All Chapters of Chasing His Divorced Wife: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

DAMIEN'S POVThe drive back to Seattle was different. Quieter. Elara spent most of it staring out the window, and I didn't push conversation. I'd said too much last night. Shown too many cards."Can we stop somewhere?" she asked about an hour in."Of course. Where?""There's a lookout point in twenty miles. I used to go there when I needed to think."I took the exit she indicated. The lookout point was empty, just a parking area with a view of the mountains. Elara got out and walked to the railing. I followed, keeping distance between us."I came here after I signed the divorce papers," she said. "Sat in my car for three hours trying to figure out how my life had fallen apart.""Elara—""Let me finish." She turned to face me. "I've been thinking about what you said last night. About falling for me.""I shouldn't have said that. It was too much, too soon.""Maybe. But I'm glad you did because I need to be honest too." She crossed her arms. "I don't know if I can trust this. Trust you.

DAMIEN'S POVMr. Chen didn't blink. Didn't move. Just waited."I neglected your daughter throughout our marriage," I said. "I prioritized work over her. I forgot important dates. I made her feel invisible and unimportant. There's no excuse for any of it.""Why did you do it?""I'm still figuring that out in therapy. Part of it was how I was raised—my mother made love conditional on achievement. Part of it was my own weakness. I couldn't stand up to her or set boundaries.""You were a grown man. Married. You could have chosen differently.""Yes, sir. I could have and should have."Mr. Chen leaned forward. "Do you know what it's like to watch your daughter fall apart? To get phone calls at midnight because she's sobbing so hard she can't breathe? To hear her blame herself for your failures?"Each word was a knife. "No, sir. But I'm deeply sorry I caused that.""Sorry doesn't fix it.""No. It doesn't.""Then why are you here?"I looked at Elara, then back at her father. "Because I'm tryi

DAMIEN'S POVDr. Reeves watched me fidget with the pen on her desk."You're nervous about something.""I'm having feelings I don't know what to do with.""Feelings for Elara?""Yes. We've been doing pottery for three weeks. Having dinner after. Texting throughout the day. Normal things. But I'm—" I stopped. "I'm starting to need those moments with her.""Need is an interesting word choice.""Bad choice?""Not necessarily. But it suggests dependency. Are you building a life around her or building a life that includes her?"I hadn't thought about it that way. "I don't know.""What else are you doing? Besides pottery and work and therapy?""I joined a tennis league. Started reading again. James and I have dinner once a week.""That's good. You're building a foundation." She made a note. "How do you feel when you're not with Elara?""Content. Maybe a little lonely, but okay. I don't spiral like I used to.""And when you're with her?""Happy. Present. Like myself but better.""That's healt

DAMIEN'S POVVictoria showed up at my office unannounced.Security called up first. "Mr. Hartley, your mother is here. Should we send her up?""No. Tell her I'm unavailable.""She says it's urgent. About the legal case."I closed my eyes. "Fine. Send her up. But stay close."Three minutes later, Victoria walked into my office like she owned it. Expensive suit, perfect hair, that cold expression I was starting to recognize from old photos."Damien. We need to talk.""We have nothing to discuss. My lawyers will handle everything.""This is ridiculous. I'm your mother.""You're a woman who sabotaged my marriage and embezzled from my company."She flinched. Barely, but I saw it. "I did what was necessary. That girl was wrong for you.""Her name is Elara. And she was my wife.""A wife who wasn't suitable for our family. I was protecting our legacy.""By destroying my happiness? By stealing from the company my father built?""Your father would have understood. He knew what it took to mainta

DAMIEN'S POVThe legal team worked all weekend. By Monday morning, they had an injunction blocking the interview from airing. Victoria's lawyer called, furious."This is censorship. My client has a right to speak.""Your client is making defamatory claims," our lawyer responded. "If the interview airs, we'll sue for everything she has."They backed down. The interview was pulled.But Victoria wasn't done.Tuesday morning, a tabloid ran a story anyway. "Hartley Heir's Amnesia Love Triangle—Ex-Wife Returns as Memory Fades." They'd gotten details from somewhere. Our timeline, the divorce, my accident. Nothing technically defamatory, just invasive.Elara called me, her voice tight. "Have you seen it?""I'm reading it now.""They're making me sound like a vulture. Like I swooped in when you were vulnerable.""Anyone who knows you knows that's not true.""But people who don't know me will believe it. Damien, this affects my business. What if clients think I'm—""Then we tell our story first