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Chapter 169

作者: lady.serene
last update 公開日: 2026-04-20 22:45:06

Isabella

The air outside is warmer than I expect.

Not heavy—just… alive.

Salt, sunlight, and something clean that settles into my lungs the second we step out.

I follow Gabriel down the path, the sound of water getting louder with every step until it’s all I can hear.

Waves.

Not rough—steady. Rhythmic.

Like breathing.

And then—

it opens up.

The ocean stretches out in front of us, endless and bright, the surface catching the light like it’s moving glass. It’s calmer than I imagined. No chaos. N
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  • After The Divorce: He Wanted Me Back   Chapter 191

    Isabella Isabella The adrenaline from the gala had finally faded, leaving behind a cold, hollow anxiety that made sleep impossible. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Lucas’s predatory smile or the flash of the cameras as he announced a lie to the world.Eventually, I gave up on rest. I slipped out from under the covers, careful not to wake Gabriel, and stepped out onto the private balcony of our suite. The ocean air was freezing now, biting at my skin through my thin silk nightgown, but I needed the chill to ground me. My mind was a storm of "what-ifs." What if the board turned on Gabriel? What if the files weren't enough? What if Lucas had one more trap we hadn't seen yet?The villa was supposed to be a fortress, but standing there in the dark, I felt incredibly exposed.I leaned against the railing, staring into the shadows of the tree line that bordered the property. Suddenly, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. It was that prickling sensation of being watched—not by a cam

  • After The Divorce: He Wanted Me Back   Chapter 190

    Isabella As the night wore on, the "apocalypse-level" drinking Elias had promised took its toll. Mia, who had been the life of the party only an hour ago, was now slumped against a plush velvet sofa cushion, her heels kicked off and her eyes barely staying open as she mumbled something about wanting more appetizers.Elias wasn't far behind. He was still standing, leaning heavily against the kitchen island with a glassy-eyed stare, holding his glass with a grip that was way too focused for someone who was supposedly "fine.""Okay, that’s it," I laughed, gently taking the bottle out of Elias’s reach. "The party’s officially over. You two need to go to bed before someone ends up in the pool.""I'm... perfectly functional," Elias declared, though his voice was an octave deeper than usual and his words were trailing off. He looked over at the nearly unconscious Mia. "I'll... I’ll take her to her room. Duty calls."He stumbled a step toward the sofa, looking like he was about to try and li

  • After The Divorce: He Wanted Me Back   Chapter 189

    Isabella The drive away from the Thorne estate was a blur of high-speed lights and the fading echoes of the chaos we left behind. We didn’t head back to the city or to his penthouse. Instead, we traveled toward a secluded cliffside villa, a private sanctuary of glass and stone overlooking the ocean—a place Gabriel had kept off the grid.The silence of the villa was a stark contrast to the roar of the gala. As soon as we stepped into the moonlit living room, the adrenaline began to ebb, leaving us all breathless."Wait, wait, wait!" Mia burst out, pacing the length of the polished floor while clutching a throw pillow like a weapon. "Back up. You’re telling me you knew? You knew Lucas was going to pull that stunt with the 'engagement' tonight?"Gabriel leaned against the dark wood of the bar, loosening his tie and unbuttoning the first two buttons of his shirt. He looked exhausted, but the cold mask he had worn on stage was gone."I knew," Gabriel said calmly, pouring himself a drink.

  • After The Divorce: He Wanted Me Back   Chapter 188

    Isabella The applause was deafening, a roar of approval from the city's elite that felt like a physical weight pressing against my chest. But beneath the clapping, the whispers started—vicious, sharp, and spreading like wildfire through the ballroom."Wait, I thought he just introduced her as his wife?" one woman hissed just a few feet away, her eyes darting between me and the stage."Probably just a publicity stunt to keep the ex-wife quiet," a man replied with a cruel chuckle. "Look at her. She looks like she’s about to faint. Talk about a public humiliation."I stood rooted to the spot, my face a mask of frozen composure while my world crumbled. Gabriel’s gaze remained locked on mine, but there was a terrifying void in his eyes—a hollow, emotionless stare that I couldn't read. He didn't move. He didn't protest. He just stood there as the "Prince of the Empire," accepting the sentence his father had just passed.Lucas stepped back, gesturing for Emily to take the microphone. She fl

  • After The Divorce: He Wanted Me Back   Chapter 187

    Isabella The air behind the velvet curtain felt stifling, the distant sound of the orchestra's upbeat tempo clashing violently with the panic rising in my chest. Mia was pacing in a tight circle, her face flushed with a mixture of shock and pure rage. I had just finished whispering the rest of it—the missing funds, the 40% loss, the USB drive, and the way Lucas was using Gabriel’s own future as leverage."That absolute bastard!" Mia hissed, her hands clenched into fists. "Isabella, you can't just stand here and let this happen! He’s literally selling Gab to that obsessed bitch Emily just to cover his own tracks. You have to fight! You have the files, you have the truth—protect him!""It’s not that simple, Mia!" I snapped back, my voice trembling. "I’m not afraid of Lucas. I don’t care if he buries my company or turns me into a pariah. I can live with that. But Gabriel..."I looked through a gap in the curtains, watching Gabriel. He was standing tall, looking every bit the prince of t

  • After The Divorce: He Wanted Me Back   Chapter 186

    Isabella "Isabella," he said, his voice a smooth, dangerous rasp. "I was wondering when you’d stop hiding behind my son and come find me. You look... radiant tonight. Though I imagine that dress was quite expensive. I hope my son’s newfound generosity isn't becoming a habit."I walked forward until I was standing just a few feet away from him, the cool night air hitting my face. "Gabriel’s generosity is the least of your concerns tonight, Lucas. I heard there’s an announcement. A 'double celebration'?"Lucas chuckled, a dry, hollow sound. "News travels fast in this room. Yes, tonight is a turning point. For the company, for Gabriel... and for the entire Thorne legacy.""Is that what you call it?" I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a sharp whisper. "A turning point? Or is it an exit strategy? I know what you're doing, Lucas. I know about the losses, and I know exactly what you’ve been hiding behind my infrastructure project."The smile on Lucas’s face didn't falter, but his eyes t

  • After The Divorce: He Wanted Me Back   Chapter 117

    Isabella We don’t know how long we stay like that.At some point, the crying stops.Not because the pain disappears—but because we’ve both run out of tears.Gabriel pulls back first.Slowly.Carefully.Like he’s afraid any sudden movement will shatter whatever fragile peace settled between us.He

    last update最終更新日 : 2026-04-03
  • After The Divorce: He Wanted Me Back   Chapter 113

    Isabella By the time I get home, the silence feels heavier than the conversation.I don’t remember the drive.I don’t remember walking past Mia’s door.I only remember closing mine.The click of the lock sounds louder than it should.I lean my back against the door and slide down slowly until I’m

    last update最終更新日 : 2026-04-02
  • After The Divorce: He Wanted Me Back   Chapter 112

    Isabella I watch the words land on him.Your family got exactly what they wanted.I lost everything.Gabriel doesn’t defend himself immediately. He doesn’t reach for me. He just stands there like a man who finally understands the shape of the wound.“I didn’t know they moved on the vineyard that f

    last update最終更新日 : 2026-04-02
  • After The Divorce: He Wanted Me Back   Chapter 111

    Isabella I didn’t answer him right away.I just looked at him.The quiet desperation in his eyes made something twist inside my chest, and I hated that it still had that effect on me. I hated that even now, after everything, I could still see the man I loved underneath the mistakes.My fingers tig

    last update最終更新日 : 2026-04-02
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