Lahat ng Kabanata ng Goodbye, Ex-Husband, Next Please: Kabanata 61 - Kabanata 70

AVA’S POVThe moment Jason stepped out and I shut the door, the tears came. I didn’t even notice when they started streaming down my face, hot and endless. No matter how many times I used the back of my hands to wipe my face the tears kept pouring down. The pain in my chest felt unbearable, like my heart was being ripped apart and I clutched my chest tightly hoping to suppress it.But it didn't work. I leaned against the door, sliding down until I sat on the cold floor, wrapping my arms around my knees, sobbing quietly. Jason’s face kept flashing in my mind – his desperation, his pleas – but I couldn’t let myself give in. He had crossed too many lines and hurt me too deeply time and time again. I knew I shouldn’t be crying, not after all the pain he caused me by always putting Laura first. But the truth is, I still haven’t gotten over Jason, and I don’t know if I ever will. I don’t know how long I stayed like that. Minutes passed, maybe hours, before I felt a dull ache in my bel

AVA’S POVI turned in the direction of the voice just in time to see my father-in-law, Richard, walking up to us with a concerned expression.He was wearing designer glasses and a floral shirt. He had clearly just gotten back from the island getaway he posted on his Instagram page where he had likely been cavorting with women.A typical playboy or should I say playman who refuses to outgrow his frivolous lifestyle even in his fifties.Like father, like son. The difference was that Jason enjoyed keeping both a wife and a mistress, while his widowed father didn’t want to remarry and preferred the company of multiple women without strings attached.Laura immediately wiped away her fake pout and switched to full damsel-in-distress mode bursting into tears. “Dad,” she said softly, her voice trembling ever so slightly. “Jason hasn’t been taking care of me at all. I’ve been feeling unwell for days, and he just…” She paused, glancing at Jason like a wounded bird.My stomach churned at her w

AVA’S POVThe following day, I arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau in a cab because my car had suddenly developed a fault. I stepped out and glanced at the building. The sight of the building felt like a confirmation of what I’d been preparing myself for a painful but necessary step toward reclaiming my life. My hands clutched my bag tightly as I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves. Sally had been kind enough to wish me good luck through a text. Little did she know, there was no luck in divorcing someone who had once been your entire world. Leaning against the wall, I checked my wristwatch for the third time in five minutes. Jason was late. Again. I wasn't surprised, but still, it annoyed me. I felt my frustration growing as the minutes ticked by, and still he was nowhere in sight. Where the hell are you Jason? I didn’t want to dwell on his habit of keeping me waiting, it only reminded me of all the times I had waited for him in the past few months. For his attention,

LAURA'S POV The moment Grandpa’s angry words left his lips, my chest tightened, but I forced my face to remain calm. I could feel his eyes boring into me as he asked again, “Laura, didn't you hear me? How did you know about this? Who told you?” I swallowed hard, trying to look upset and worried instead of guilty. My hand tightened around Jason’s limp one, the sight of him hooked to those machines made my heart race. Not with worry for him – but for myself. If Grandpa finds out that I was the reason his favorite grandson is lying here unconscious – I'm finished. He might not have reacted when I left him in Jason's office struggling to get his pills but when it comes to Jason Grandpa would bury me ten feet deep. I lowered my gaze, pretending to be hurt by his tone. “I… I just wanted to see him,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “When I heard about the accident, I couldn’t stay away. Jason means so much to me…” Grandpa’s glare didn’t soften and I knew he wasn’t buying it. “I as

AVA’S POV For a moment I couldn't breathe. It was like everything around me had frozen. Welcome home! Was she… was she staying in Jason’s Villa now? I could feel my hands gripping the wheelchair tighter. My chest tightened as the thought took over my mind. So, he couldn't even wait for us to fully divorce before bringing her in. I wasn't angry I had already come to terms with the fact that Laura would always be involved in Jason's life. I was just disappointed. But Jason’s voice broke through my racing thoughts. “What are you doing here, Laura?” His tone wasn’t warm or welcoming, just tired. I blinked, surprised. He didn’t sound like someone who had invited her. Laura’s well-rehearsed smile didn’t falter as she stepped aside, holding the door open for us. “I heard you insisted on being discharged today,” she said smoothly. “I thought I’d come and help. I even cooked for you.” Help? Cook? What a good Samaritan she was pretending to be!"Besides, how did she know he in