All Chapters of Ex-husband, Step Aside: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

POV: Sloane HarperI sat on the edge of my bed, staring at my phone. The silence felt louder than my thoughts. I kept hearing Gabriel’s last words in my head. I told him to leave because I was scared of what I felt when he was near. But now, the space he left behind made my chest hurt.I pressed my palms against my knees and took a deep breath. “I have to fix this,” I whispered to myself. I had to take back control, even if my hands shook doing it. Adrian thought he could bury me with his threats. He thought shame would keep me quiet.He was wrong.I opened my email and typed quickly, my fingers moving before I could change my mind.Subject: Interview Request — My Story, My Words.The reply came faster than I expected. They wanted me on their live show tomorrow morning. My heart raced, but I didn’t stop to think. I sent another message before I could talk myself out of it.To: Gabriel KingYou said you believed in honesty. I’m giving it to the world. I’ll be on “Morning Truth” tomorr

Pov : Sloane That night, Gabriel moved us to his estate. The car ride was quiet, save for the low hum of the engine, and I watched the city lights blur into streaks against the black windows. I should be worrying about Adrian’s message, a small voice insisted, but the worry felt distant, muted by the closeness of the man beside me. I shifted in my seat, feeling the tension drain away, replaced by a strange, humming anticipation I could not name.We didn’t bother about Adrian's new message. Gabriel had simply taken my phone and placed it facedown on the center console before he started the car. It was a silent, protective gesture that meant more than any spoken promise could have. He wants to shut the world out, just for a little while, I realized, and that thought settled a new warmth deep in my chest. I trusted his judgement completely in that moment, letting the safety of his presence wash over the recent anxiety.Gabriel’s estate was far from the center of everything, a quiet pl

Pov: Sloane I sat on the couch in my silk pajamas, staring at the television screen as the late-night news flashed images of police cars outside Adrian's office building. My heart raced with a sudden rush of joy when the anchor announced his arrest for fraud, and I whispered to myself that this was finally the end of his hold on me. Gabriel squeezed my hand tightly, his eyes wide with shock, but inside I thought, at last, I am free from that monster who called himself my husband.The gala had ended hours ago, leaving me exhausted from smiling at strangers and pretending everything was perfect in my life. I had changed into comfortable clothes and poured a glass of wine, thinking the night would be quiet after all the fake laughter. Then the breaking news alert came on, and there was Adrian's face on the screen, handcuffs glinting under the lights as officers led him away, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me like cool water on a hot day.Gabriel turned up the volume, his voic

ADRIAN’S POVWhen the notification sound came from my phone, I picked it up without expecting anything important. I thought it would be a reminder or a random message, nothing more. But the moment I saw the headline on the screen, something inside me tightened so strongly that I lost my breath for a second. I stared at the words and tried to make sense of them, but the sentence was clear. It said Sloan and Gabriel’s marriage had been confirmed publicly.I blinked several times, hoping I was misreading it, but the message did not change. I opened the link attached, and the full story appeared. My hand shook a little as I scrolled through it. Each line felt like a blow. My mind kept repeating the same words: “She is married, She is really married now.” I felt a strange heaviness settling in my chest.I kept reading even though every sentence harmed me more than the last. I saw the part where they mentioned Gabriel, the CEO of Hale Enterprises. Of course, Sloane had partnered with

POV : Sloane I stood at the entrance of the grand hall, greeting guests as they stepped inside. They approached me with polite smiles, offering formal handshakes before moving further into the celebration. I focused on maintaining calm control, determined to ensure the evening unfolded without a single flaw.Adrian appeared suddenly among the elegantly dressed crowd. He walked toward me with a desperate kind of certainty, his eyes fixed on mine. When he stopped in front of me, his voice trembled slightly as he said, “Please, let’s talk.”I thought to myself, after all the betrayal and everything he put me through, he still has the nerve to beg for my attention. He believes I should listen as if nothing happened. My patience evaporated at the sight of him.He spoke again, more urgently this time. “We can reconcile and start over,” he insisted, reaching forward as though he intended to grab my hand. I shifted my stance, refusing to allow him even that small connection.With a steady vo