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181: Just a Number

Author: Khadijah Bunza
last update publish date: 2026-03-14 23:01:04

* RACHEL’S POINT OF VIEW *

Throughout the day, I couldn't shake Barbara's word — that Aurelia had 22 tattooed on her skin. I kept telling myself it could be anything. A date. A lucky number. Anything but Slade’s. But the thought still lingered — Aurelia carrying a permanent mark of Slade on her body.

My husband.

I knew it shouldn't bother me. We had an understanding, and I had already accepted that she was the mother of his first child. But logic is a poor shield against the sting of po
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  • His Forgotten Love Returns: The Return of the Ex-wife   187: No Trial, No Mercy

    * RACHEL’S POINT OF VIEW * Slade, Luca, and I sat in the living room, the tension so thick it felt like a noose tightening around us. Luca reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a silver cigarette case, tapping a filtered tip against his thumb. He went to reach for a lighter, his movements practiced and restless, but he didn't even get the flame struck. “I would appreciate it if you put that back. Smoking isn’t allowed in this house,” Slade said, his voice dropping into that low, commanding tone. Luca paused, the unlit cigarette dangling from his lips as he locked eyes with Slade. It was a clash of two different kinds of power — Slade’s polished, corporate authority versus Luca’s untamed, lethal energy from the underworld. They stared each other down for a heartbeat too long, neither willing to blink, until I broke the silence. “There are children in the house, Luca,” I said softly but firmly. Luca sighed, the defiance leaving his shoulders as he tucked the cigarette back

  • His Forgotten Love Returns: The Return of the Ex-wife   186: The Son She Denied

    * RACHEL’S POINT OF VIEW * As the man stepped into the mansion, the world seemed to tilt. I recognized him instantly, my palm flying to my mouth in a gasp of pure shock. It couldn't be — but it was. He had changed so much; the scrawny boy from my childhood was gone. I used to be taller than him, but now he towered over me, broader, his presence filling the room. His posture was relaxed yet controlled, as if he were accustomed to being obeyed. His eyes — once bright with mischief — were darker now, colder, unreadable. The boy I knew had been swallowed whole — what stood in his place was something ruthless... dangerous. And Memories of us running through the sun-drenched fields in Sicily flooded my mind, a technicolor blur of a past that felt a lifetime away. “Hey, Rach...” he murmured. He pulled me into a tight embrace, and his scent hit me — a sharp, masculine mix of clinging tobacco smoke and expensive, woody cologne. “Luca...” I breathed, my voice trembling. He pulled back,

  • His Forgotten Love Returns: The Return of the Ex-wife   185: The Man at the Door

    * RACHEL’S POINT OF VIEW * Later that night, after the children were tucked in and Slade had retreated to his office, I found myself on the balcony. I sat on the wooden bench, soft pillows tucked behind my back as I pulled one knee up to my chest, with a thriller resting in my lap. A small table sat next to me, holding a steaming cup of coffee and a ceramic pot of night-blooming jasmine that perfumed the air. I tried to focus on the pages, but my gaze kept drifting to the vast, star-speckled sky. My mind was a whirlwind. The lunch, the tattoo, Declan — it was all so much. I closed my eyes and whispered a silent hope that everything was finally moving in the direction it was supposed to. The soft scuff of footsteps on the floor made me look up. I expected to see Slade coming to find me, but instead, it was Aunt Rose. She looked smaller than usual, her frame wrapped in a thick, quilted robe. “I thought you were already asleep,” I said softly. “No,” she sighed, sitting beside me.

  • His Forgotten Love Returns: The Return of the Ex-wife   184: The Door Is Open

    * SLADE’S POINT OF VIEW * I opened the door to my office and walked in, heading straight for the couch. I sat down and watched Declan as he followed me. For a moment, his defensive shell cracked; his eyes widened as he scanned the room, taking in the sheer power it radiated. He looked small in the center of that vast office, a boy trying to find his footing in a world that had been denied to him for years. “Have a seat,” I said, my face a mask of professional neutrality. He plopped onto the armchair opposite me, slumping down with a heavy sigh, trying to regain his too-cool-to-care composure. I let a deliberate, heavy silence stretch between us, allowing the gravity of the room to weigh on him before I finally spoke. I wanted him to feel the space between us — not as a barrier, but as a vacuum waiting to be filled. “I get it,” I began. “You’re angry. You’re furious with me because I wasn't there when you needed me most. Aurelia told me everything — the bullying, the father

  • His Forgotten Love Returns: The Return of the Ex-wife   183: The Broken Heart

    * RACHEL’S POINT OF VIEW * The lunch turned out exactly as I had feared — only worse. I sat there with a heavy weight in my chest, wishing I had never suggested this in the first place. The air in the dining room felt suffocating, thick with unspoken words and Declan’s sharp, pointed barbs. It was my fault; I had tried to do something noble, to build a bridge, and instead, I had only provided the matches for someone to burn it down. Once the meal was over, I began clearing the table, my movements mechanical. Heidi joined me, quietly helping me stack the porcelain plates stained with remnants of the herb-crusted steak and roasted vegetables. Aurelia stood nearby, stealing glances at me from under her lashes. She looked like she wanted to speak but couldn’t find the right opening. Slade had already retreated upstairs to his office with Declan, likely attempting to have a conversation that didn’t involve an audience. “Rachel…” Aurelia started as I headed into the kitchen. She follo

  • His Forgotten Love Returns: The Return of the Ex-wife   182: The Elephant at the Table

    * RACHEL’S POINT OF VIEW * I had been in the kitchen all morning, fussing over the preparations and making sure every detail was perfect. This lunch was something I had been simultaneously dreading and anticipating, with a nervous energy that left my hands slightly trembling. I kept telling myself this was for the best — that I was being the bigger person and doing the right thing for our family. But a small, nagging voice in the back of my mind kept asking if I was inviting a storm into my sanctuary. After ensuring everything was flawless, I went upstairs to freshen up. I chose a simple, elegant dress that felt like a suit of armor in its own way. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, the front door opened, and Slade walked into the mansion. He met me at the base of the staircase, wrapping his arms around me and pressing a soft, lingering peck to my cheek. He pulled back just enough to look into my eyes, his expression clouded with concern. “Are you sure about this, Rachel? I d

  • His Forgotten Love Returns: The Return of the Ex-wife   18: I Won’t Lose You Again

    || Slade ||"She's going to be alright. It was a massive surge of adrenaline and emotional overload, likely triggered by a faint memory or the familiarity of the environment," my doctor said. I nodded. "I'm happy you found her and that she's alive. It's a genuine miracle, Slade," he added."Thank

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-18

  • His Forgotten Love Returns: The Return of the Ex-wife   25: The Anchor in My Heart

    || Slade ||"Why did I leave then?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper, strained under the weight of the question."I told you I was engaged," I said quietly."I guess I didn’t even know the reason you got engaged then," she murmured, drifting into thought."I never told you. And I didn’t know y

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-18

  • His Forgotten Love Returns: The Return of the Ex-wife   20: The Kiss That Wasn’t Meant to Be

    || Slade ||I went to the company club—Jacob had built it years ago for his employees to come and let off steam after work. It was a dark, sophisticated space designed for high-level relaxation.I was sitting in my private booth. I’d already had three cups of Scotch. My hand was massaging my temple

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-18

  • His Forgotten Love Returns: The Return of the Ex-wife   17: The Girl She Used to Be

    || Slade ||I stared at her, sitting there thinking, her fingers clutching the flowers like she always did when she was deep in thought; she had to have something in her hands.Her knuckles were white where she gripped the bouquet of bright blooms against her denim dress, the softness of it all at

    last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-18
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