After I Died, He Truly Panicked のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 271 - チャプター 280

Regina’s POVMaxwell’s pacing was starting to wear me down. Back and forth, back and forth across my office like a lion trapped in a cage, his shoulders stiff and his jaw clenched. I could feel the electricity in the air, his agitation crackling like a storm waiting to break.And all of it because of one text.Frederick.I should have expected that he would reach out soon, but I didn’t expect it now, not when my life was already in such disarray. Seeing his name light up my phone had made my stomach clench so tight I thought I might throw up.I sat behind my desk, my nails tapping absently against the polished wood surface. I didn’t trust my voice just yet, so I said nothing, waiting for Maxwell to burn through the energy he carried.When he finally stopped pacing, he turned on me with an intensity that made me sit up straighter. His eyes locked on mine like steel.“You’re not going to see him alone,” he said. His tone left no room for negotiation. “I’ll be right there with you.”I bl

Regina’s POVWhen I woke up the next morning, there was still a dull ache in my chest as I remembered Mia’s words.I wished things were different. I really did.I didn’t want my babies, both Mia and Ivan, to wonder why they weren’t a normal family.The things that happened were difficult to make an adult explain, let alone children. If only they were a little bit older, maybe then I could sit them down and make them understand.Mia’s words though… they had opened the floodgates in my mind. Thoughts of being a family together, me, Mia, Ivan and… Maxwell living under the same roof.The thoughts burned in my mind.Having arms to hold me sleep at night, waking up to both of my children’s giggles, waking up to Maxwell's face…No.I couldn’t go there.I couldn’t do that to myself.I was fastening the last button of my blouse when I heard a knock at my bedroom door. It wasn’t polite or hesitant, it was firm, purposeful. Alexander’s kind of knock.“Come in,” I called, still reaching for my bl

Regina’s POVI stared at Alexander like he had spoken another language. My ears caught the words, but my brain refused to let them settle.What did he mean by that? Why did Frederick told him all of that?“That’s what Frederick told me when he initially found you,” Alexander said, his voice steady, like he had been rehearsing this conversation for days. “They were so sure you were the lost daughter of the Veyron family. But they couldn’t get to you immediately because you were under Maxwell’s clutches.”I blinked, stupefied. “What do you mean… under Maxwell’s clutches?”He didn’t hesitate. His gaze pinned me in place, heavy with conviction. “Exactly what I said. You were being controlled by him long before Serenity Wellness Center ever came into the picture.”“No.” The word burst out of me, sharp and defensive. I shook my head hard, like I could physically shake the idea out of existence. “That’s not true. Maxwell, he was… he was sweet. He was good to me. We had a good marriage, Alexa

Maxwell’s POVI had been staring at the skyline through the glass wall of my office for the better part of ten minutes when Jonathan arrived. The city stretched out below, restless and alive, but I barely saw it. My mind was elsewhere, circling the same thought like a vulture: Frederick.“Maxwell,” Jonathan greeted me as he stepped in, briefcase in hand. His tone was steady, professional, the way it always was.I turned from the window and gestured for him to sit. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.”He sank into the chair opposite my desk, clicking open his case with practiced ease. “Your message made it sound urgent.”“It is,” I said flatly. I sat down and leaned forward, elbows on the desk. “Regina is supposed to meet with Frederick this weekend. I don’t like it.”Jonathan arched a brow. “Because of the obvious history? Or because of what he knows?”“Both,” I admitted. “But more than that, I don’t trust him not to pull something. He kept quiet about knowing Morgana for years.

Regina’s POVThe drive to Woodcrest felt like it lasted forever, though I knew I was going faster than I should. My grip on the steering wheel was so tight that my knuckles ached, and the air in the car felt thick, pressing down on me with every second that ticked by. Ivan. Mia.The woman’s voice from the school still echoed in my head. There’s been an incident. She hadn’t said much more than that, but the careful tone was enough to send a hundred scenarios spiraling through me.By the time I pulled into the parking lot, my chest was pounding. I barely noticed the orderly hedges, the children’s artwork pinned in the front windows, things I normally admired. My eyes found only one thing: Maxwell.He was already at the front gates, his tall frame tense, jaw set like stone. For a moment, my heart stumbled. Of course they’d call him too. He was listed as Ivan’s primary caretaker. He had every right to be here.Still, seeing him waiting there made me falter.“Regina,” he said as I hurried