Semua Bab THE EX-WIFE MAKES A COMEBACK : Bab 101 - Bab 110

(Julian's POV)"Daddy, you forgot my lunch."I was halfway to my car in the preschool parking lot when I heard Emma's voice. I turned around to see Miss Katie holding her hand in the doorway."What?"“You didn't pack my lunch,” Emma repeated, throwing her little arms open."Shit," I said. Then immediately regretted it because there were other parents around and Miss Katie was giving me a look."I'll bring it right back," I called.I immediately drove home, grabbed the lunch bag. It was Emma's favorite, the one with Barbie and her minions. I checked inside to make sure I'd actually packed everything. Sandwich. Apple slices. Juice box. Goldfish crackers.Then I drove back to the preschool. The whole round trip took twenty-five minutes.When I got back to Emma's classroom she was sitting at a table with three other kids. They were doing something with finger paints. Her hands were covered in blue and green. Some had even gotten in her hair. I was definitely going to give her a thorough s

(Lena’s POV)My phone started buzzing while I was standing at the kitchen counter. The coffee pot was still in my hand, the dark liquid halfway into my mug. I set it down quickly before it spilled and grabbed the phone. My lawyer's name was there on the screen. I answered it, already feeling that familiar tightness in my chest like I was about to receive a huge announcement."It's settled," he said right away. "This morning. The pharmaceutical company agreed to our terms. A significant part of the payout goes straight to the claimants—the women who dealt with the same drug you were on. And all that suppressed data about the risks in early pregnancy are getting released to the public.”I leaned back against the counter, the edge pressing into my lower back. The steam from the coffee rose up in the air and I watched them firm rings. I swallowed once. I was expecting this, but processing it was not as easy as I thought.My own face came to mind, from those early hospital days where I loo

(Lena's POV)I felt a nauseating feeling while I was brushing my teeth this morning.It just happened out of the blues, with no warnings. I had to grip the edge of the sink to stop myself from doubling over. The toothbrush left my hand and fell into the basin. I spat, and rinsed my mouth, holding the sink firmly into the feeling passed.But it didn't pass.Instead, I half bolted to the toilet just in time before I made a mess of myself. I threw up what little was in my stomach from last night's dinner. When there was nothing left I stayed there on my knees, my forehead resting against my arm on the toilet seat, breathing through my mouth.This was the third morning in a row.Adrian had noticed yesterday and asked if I was coming down with the flu. I'd said maybe, and when he persisted, I told him I'd make a doctor's appointment if it continued.But I already knew what it was. Or at least I suspected.My period was late. Just five days. It was just to me because it happened sometimes,

(Julian's POV)The coffee shop near my flat had terrible wifi. Gosh!I'd complained about it before. Multiple times. And each time, the barista always apologized and said they were working on it.But they weren't working on it. The wifi was still terrible.But the coffee was good and it was close to home and Emma liked the cookies they sold at the counter. So I kept coming back.I was there now, and it was Tuesday afternoon. Emma was at preschool for another hour. And there was me with my laptop trying to finish a proposal for a potential client.The page wouldn't load. I refreshed over and over again. Still nothing.So I gave up and opened a different browser tab. I checked the news while I waited for the wifi to cooperate.Bloomberg. Financial Times. Tech news. The usual sites I skimmed when I had free time to squander.Then I saw the news.“BioGen CEO Dr. Lena Blackwood and Cole Enterprises CEO Adrian Cole Announce Pregnancy”I clicked before I could stop myself.The article was br

(Lena’s POV)Eight months pregnant meant my back ached constantly than it used to. It was like the longer the month, the more space the baby needed.The desk in my home office was the same one I’d used since we got the house, but now the edge dug into my belly if I leaned forward too far. I adjusted the cushion behind me again, one hand on the small of my back, and clicked to open messages.The email popped up on my screen immediately , like it was timed.It was an invitation to speak at the International Women’s Entrepreneur Summit. Two months away, after the baby would be here. The brief outlined the theme, the expected audience, the format. It was the usual standard stuff, and nothing flashy. I read through it, scanning the paragraphs while my other hand rested on the curve of my stomach where the baby was kicking lightly against my palm. The request felt straightforward, just the way I liked things like this to be. So I didn’t hesitate. Before I even finished the last line, I op