Semua Bab After Forgetting Me, My CEO Ex-husband Regrets: Bab 381 - Bab 390

(Lydia)Ruby showed up at the mansion this morning, grinning as I opened the door. Her energy was unmistakable, her face glowing with the excitement of change. There was a new sparkle in her eyes, one that I hadn’t seen in a long time, not since…well, not since things with Jack and Margaret had complicated her life.“Hey, Lydia!” she said, giving me a warm hug, “It’s so good to see you. I’ve been dying to tell you about the new place I found!”“Come in, come in!” I stepped back, leading her into the living room. The kids were at preschool, so we had the whole place to ourselves for a little while, well, almost the whole place. There was also Mama and Margaret somewhere around the house. Ruby kicked off her shoes and sat on the couch, pulling her legs up and looking more relaxed than she had in ages.“So,” I began, settling beside her, “About this new apartment, tell me everything!”Her face lit up, and she launched into a description of the space, every detail coming alive through he

(Thomas)As I stared at the growing stacks of paperwork on my desk, I felt a familiar weight pressing down on me. Every document, every unread email, every report seemed to scream that I was falling behind. It was overwhelming. When I’d been in D.C. with Lydia, I knew I was letting work slide, but I didn’t have a choice. And then, with everything that happened with Nathan…I still barely had a grip on all of it. This pile-up was my reality now, the price of taking my eye off the ball. I knew I needed to catch up, to claw my way back to some semblance of control, but it felt like the harder I worked, the further behind I fell. Every time I thought I was getting somewhere, another issue popped up, another fire to put out.I hadn’t been able to tell Lydia, not really, just how much I was struggling to keep up. I’d hoped she wouldn’t notice, or maybe that I could push through it on my own and not drag her into it. Lydia had her own struggles, her own demons to face, and the last thing I

(Thomas)I stared at my phone, scrolling through my recent calls to Lydia, each one unanswered. I could hardly blame her. I hadn’t exactly been present lately, not for her, not for the kids. I’d let work consume me, using the mountain of tasks as a wall to keep everyone out, including her. And now, here I was, trying to bridge the gap with a few missed calls, hoping for a simple conversation to fix things. If I was honest with myself, it was probably too little, too late. But I had to try. I told myself I’d try again later, that I’d keep trying until she picked up. I’d find a way to show her that I was still here, that I cared, that I was willing to be better.For now, though, I was on my way to meet Jack. He’d called me, asking for a favor, something that sounded like more than the usual. I could hear the hesitation in his voice, a hint of discomfort that piqued my curiosity. Jack wasn’t one to ask for help, and if he was coming to me, it was serious. As soon as we met up, Jack fil

(Thomas)Lydia’s words made me feel like a dam had burst open inside of my chest. All the things I had been keeping for her kept tumbling out of my mouth. I knew she might have an inkling of what was up with me, but she couldn’t possibly know all of the things running through my mind.“I haven’t been sleeping,” I started to tell her, my voice barely above a whisper, “Not properly, anyway. Ever since…well, since you were taken.” I swallowed hard, remembering those days, the gut-wrenching panic of not knowing if I’d ever see her again, “Every night, I’m jolted awake, terrified that…that I’ll turn over, and you won’t be there. Like this has all been some dream and you’re still…” my voice broke, the words catching in my throat, and I had to pause.She didn’t say anything, but her hand found mine, warm and steady, giving me the courage to continue.“It’s like there’s this…this fear that just sits with me, and no matter how many times I tell myself you’re safe now, that we’re safe, it doesn

(Ruby)The moment I saw it, I knew. It was everything I’d been searching for. High ceilings, exposed brick walls, and a wall of tall, inviting windows overlooking a quiet, tree-lined street. Light poured into the space, casting a soft glow over the bare floors. I could already picture it, the carefully arranged racks, the vintage mirrors, the tables with neatly folded collections I’d been curating for months. This wasn’t just another storefront; it felt like the boutique had already come to life here, waiting for me to bring it into focus.I took a deep breath, my eyes roaming over the open space as I let the reality settle in. I was really going to do this. I’d finally found the spot. My heart pounded with a mix of exhilaration and nervous energy, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like something was solidifying in my life. But along with the excitement, there was another feeling edging its way in, a familiar flicker of doubt, that voice whispering in the background, rem