All Chapters of THE BILLIONAIRE'S BIGGEST REGRET: Losing His Plus-size Ex: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Chapter 61The quiet click of the latch echoed through the room as Ashton stepped back inside. Aniya was sitting in the armchair beside the bed, speaking in a soft whisper as she helped Riley fold a few fresh clothes she'd bought on her way, and pack away the other things. On the bed, Iris was sleeping deeply. Her chest rose and fell in a steady, easy rhythm, and the thin oxygen cannula under her nose gave off a soft, quiet whistle with every breath.Riley looked up the moment Ashton walked in. Seeing him, a tired, genuine smile broke across her pale face. The dark shadows under her eyes were heavy, but the panic that had consumed her for the past twelve hours was gone."Everything okay out there?" she asked softly, standing up from her chair.Ashton pushed down the cold anger still lingering in his chest, forcing his shoulders to relax and his face to stay calm. "Yeah. Just Julian giving me an update on security. The whole floor is locked down." Riley let out a long breath, her h

Chapter 63The hallway was dead silent after the door shut. Riley stopped walking, leaning her back against the wall. Her knees felt weak, and her chest was tight.Ashton stopped next to her. "You okay?"She took a breath, letting her head rest back against the glass. "I can't believe I just spoke to her like that. All those years I was terrified of that woman, and today she just looked... broken.""She deserved every word," Ashton said simply. "Come on. Let's get back to Iris."The ride back to the hospital didn't take long. Neither of them said much in the car, but Ashton stayed close.When they got back to the floor, Julian was standing near the desk."How’d it go?" Julian asked."It's done," Riley said. "Is Iris awake?""She woke up a few minutes ago," Julian said. "Aniya's in there with her."Riley pushed the door open and walked in. Iris was sitting up slightly, looking at Aniya’s phone. The moment she saw Riley, her face lit up."Mommy!" Iris said, her voice still a little rasp

Chapter 65Riley glanced at the small digital clock on the microwave for the hundredth time.12:48 AM. She sat alone at the small wooden dining table, her fingers wrapped around a mug of tea that had gone entirely cold hours ago.She knew it was late. She knew he was probably buried in the ER but he had looked her in the eye before leaving and said he was coming back tonight. And if there was one thing she had learned about Ashton over these terrifying few days, it was that he didn't make promises he intended to break.A faint, hesitant knock brushed against the front door.Riley stood up so fast her chair scraped loudly against the floorboards. She caught her breath, then hurried down the narrow, dimly lit hallway. She unlocked the deadbolt with a quick flick of her wrist and pulled the door open.The corridor was quiet and empty, save for a tall, broad-shouldered figure already five steps down the steps, a dark suit jacket slung loosely over one shoulder."Ashton?"He stopped inst

Chapter 67"Say it again," Ashton said quietly."Which part?""Any of it." A small laugh slipped out of her, surprising them both. She pressed the back of her hand to her mouth, like she could stop it, then let it go. "I've forgiven you, Ashton." He exhaled like he'd been holding his breath since she opened the door. His hand came up again, slower this time, and he tucked a loose curl behind her ear. His fingers stayed there a second too long against her cheek."I don't deserve that," he muttered, lowly."Probably not," Riley agreed. "But I'm tired of carrying it. Carrying it doesn't punish you. It just makes me heavier."Something moved across his face, fast and hard to name. He dropped his hand and stepped back, putting a careful foot of space between them, like he didn't trust himself not to close it again if he stayed close.The microwave beeped a second time, forgotten. Riley turned and pulled the plate out, it was hot enough that she hissed and switched hands halfway to the t

Chapter 69Aniya left a little before six, pressing a kiss to the top of Iris's head on her way out, promising to call the moment she heard more about the shooting.Riley was clearing the mugs off the table when a knock came, lighter than she expected. She opened it to find Ashton standing there, tie loosened, a bag of takeout dangling from one hand like he hadn't quite decided whether he was staying for dinner or just checking in."I wanted to check on Iris," he said. "See how she's doing.""She's good," Riley said, stepping aside to let him in. "Better every day.""I missed her." He said it plainly, like it cost him nothing, but his eyes stayed on her a beat too long when he said it, something in his face soft and unguarded, like the words had someone else they were meant for. And that someone was het.She felt her face heat and turned toward the hallway before he could see it. "Iris! Uncle Ashton's here!"There was a thump from the bedroom, the sound of a tablet dropped mid-show,