All Chapters of TAKE ME BACK EX WIFE: Chapter 151 - Chapter 160

151JOANA'S POVThrough the sheer curtains, the sun rays entered the room, and I didn’t feel tense like usual; I felt peace instead. Caleb still had his arms draped around me as if I was something he had to guard. I indulged in the warm atmosphere for some more time, only to hear Ciara’s voice coming through the door a moment later.“Come on, Joana, we’ll miss out on the good ones if we’re late!”With a smile, I pulled myself out of Caleb’s strong embrace. He opened an eye and let out a lazy smile. “Looking for your wedding dress?”“Yes, I called Ciara to assist. Are you sure you will be able to survive without me?” I teased.He leaned in, kissed my knuckles, and let go after that. “Barely. Nevertheless, make sure to capture an image that amazes everyone.”“I’ll try.”In no time, I was dressed, had my hair in a ponytail, and picked up my bag. Just as I left the house, Ciara was already in the car, operating her phone and drinking coffee.Ever since starting her studies, she looked ful

153JOANA’S POVWith Clinton gone, I could tell the atmosphere had altered. His warmth disappeared as soon as I closed the door. This left a weird, unsettling feeling, chilly and raw, lingering there like clouds before a storm.I hadn’t finished my sentence when something soft began rustling from the nearest corner. The three children moved in their sleep.“Mommy?” I heard Jake’s voice first, and he sounded tired and concerned.I looked over to the left very slowly. “I’m doing fine, sweetheart.”Before I knew it, they had surrounded me and began firing away with questions. She wondered if I was dying. They asked me if the IV coming in me meant I was getting surgery. I tried to make them laugh lightly to calm the situation.Caleb got near them, bending down to look at them at the same height. “Okay, kiddos. Sleep will help Mommy recover from all her hard work. A trip to the kitchen for pudding would be a delight. It’s possible that Nana made the best one using coconut cream.”Mirabel

155 JOANA’S POV Surrounded by stacks of paper, plus two open files and a dimly lit computer, he was alone and looked tired at the table. He was slouched in his seat, with slightly narrowed eyes, pulling at his collar with one hand and tapping the table with another. I knew he hadn’t spotted me so far. I hesitated. At the time, I stood against a wall in the shadows and watched him. That’s not a word I’d normally use, but it felt unusual. It felt almost as though I was watching a version of him that was carrying big worries inside. I quietly took a breath and walked toward the kitchen. I made a mental note to myself, “Get some water and come back.” No noise. No conversation. Silence isn’t awkward. I took my time, checking the shawl, trying not to rub against any objects. Right when my plan started to work, the universe became my worst enemy. My knee was bashed against the edge of the lower cabinet, and I quickly felt a sharp pain in my leg. I hissed. “Damn it.” I hadn’

157 Joana’s POV There was no change the next morning. At breakfast, I was seated next to Caleb and the kids, trying to smile when I could but mostly kept quiet. Clinton was not there. That hit me the minute I stepped in. I put my hands into a relaxed position. He looked over at me again. “You okay?” I tried to smile, even though I didn’t want to. “Yeah.” While I went for the butter knife, my hands trembled a bit. There was a familiar heaviness in my chest. The reflection I saw in the silver looked foreign to me. We chatted about weddings, the dresses women choose, and the arrangements made for dates. Somewhere inside me, my heart was not keeping to that same tempo. I didn’t understand how to stop the sound in my head. — I relaxed that afternoon in the garden after I found a spot free of noise. I had to take a moment to think. I wanted distance from both the man who had my present and the one who had my past—both were part of my life in that house. And possibly,

159 JOANA'S POV I turned and noticed her sitting at the café’s brightest window, with a group of similarly out-of-place women all drinking their smoothies in what looked like champagne glasses. They spent hours together talking, forcing laughs and using lots of perfume, all trying to impress each other with gossip or their knowledge about new brands. I sighed inside and began to wonder if I should leave. But the smell of my cake, the warmth of the coffee cup in my hands, and my craving for peace and sugar overruled the impulse to escape. I went into the booth behind them and tried to keep quiet, hoping to simply sit there without being noticed. Of course, Louisa was not the type to ignore eavesdropping. There was just one setting for the woman, and that was too loud. I took a sip of coffee and had the first bite of my cake, then I heard her say, “I’m almost there with Clinton. I wish it was simple for that psychotic bitch to marry Caleb so she would be gone from our lives.