phone tighter, momentarily stunned into silence. My mind should have been focused on Maya,
Last Updated : 2025-03-28After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 79
Louis's POVMaya let out a sharp, humorless laugh, eyes widening as she stared at my mother in utter disbelief. “Thanking you?” she spat. “For what? For making me live in this?” She gestured wildly around the room, her hands trembling. “For making my house smell like rotting plants? For forcing me to drink God-knows-what every single day? For making me feel like I am losing my sanity?”Lucy sighed, rolling her eyes slightly, as if Maya were nothing more than a dramatic child throwing a tantrum. “You’re exaggerating,” she said with that same infuriating calmness. “The house isn’t that messy. You young people are just too accustomed to sterile, lifeless spaces. A home should have character. It should be full of life, full of culture. You act as if a few books out of place and a few herbs drying in the air is a disaster.”“A few herbs?” Maya shrieked. “There are piles of them, everywhere! It looks like a witch’s lair! And the books? They’re not even ours! Where do you even get them?” She
Last Updated : 2025-03-28After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 80
Maya's POVMy life was finally perfect.Louis was always busy with work, but that was exactly what I wanted. He was dedicated to the family business, leaving me to enjoy the luxury of our new home, a spacious, pristine sanctuary untouched by chaos. No more bizarre herbs strewn across counters, no more foreign guests parading through the house at all hours, and, most importantly, no more Lucy. I had won.The house was everything I had dreamed of, the kind of place women envied and whispered about over brunch. A classic American two-story home, wrapped in elegant ivory siding, with dark shutters that framed tall, stately windows. The front yard was a masterpiece—symmetrically trimmed hedges, a smooth stone pathway leading up to a grand mahogany door, and a black wrought-iron gate enclosing it all in a picture-perfect vision of stability. No overgrown vines creeping over walls, no bizarre statues cluttering the yard. It was polished, refined, and entirely mine.The backyard was just as f
Last Updated : 2025-03-31After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 81
Maya's POVI finished the last bite of my dessert, a delicate fruit tart with a buttery crust and just the right amount of sweetness. It had been a perfect evening, just like the ones I had always envisioned for myself—peaceful, luxurious, and completely under my control. No unexpected chaos, no unwanted guests, no one to question me or undermine my authority. This was my home, my life, and I was finally at the center of it all.I picked up my phone again, absentmindedly scrolling through my messages as I sipped on my herbal tea. A new text from my mother, Lyla, caught my attention.Have you considered keeping things simple for the wedding? A smaller venue, something more intimate? No need for extravagance, sweetheart. These things are about the union, not the spectacle.I nearly scoffed aloud. Not the spectacle? What was even the point of a wedding if not to be a spectacle? This was my grand moment, my crowning achievement, the culmination of everything I had worked toward. I had spe
Last Updated : 2025-03-31After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 82
Emily's POVThe kitchen buzzed with energy, the air thick with the scent of sizzling garlic, rich broths, and seared meats. Pans clattered, knives chopped in rhythmic precision, and the steady hum of the lunch rush filled the space. Emily moved with practiced ease, her sleeves rolled up, her hands expertly tossing noodles in a steaming wok. Sweat beaded along her hairline, but she didn’t care. This was her domain, her sanctuary.But then her phone vibrated again. And again. And again.Her brow furrowed as she wiped her hands on a kitchen towel, glancing at the notifications flooding her lock screen. Her heart pounded, her pulse quickening with every new alert.The numbers didn’t lie; Nathan Park’s short video had exploded, racking up thousands of likes, shares, and comments in just a few days. It was everywhere. Food bloggers, influencers, even critics had latched onto it, praising the restaurant’s revival and raving about the dishes.Emily sucked in a breath, pushing through the swin
Last Updated : 2025-03-31After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 83
Emily's POVEmily barely had time to catch her breath before she was back in the kitchen, calling out to her chefs as they fired up dish after dish. The energy was intoxicating, the air thick with the smell of sizzling meats, fragrant broths, and caramelized garlic. But that night for dinner, with their reservations full, there was something new in the mix.Truffle fried rice.The dish had started as an experiment, a luxurious take on a humble classic, and after Nathan’s viral video, she knew the timing was perfect. A blend of creamy truffle, perfectly fried rice, and a balance of umami-rich flavors that made every bite melt on the tongue. She had tested it, perfected it, and now it was ready to make its grand debut.As soon as the first plates hit the tables, the reaction was immediate. Customers took that first bite and practically melted in their seats. Word spread fast, and soon, orders flooded the kitchen, the dish flying off the line like gold dust. It was a hit.Emily barely co
Last Updated : 2025-03-31After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 84
Damian's POVFrom across the restaurant, I watched Emily’s expression shift as she spoke on the phone in the office. A faint smile tugged at her lips, her features soft, even playfully relaxed. It was a look I recognized but didn’t often see—at least, not when she was with me. With me, she was always guarded, careful, as if some invisible weight rested on her shoulders.The way her fingers curled loosely around the phone, the way her eyes flickered with amusement—it wasn’t just a casual call. She wasn’t just handling business. This was different. This was personal.My fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of my phone. Nathan’s voice echoed in my mind, teasing and knowing, and I could still hear Emily’s casual remark—"a private invitation."Psychology would categorize this as an irrational jealousy response. But at this moment, I had no intention of suppressing it with logic.Sliding my phone into my pocket, I made my way toward the office.She had just ended the call, still staring a
Last Updated : 2025-04-01
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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
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 121
Emily’s POVThe moment I stepped out of the kitchen and into the golden wash of candlelight across the dining room, I felt it—that humming tension between Nathan and Charlotte, subtle but impossible to ignore. The clink of glasses, the low hum of conversation, the lingering scent of thyme and seared lamb, and then there they were, lit like a frame from one of Nathan’s short films.He was laughing at something Charlotte had said, his grin lopsided and boyish, while she, swirling the last of her red wine, leaned in close enough for it to look deliberate. My eyes flicked down to the dessert plate in my hands, warm from the oven and dusted with a whisper of powdered sugar. Almond tart with a dollop of lavender cream. A gentle final note. But I couldn’t take my eyes off them.As I approached their table, Nathan was chuckling. “Okay, let me guess,” he said, shaking his head, “you are either an ex-girlfriend of Damian’s... or a very jealous current one.”Charlotte’s laugh rang out, a high, a
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 120
Emily’s POVThe clang of pots, the hiss of oil on the pan, the sharp snap of a flame lighting beneath a sauté pan—it was my soundtrack, my rhythm, my heartbeat on nights like this. I moved through the kitchen with purpose, checking sauces, folding spices into dressings, sliding warm focaccia into a woven basket and breathing in the garlicky perfume that bloomed from the oven. My apron was streaked with flour, my hands busy, but my eyes kept flicking through the pass window toward the bar where something… unexpected was unfolding.Charlotte. Damian’s sister. She was supposed to be aloof, quiet, the elegant mystery of the Augustus family. And yet here she was, sitting at the bar like a regular, not a whisper of privilege clinging to her. She had been here all evening, weaving herself into the fabric of my place like a thread that had always belonged. At first, I had barely seen her. I had been flying in and out of the dining room, answering questions from customers, throwing glances at
After Divorce: Ex-wife Never Turns Back Chapter 119
Nathan’s POVI moved to a quieter corner of the bar and pulled up my computer. I needed to catalog my clips before the light changed. As I clicked through stills and video snippets, she showed up again and again. One shot was practically a close-up—her brow furrowed as she listened to the bartender, her lips barely parted like she was on the verge of some revealing statement. It was like she had been placed there deliberately, woven into the frame by fate rather than accident.Curious, I asked the bartender when she walked by, “Hey, do you know who that woman is? The one in the cream coat?”The bartender smiled brightly, a bit too brightly. “Oh, her? I think she’s a journalist. Said she was working on a piece for some food magazine. Real polite. Asked all the right questions.”I arched a brow. “Really? Which magazine?”The bartender shrugged. “Didn’t say. You know how these people are. Always sniffing around for the next trend.”My gut told me she was sniffing for something else.Stil
