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111: Guilt

Author: Meminger
last update Last Updated: 2025-08-13 23:15:06

Ella’s Point of View

The days dragged on, each one a slow, heavy blur, like wading through molasses. The apartment, with its creaking floors and mismatched furniture, was a far cry from the Hayes mansion’s grandeur, but it was ours—mine, Lily’s, and Emerson’s.

I filled the hours with routine: hospital shifts, grocery runs, bedtime stories, anything to keep my mind from wandering to Shawn. But he was there, in every quiet moment, his tired eyes, his warm laugh, the way he’d held me like I was his anchor.

I’d thought love was a myth after Marcus’s betrayal, after Vanessa’s blond hair and whispered lies tore my world apart. But Shawn had rebuilt me, piece by piece, only for me to shatter it again by walking away. The guilt was a weight, a stone lodged in my chest, and no amount of routine could dislodge it.

Lily was my light, her giggles a fleeting reprieve from the ache. Shared custody with Marcus was a new rhythm—his car pulling up every few days, his smile cautious but genuine as he
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  • The Billionaire's Ex-wife Never Looks Back    157: turning point

    Ella’s POVThe city streets buzzed with late-afternoon energy as I drove from Madame Alice’s atelier to Carter Wine, Marcus’s sleek, modern office nestled in the heart of Chicago’s business district. My hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white, my heart pounding with a mix of anger and resolve. The conversation with Celeste at the atelier had left me shaken, the revelation about Vanessa Monroe reigniting old wounds I’d thought were long healed. I’d spent the drive replaying every moment of my marriage to Marcus—his charm, his betrayals, the way Vanessa had flaunted their affair, tearing apart the life we’d built. Now, knowing he was back with her, dragging her poison back into our orbit, I couldn’t stay silent. Not for me, not for Celeste, and definitely not for Lily. I’d made peace with Marcus as Lily’s father, trusted him to be better for her sake, but this was a line he couldn’t cross.Carter Wine’s glass facade gleamed under the fading sunlight, a symbol of Marcus’s poli

  • The Billionaire's Ex-wife Never Looks Back    156: Marcus Carter and his nonsense

    Ella’s POVThe atelier of Madame Alice was a sanctuary of elegance, nestled in one of Chicago’s most upscale neighborhoods. The air was thick with the scent of lavender and freshly brewed coffee, mingling with the soft rustle of silk and tulle as seamstresses glided through the background. Celeste and I sat at a small, ornate table, sipping espresso from delicate porcelain cups, the warm glow of the atelier’s high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows casting a golden light over racks of wedding gowns that shimmered like dreams. I was here to find the perfect dress for my wedding to Shawn, a moment I’d been dreaming of since his proposal, and having Celeste, my best friend and confidante, by my side made it feel even more special. But I couldn’t shake the sense that something was off with her today—she was quieter, her laughter less vibrant, her gaze drifting too often to the window.Madame Alice, the atelier’s owner, was a Chicago socialite with sleek black hair streaked with silve

  • The Billionaire's Ex-wife Never Looks Back    155: She doesn't do boys

    Marcus’s POVThe air in my apartment was thick with tension, the scent of Celeste’s perfume mingling with the lingering traces of Vanessa’s cheap fragrance. I stood there, still damp from the shower, the towel knotted low around my hips, my heart pounding as Celeste’s eyes bore into me, sharp and unreadable. Her unexpected arrival had thrown me—Vanessa answering the door was a disaster I hadn’t anticipated, and the look on Celeste’s face when she saw her, standing in my shirt like she owned the place, had been a gut punch. I’d sent Vanessa packing, hoping to salvage the moment, but the damage was done. Celeste’s hand was still in mine, her grip firm but trembling, and when I kissed her, desperate to keep her from leaving, I felt her hesitate before melting into it. But now, as she pulled back, her eyes flashing with something dangerous, I knew I was in trouble.Before I could say anything, she pushed me onto the bed, the towel loosening as I fell back, my body already reacting to he

  • The Billionaire's Ex-wife Never Looks Back    154: The realization

    Celeste’s POVThe city lights blurred past as I drove to Marcus’s apartment, the hum of my car’s engine a steady backdrop to the anticipation thrumming in my veins. It had been a long day at the office—endless meetings, quarterly reports piling up, the usual corporate grind that left me craving release. But tonight, I was ready to let it all go, to lose myself in something primal and uncomplicated. Marcus and I had fallen into a rhythm over the past few weeks, a no-strings-attached arrangement that suited me perfectly. The sex was raw, intense, a way to vent the stress of my high-powered life without the entanglement of emotions or expectations. I’d made it crystal clear from the start: this was physical, nothing more. I wasn’t looking for love, not with him, not with anyone right now.Marcus was a storm—charismatic, unpredictable, and undeniably dangerous—and I wasn’t about to get swept up in it. He had a history, one that included hurting people like Ella, and I wasn’t naive. But

  • The Billionaire's Ex-wife Never Looks Back    153: Just a vile woman

    Theo’s POVThe kitchen felt smaller with Amanda standing in it, her presence like a dark cloud in my carefully curated sanctuary. The faint hum of the cartoon playing in the living room, where Milla and Ben were sprawled on the couch, was a comforting reminder of why I was here, why I’d fought to build this new life. My arms were crossed, my jaw tight, as I watched Amanda’s eyes sweep over the apartment again—clean, modest, but undeniably mine. The surprise on her face was almost satisfying, a crack in the smug facade she’d worn for so long.“Not bad, Theo,” she said, her voice clipped but laced with a grudging admiration. “I’ll admit, I didn’t expect you to land on your feet like this. Looks like you’re doing alright without me.”I let out a bitter laugh, my eyes narrowing. “What, you finally see I’m not the useless loser you thought I was?” I said, my voice low but sharp, the years of her insults burning in my chest. “All this time, you treated me like I was nothing, Amanda. But he

  • The Billionaire's Ex-wife Never Looks Back    152: Not just a useless

    Theo’s POVThe soft hum of my new apartment filled the quiet morning as I moved around the small kitchen, setting out snacks for Milla and Ben. The place wasn’t much, just a cozy one-bedroom with simple furniture, a secondhand couch I’d found at a thrift store, and a small TV I’d picked up cheap, but it was mine, a fresh start carved out from the wreckage of my old life. Sunlight streamed through the single window, catching the steam rising from the coffee pot, and I felt a flicker of pride as I arranged a tray of chocolate chip cookies, a bowl of sliced apples, and a pitcher of juice. Amanda had called me useless, a weak man who didn’t deserve to be a father, but standing here, preparing for my kids’ visit, I knew she was wrong. I’d saved enough money over the years working for Marcus, squirreling it away in a separate account, knowing deep down that I might need a safety net if things went south. And they had—spectacularly, with Amanda’s betrayal and her cold eviction of me from o

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