Semua Bab The Billionaire's Ex-wife Never Looks Back : Bab 71 - Bab 80

Ella’s Point of ViewIt wasn’t like I had any other choice—the shit had already hit the fan, and there we were, stuck at that restaurant table, with Marcus acting all smug, like he was living his best life. What I really wanted was to grab my daughter and run far away, back to Seattle or some corner of the world where Marcus, and even the Carters, could never find us. But I couldn’t keep living like that. Lily didn’t deserve it. She deserved a healthy, stable life, and as her mother, it was my job to fix this mess and create a safe, steady world where she could grow up.So I sighed and decided to play Marcus’s game. “So, Josh, how’s Cassandra and the kids?” I asked, just to be polite. After all, we had to get through this awkward moment.My ex-father-in-law’s eyes lit up slightly when I mentioned his beloved wife, but you could tell Marcus and Bethany tensed at the topic. Josh shifted in his chair. “Cassandra and the kids are doing well, yes. She even sent her regards to you, Ella.”

Shawn’s Point of ViewI leaned back in my chair, my eyes fixed on the balcony where Ella stood, her shoulders rigid, her hands clenched as she faced Marcus, her voice too low to carry through the glass doors. The Chicago restaurant buzzed around us—clinking silverware, soft jazz, the hum of lunchtime chatter—but my focus was on her, the tension in her posture cutting through me like a blade. Her long black hair swayed slightly in the breeze, her face set in that fierce determination I’d come to love, but I could see the strain, the way her body braced against whatever venom Marcus was spewing. My jaw tightened, my hands itching to pull her away from him, to shield her from the man who’d hunted her, shot her, and now dared to threaten her daughter—our daughter, in every way that mattered. I forced myself to stay seated, my blue eyes locked on her, worry gnawing at my chest.At the table, the air was thick with unease. Lily sat beside me, her blonde curls bouncing as she scooped choc

Ella’s Point of ViewThe heavy door of Shawn’s mansion closed with a click. The noise of the street vanished instantly. Lily slept heavily in my arms, her warm face pressed against my neck. Shawn took off my coat while I held her.“Finally,” he said, letting out a sigh. “This night was way too long. Want to put Lily on the couch while I grab a blanket?”“I really need to sit,” I agreed, following him to the massive living room. I laid Lily on the leather couch. She turned on her side, clutching a cushion.Shawn returned with a fluffy blanket. “Tucked in the princess. And for you? Water? Wine?”“Water, please. My head’s pounding after all that.”He went to the kitchen and came back with two glasses. “Here. And forget that guy. He’s not worth a minute of our time.”“It’s just when he talked about Lily…” I started, but Shawn shook his head.“Shhh,” he put a finger to his lips. “Don’t even name him. Tonight, we’re only talking about good things. Deal?” He sat beside me, draping an arm ove

Ella’s Point of ViewThe morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of cotton candy and popcorn as we stepped into the amusement park, Lily’s small hand clutching mine, her eyes wide with excitement. The Chicago skyline loomed in the distance, but here, under the bright banners and whirling rides, her laughter felt like a shield against the weight of Marcus’s presence. He walked a few steps ahead, his posture stiff, his green eyes shadowed with frustration, his rumpled jacket a stark contrast to Shawn’s calm, polished demeanor beside me. Marcus had hated the idea of only getting a day with Lily if Shawn and I came along, his jaw tightening when we’d met him at the mansion’s gate, his voice a low growl as he’d muttered, “This is bullshit.” But he’d had no choice—Shawn’s security team, their black SUVs trailing us like silent sentinels, ensured that. I’d seen the flash of anger in his eyes, but he’d bitten it back, his gaze softening when Lily ran to him, her blonde curls bouncin

Ella’s Point of ViewThe diner’s fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a harsh glow on Vanessa Monroe’s face, her blond hair pulled into a messy bun, her eyes wide with shock as she stood frozen, the bill trembling in her hand. My heart stopped, my breath catching in my throat, the sight of her like a punch to the gut, dragging me back five years to the night I’d found the truth about her and Marcus, their betrayal shattering my world. Vanessa Monroe, once Chicago’s darling model, her face plastered on billboards, now a waitress in a greasy diner, her apron stained, her posture weary. I’d heard the scandal—her affair with Marcus—had tanked her career, but seeing her here, at rock bottom, was a jolt I hadn’t braced for. My hands clenched under the table, my hair falling over my shoulders as I leaned forward, my voice low, sharp, laced with a bitterness I couldn’t hide. “It’s a damn shame to see you here, Vanessa,” I said, my eyes locked on hers, my heart pounding. “But honestl