บททั้งหมดของ After Forgetting Me, My CEO Ex-husband Regrets: บทที่ 441 - บทที่ 450

(Lydia)I briskly walked down the hall toward the ICU. My steps echoed softly against the linoleum floors, the rhythmic sound grounding me. It had been 24 hours since Mama's surgery, a nerve-wracking stretch of time that felt like an eternity. But now, the wait was over. The doctors had said she was strong enough to be moved to a private room. It was a sign that she was healing, that we were finally stepping away from the edge of uncertainty.Ruby was already at the hospital when I arrived. She gave me a small, reassuring smile as we entered the ICU together. There Mama lay, her frail frame nearly swallowed by the expanse of the bed, monitors softly beeping in the background. Even though she was still, there was a peacefulness about her that hadn’t been there before.I settled into the chair beside her bed and gently took her hand in mine. Her skin was warm, her pulse steady. Ruby stood beside me, her presence was a silent strength I leaned on. We didn’t speak, didn’t need to. We wer

(Thomas)I sat in my office, staring out the window at the Denver skyline. The city was bathed in the soft orange glow of the setting sun, but I hardly noticed. My thoughts were far from the view, tangled in the words Aiden had said earlier. Nathan is interested in having a conversation with you. The request hung over me like a cloud. A part of me wanted to brush it off, ignore it entirely. But another part, a louder, more persistent voice, kept nagging at me to think it through. Nathan had never been the type to make meaningless moves. If he wanted to talk, there had to be a reason. The question was, did I want to know what it was? I rubbed a hand over my face and leaned back in my chair. My mind drifted to Lydia. She’d been through so much already, more than anyone should have to endure. Writing that victim impact statement had drained her, but it had also been a cathartic moment for her. She’d told me afterward that she felt lighter, like she’d finally let go of the weight

(Lydia)The morning sunlight filtered through the kitchen windows, casting a warm glow on the breakfast table where Mabel and Miles sat, swinging their little legs under their chairs. The scent of waffles and eggs filled the room, and I was focused on getting the twins to eat before I had to leave for the hospital. “Come on, Mabel, one more bite,” I encouraged, nudging her plate closer. Mabel frowned at her fork, clearly less interested in the eggs than the syrup-covered waffle she’d already devoured. Miles, on the other hand, was happily munching away, humming a tune under his breath. “Mama,” Mabel said suddenly, putting her fork down and looking at me with wide eyes, “I miss school.” The words caught me off guard. I paused, waffle in hand, and turned to look at her, “You miss school?” Miles, quick to chime in, nodded enthusiastically, “Me too! I miss playing with Liam and drawing pictures. Oh and also story time!” The unexpected confession left me momentarily speechless.

(Jack)The meeting had been a disaster from the start. Sitting across from the businessman in the dimly lit, exclusive restaurant, I’d tried to keep my expression neutral as he pitched his idea with a level of enthusiasm that bordered on desperation. Expanding the company into the world of surveillance electronics? It was risky, to say the least, not to mention completely out of line with the company’s longstanding focus. He’d gone on and on about cutting-edge devices: smart home systems, discreet personal trackers, and security cameras so advanced they could identify a face in a crowd of thousands. While the market was growing and potentially lucrative, the ethical and legal pitfalls alone made my head spin. Thomas would need to hear about this, though I already had a strong sense of what his answer would be. “Let me be clear,” I finally said, setting my glass down with deliberate calm, “This company has been around for years because we’ve built a reputation on reliability and

(Lydia)The sound of Thomas’s car pulling into the driveway was like a signal for the day to shift gears. I had spent the afternoon going over the details of Mama’s care and ensuring Mabel and Miles had everything they needed, but the conversation with the kids that morning still weighed on me. Their innocent expressions as they talked about missing school tugged at my heart, leaving me unsettled.I had wondered if I should talk to Ruby about it but then I thought better of it. Ruby was already under a lot of pressure with the boutique and Mama, I didn’t want to put more pressure on her by telling her about what the kids said. I had decided to wait for Thomas to arrive before letting out all of my worries.When Thomas walked through the door, his shoulders slightly slumped from what I imagined had been a long day, I gave him a small smile. He smiled back, weary but warm, and leaned down to kiss me on the forehead.“Hey,” he said, his voice low, “How’s everything here?”“Busy,” I repli