Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Ex-wife He Regrets Losing!: Kabanata 171 - Kabanata 180

MABELWe moved back inside from the balcony.The candles were still burning. Dinner plates cleared. Music still playing softly.Damian poured wine. Handed me a glass.I took it but didn't drink. Just held it. Needed something to do with my hands."Talk to me," Damian said. Sitting beside me on the couch. "What are you thinking?""Everything. Nothing. I don't know." I set the glass down. "I want to say yes.""But?""But I'm scared." I looked at him. "What if this is just another mistake? What if I'm rushing into something without thinking clearly?""You've never rushed into anything in your life.""I rushed into marriage with Ethan. Look how that turned out.""That was different….""Was it? I thought I knew him. Thought I understood what I was getting into. Thought love was enough." My voice rose slightly. "Then his mother orchestrated a baby swap and he defended her. Chose her

MABELThe next morning, I went to Vanessa's apartment to pick up Liam.It was my week with him. Our custody arrangement had settled into a comfortable rhythm.Rose answered the door. Vanessa's assistant. Efficient as always."Morning, Ms. James. Liam's just finishing breakfast.""Thanks, Rose."I must have looked terrible because Rose paused. "Are you okay?""Fine. Just tired.""You look like you haven't slept.""I haven't. Much." I sat at the kitchen table. "Is Vanessa here?""She's at a meeting. Won't be back until this afternoon." Rose poured coffee without asking. Set it in front of me. "What's wrong?""Nothing. Everything. I don't know."Rose sat across from me. "Talk to me."I hesitated. Rose was Vanessa's assistant. Professional. Discreet. But also someone who'd been there through everything. The custody battle. The safe house. Lily's illness.Someone

MABELI sat in my car outside Damian's building.Engine off. Hands on the steering wheel. Not moving yet.Just thinking.About the past five years. About everything that had happened. About Damian's role in all of it.It had started five years ago. When I'd walked into his office desperate and determined.I'd just discovered Jason wasn't my biological son. Had DNA proof. But no one believed me. No lawyers would take the case. No one thought I had a chance against Claire Hoss.Except Damian.He'd listened. Actually listened. Looked at my evidence. Believed me when everyone else called me crazy."I'll help you," he'd said. "Whatever it takes."And he had.Funded the investigation. Hired the best lawyers. Provided resources I could never have afforded on my own.I'd thought it was about revenge. About destroying Claire. About old grudges and business rivalries.Maybe at

MABEL The next evening, Damian came to my apartment. We'd told Liam the news that morning. He'd been thrilled. "Does this mean Damian is going to be my dad?" "Sort of. Stepdad. But yes, he'll be part of our family officially." Liam had hugged Damian. "Cool. Can I call you Dad?" Damian had looked emotional. "If you want to. I'd like that." Now we sat at my kitchen table with coffee and a blank notebook. "We should probably plan this wedding," Damian said. "Probably." I pulled the notebook closer. "What do you want? Big? Small? Somewhere in between?" "What do you want?" "I asked you first." Damian smiled. "Small. Intimate. Just the people who matter. Not a big production." "I agree. My first wedding was huge. Two hundred guests. Most of them Claire's business contacts. It felt like a performance, not a marri

HAILEYI saw the engagement announcement on Instagram.Not following Mabel. But someone I followed shared it. A fashion blogger. Post about "iconic designer Mabel James and her fiancé Damian Croft."Photo of them together. Happy. Smiling. Her ring is visible.I stared at it longer than I should have.Then closed the app. Went back to making dinner.My husband, second husband, was due home in an hour. Kevin. Insurance agent. Nice. Stable. Boring compared to Ethan but dependable.We'd married six months ago. Small ceremony. His family mostly. Mine didn't attend.They'd disowned me after the baby swap scandal. After my complicity was exposed. After the public turned against me.My career was gone. Social media influencing dried up. Sponsors dropped me. Brand deals canceled.I'd moved to Connecticut. Changed my name back to my maiden name. Started over.Got a job at a marketing firm. Mid-l