All Chapters of His Ex Mistress, His Enemy: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

My desk looked like a crime scene made out of paper. Stacks of prep work for next week’s trial were piled into a mini skyline: thick binders, witness statements, trust fund revisions, printed negotiation emails, and sticky notes clinging to every surface like they were playing some kind of scavenger hunt with me.My laptop was open in front of me : one tab with trial notes, while I cradled my phone between my ear and shoulder, with my mother’s voice in the speaker.“…and Rafael says he’s coming to New York this weekend,” she was saying, her voice running like an open faucet. Somewhere off-camera, her hands were probably rearranging something in the Madelin kitchen I grew up in. “You know your brother, he’ll sniff out the first Latin food he sees. So, mija, you have to go with him. Don’t let him eat some sad, bland burger.”. “Mama, you know I’m drowning in this case. I can send him a Latin restaurant map of New York. That’s more efficient.”“Ay, Dianna!” She let out a dramatic sigh, l

Only one lamp was still on in the living room, dim enough to stretch long shadows across the wall. The TV hummed at a low volume, playing some half-hearted movie I’d picked just so the place wouldn’t feel too quiet.On the couch, Ash was out cold on Erick’s lap, mouth slightly open, breathing in that heavy little rhythm kids get after a seven-year-old kind of day.His tiny feet dug into Erick’s thigh, like even in sleep he refused to let go. Erick stroked his back in slow circles, steady and gentle, lulling him deeper into dreams.I sipped my wine, watching the two of them. “You know,” I said, flashing him a sly smile, “if you weren’t gay, I probably would’ve dragged you to the altar five years ago.”“Oh my God, de Valdez.” Erick turned his head, a low laugh rumbling out. “You’re serious?”I shrugged, setting my glass down on the table. “Dead serious. You were already there. Ash has been glued to you since he learned to talk. You know how to make breakfast, you know how to calm his ta

The sun was already tilting low when the big dining table in the middle of the room turned into a mini arena. Plates of arepas, empanadas, and a huge bowl of tropical salad filled the air with a smell that could make the neighbors jealous. Erick had already left for the restaurant, so it was just the four of us at the table: me, Rafael, Maritza, and Ash, who had turned his chair into his own personal stage.“I told Daddy if I win on the slide, I get Lego. But Daddy lost and I still didn’t get it. Then... poof! The Lego came by itself! A package! From the sky!” Ash explained with his mouth full of arepas, crumbs spilling into his lap. His little hands flapped around, nearly knocking over his glass of orange juice.Rafael, halfway through biting into an empanada, froze. His thick brows shot up, then shifted to me with the kind of look detectives wear in crime shows.“From the sky?” he repeated, his voice heavy with suspicion.I chewed slowly, pretending to be very invested in arranging

Lunch. Today. Don’t make me come drag you out of that office.Z.A threat disguised as an invitation. Classic Romano. Only he could make lunch sound like both a date and an ambush in one short sentence.I typed back, fingers moving with the kind of sarcasm that had long become my native tongue: Oh, fantastic. A criminal threat with a side of carbonara. Irresistible.Text sent. I exhaled, shoved my phone into my bag, and braced my shoulders for a day already longer than it had any right to be.The moment I stepped out of the lobby, New York air slapped me across the face. Sharp, cold, and rude enough to test every saint’s patience.The street in front of the firm was lined with sleek black cars, but only one managed to swallow the spotlight.A black Aston Martin sat at the curb like a perfume ad come to life. And of course, leaning against it, was him.Zane Romano.He stood casually against the door, blazer open, sleeves rolled to the elbows, veins down his forearms on display like a w

My head rang with voices crashing into each other. Every word Romano had thrown at me felt like a nail hammered in, and now they clanged inside my skull loud enough to split it.Evidence. Threats. Weak spots.He knew too much, and that alone made me want to hurl my wine glass at his face. Or maybe at my own, just to shut down the noise.I drew a slow breath, let it out, and gave a single nod. No point dragging this circus any deeper into a truffle-scented dining room. I wanted only one thing.....an ending.Divorce finalized. Amelia gone. Romano buried back in the hell he’d built for himself. My line drawn clean, his name scraped out of every breath I took.I reached for my purse and stood, movements calmer than the storm in my chest. “I need to go.”Zane rose too, of course, as smooth as ever. His hand brushed the back of his chair like he hadn’t just threatened to crush my life. “I’ll drive you.”I spun, brows high. “You don’t have to.”“Think of it as a thank-you for lunch,” he said