Semua Bab DEAR EX-HUSBAND, YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ME BACK: Bab 21 - Bab 30

Lucas' POVI parked my car in the garage, my mind still swirling with thoughts of Olivia. The message she sent earlier replayed in my head: cold, distant, and completely unlike the Olivia I knew.“No, I’m fine, Mr. Preston. I don’t need any assistance.”Mr. Preston? When did I become just “Mr. Preston” to her? My grip tightened on the steering wheel, and before I realized it, I banged my hand against it in frustration.I sat there for a moment, staring out the windshield, trying to make sense of everything. This wasn’t the Olivia I fell in love with, the Olivia who used to light up at the sight of me. She was always warm, always kind. How could she change so much overnight?With a deep sigh, I stepped out of the car and walked into the house, hoping to find some peace. But as soon as I opened the door, I was greeted by the sight of my mother and Amelia sitting in the living room.My mother was the first to speak, her voice sharp. “Why are you just coming home now? And where’s Am

Olivia’s POVI was typing furiously on my laptop. The work I hadn’t finished yesterday loomed over me, demanding my attention. I sipped my coffee, trying to drown the persistent ache in my ankle. I had barely made any progress when a knock came at my door.“Come in,” I called, not looking up.One of the maids stepped inside, her voice gentle. “Ma’am, the family doctor is here to check on your ankle.”I closed my laptop with a sigh. “Alright, I’ll be down in a minute.”Rolling my wheelchair to the living room, I greeted the doctor with a polite smile. He was an older man with kind eyes, someone who had been treating our family for years. “Good morning, Doctor.”“Good morning, Olivia,” he said, his tone warm. “How are you feeling today?”“Better, I suppose,” I replied. “The pain isn’t as sharp as before.”“That’s good to hear. Let’s take a look, shall we?”The session began with him asking me a series of questions about my ankle. As he gently massaged the area, I winced but kep

Lucas' POVThe vibration of my phone startled me awake. My neck was stiff from sleeping awkwardly on the couch in Olivia’s living room. Groaning, I rubbed my face, trying to blink away the remnants of sleep. It was still dark outside; the rain from last night had stopped, leaving a cool, damp quietness in its wake.The phone buzzed again. I reached for it, squinting at the screen. Amelia. My jaw tightened, and for a second, I considered ignoring the call. But something about the time—5:42 a.m.—made my thumb hover over the answer button.I sighed and pressed it. “What do you want, Amelia?”Her voice came through the line, high-pitched and frantic. “Lucas, it’s an emergency! It’s your mother—she’s not well. You need to come home right away!”My heart dropped. “What happened? Is she in pain? Did she fall?”“She... she just woke up feeling really bad, and I think it’s serious. Please hurry.” Her voice cracked, and any lingering doubts I might’ve had dissolved in an instant.“I’m on

Olivia’s POVThe sun casted thin lines of light across my bedroom walls. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying last night’s argument with Lucas over and over in my head. Each time, the scene ended the same way: with him walking out, furious, and my heart feeling like it was caught in a vice.I rolled onto my side and groaned. Why did I have to accuse him?But the necklace was gone, and he had been the only one here. The logic felt airtight last night when I was caught up in anger and fear. Now, in the harsh light of day, doubt crept in. Lucas might have been a liar, even a cheat, but was he really capable of stealing from me?I couldn’t shake the guilt gnawing at my chest. There was only one way to settle this once and for all.Throwing off the covers, I got out of bed and headed for the kitchen, where Marcy, one of the housemaids, was busy wiping down the countertops.“Good morning, Miss Olivia,” she greeted me with her usual chipper tone.I offered a weak smile. “Mo

Olivia’s POVThe days following the fight with Lucas passed in a haze of frustration and self-doubt. No matter how much I tried to distract myself, his face—the hurt in his eyes, the anger in his voice—kept resurfacing in my mind. I hated that he had this kind of power over me, that he could stir emotions I wasn’t ready to confront.I was in my home office, reviewing a report Natalya had sent over, when the sound of hushed voices drifted up from the hallway. It was the maids. Normally, I would have ignored it, but something about the tone of their conversation caught my attention.“…I’m just saying, if Mr. Preston really cared about her, wouldn’t he have come back by now?”“Maybe he’s too proud,” another voice replied. “Or maybe she scared him off. You know how intimidating she can be.”My grip on the pen tightened. Intimidating? Scared him off? Who were they to speculate about my relationship—or lack thereof—with Lucas?“Either way, it’s a shame,” the first voice continued. “Th