All Chapters of He Regrets After The Countdown to Our Divorce: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Josh’s POVThe restaurant we walked into had that quiet kind of class — the type where the lighting sits low like it’s minding its business, the walls wear soft gold accents, and the whole place smells faintly of expensive spice and something sweet. Nothing loud or overwhelming though just calm, elegant, and exactly the kind of space you take the woman you love when you want her to feel special without making noise about it.Honestly, I chose this place because of her — Melissa.She didn’t have to say a word, but I could already tell she liked it. Her eyes had that tiny sparkle, the one she gets whenever something warms her heart even if she tries to hide it. And seeing her this happy since Hearty got out of coma? God… it does something to me every single time. It’s like if she laughs, my whole world shifts into place. If she smiles, my chest softens on its own. She doesn’t even try — she just is my peace.Melissa has been the missing piece I didn’t know I was searching for. I mean, M

Mellisa’s POVHearty and Jack left the restaurant hand in hand — or rather, Jack pushing Hearty’s wheelchair and the little corner of quiet we’d carved out for ourselves felt suddenly too big when they were gone. Josh and I only kept talking about flowers, the guest list, the stupid little things that suddenly mattered when you were planning a life together and our wedding is in a month's time. It was the kind of easy conversation that stitches you back together as you know we wanted those stitches to hold and bound us when stronger.We didn’t check the time and we didn’t notice the phone buzz like an alarm until Josh’s screen lit up.He glanced down, smiled and straightened. And just then, picked the call and placed it on his left ear, “Hi, man — you must be having a good time with my future sister-in-law and…” His words trailed off.Something in his face went cold the way the air does right before a storm. His shoulders tightened and his jaw worked. The smile disappeared like someon

Mellisa’s POVI was outside, feeling all restless as I moved around inside the police station building premises from one side of the space to the other. Because inside the police station report room, it seems like what they were doing with the tracking and every other thing right there wasn't enough. And again, it was like being at a particular spot made things worse or maybe I have been so comfortable which was just the least way of uncomfortability that I know that Hearty will be feeling wherever she is right now. Knowing her life was at risk and the thought of the fact that her health was stable at the moment even scared the living hell out of me.My chest felt tight, like something was squeezing me from the inside. I kept pacing with my phone clutched in my hand, staring at the screen even though there was nothing on it. Josh had tried talking to me earlier, telling me to breathe, but breathing felt like a luxury at this point. My mind kept racing: ‘What if they hurt her? What if

Josh’s POVMellisa’s face crumpled and right there I could sense obviously the internal fight waging in real time. She mouthed something I couldn’t hear, then swallowed hard. “You don't get it,” she whispered. “If they call me and tell me she's dead—how will I live with that? How will I forgive myself? I can’t… I won't.”Hearing her voice crack like that did something sharp to my chest. I hugged her tighter, trying to quiet the inner chaos and pain that must be running through her mind and body. I didn’t know which one of us I was trying to stabilize—her or myself. “I swear to you, Mellisa,” I said quietly, “I won’t let them get away with this. We’ll work with the police and do everything…I mean everything to bring Hearty back. But pulling the case? That’s not a plan. It’s a surrender like the officer already stated. We need leverage, not fear.”She pulled back a little as I helped her walk towards to get inside, staring at me with those wet, exhausted eyes that looked like they hadn’

Melissa's POV"It seems you were on a call a few seconds ago before I just got out of the bathroom. I think I heard your voice if I was actually overthinking." Josh's voice called me off my thoughts.I looked up at him. His towel was loosely wrapped around his waist, his hair still damp and his face tired but soft. He was trying so hard to act normal, maybe as a way to make me not feel like the moment we have seen ourselves in.My throat tightened…Honestly, I had wanted to lie. God! I wanted to lie so badly. Tell him it was a spam call or someone from the office. Anything just to waive his question off. But the weight of it sat heavy on my tongue, and I couldn't swallow it down anymore.I didn't know if I should open up to him or not, because he might try to see reasons with me if I try to be a bit persuasive.And right there, it was one single thing that actually bothered me.Knowing for a fact that if I tell him, he will not accept. If I don't tell him, I will walk this road alone.