All Chapters of MY EX WANTS ME BACK: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Diane's povIt was strange how quickly life tried to become normal.On Monday morning, Holloway Industries looked exactly as it always had.Employees hurried through the lobby with coffee cups.Phones rang.Meetings started.Printers hummed.If someone walked into the building for the first time...They'd never guess what had happened over the past few weeks.They'd never know that hidden beneath the city...An abandoned archive had nearly changed everything.Or that a dead man had spent eight years leading us toward the truth.Life moved on.Whether we were ready or not.I stood outside the conference room for several seconds before opening the door.The evidence boards were gone.The maps.The photographs.The strings connecting decades of secrets.Everything had been packed into secure evidence storage.Only a faint rectangle on the wall remained where the largest board had hung.It felt...Empty."You keep staring at that wall."I turned.Richard stood in the doorway."I guess I g

Diane's povMy hands trembled as I unfolded the letter.The paper was old.Not yellow with age.Just... carefully preserved.I took a slow breath and began to read.Dear Diane,If you're reading this, then you've finally learned that peace can feel unfamiliar after living through chaos.If that's true... I'm happy for you.I frowned.Charles Holloway had written this years ago.Long before he'd ever met me.How could he possibly know—No.He wasn't writing to me.He was writing to whoever eventually found Project Sentinel.To the person who survived it.Somehow...His words still felt personal.For most of my life, I believed excitement and purpose were the same thing.They aren't.Purpose gives you direction.Peace gives you somewhere to return to.I stopped reading.My mind drifted to Zephyr.Saturday mornings.Monopoly.Burnt pancakes.Coffee.Quiet conversations.The way he always reached for my hand without thinking.The way he never demanded more from me than I was ready to give

Diane 's povThe rain had finally stopped.For the first time in weeks, sunlight poured through the windows of Holloway Industries.The entire office seemed lighter.People smiled more.Laughed louder.Even the coffee somehow tasted better.Or maybe...I was simply beginning to notice things again."Morning."I looked up from my desk.Abe stood in the doorway holding two paper cups."I come in peace."I laughed."Why does everyone keep bringing me coffee?"He looked genuinely confused."Everyone?""Zephyr.""Sarah.""Now you."He grinned."Maybe you always look like you need caffeine."I accepted the cup."Thank you."He shrugged."You looked busy."It was such a simple gesture.Ordinary.The kind of thing we'd done for each other years ago without thinking.For a brief second...It felt strangely familiar.Not romantic.Just...Comfortably familiar."So..."Abe said."How's life after saving the company?"I smiled."I've gone back to answering emails.""Ouch.""I know."He leaned aga

Diane's pov"You've changed."I looked up from my laptop.Richard stood in the doorway of my office."I have?"He nodded thoughtfully."You smile more."I laughed."I didn't know you were paying attention.""As your boss..."He paused."...it's literally my job."I rolled my eyes."Fair point."He stepped inside and sat across from me."I've been meaning to ask...""How are you?"Not...How's the investigation?Not...How's the workload?Just...How are you?I leaned back in my chair."I'm happy."The words came easier than I expected.Richard smiled."I was hoping you'd say that.""I owe you an apology."I frowned."For what?""For letting you carry too much."He sighed."When this investigation started...""I forgot you weren't just an employee.""You're a person.""You deserved time to breathe."I shook my head."We all made sacrifices.""I know."He smiled."But that doesn't mean I can't learn from it."I appreciated that.Richard never apologized because someone demanded it.He a

Diane's povSaturday mornings used to be my favorite.Then...For a long time...They became the hardest.They reminded me of everything I'd lost.Everything I'd broken.Now...For the first time in months...I woke up smiling.Not because life was perfect.Because I knew exactly where I wanted to be.My phone buzzed at eight-thirty.Zephyr: Open your curtains.I frowned.Walking to the window, I pulled them apart.Down below...Zephyr stood beside his car holding two takeaway coffee cups.When he saw me...He waved both cups above his head.I couldn't stop laughing.I hurried downstairs."You've been standing here long?"He shrugged."Five minutes.""You could've come upstairs.""I could've.""But I thought surprising you would be more fun."He handed me one of the coffees."Caramel.""My favorite.""I know."I looked at him suspiciously."You remember everything."He smiled."Only the important things.""So..."I asked."What's today's plan?""I don't have one.""You?""Nope."He lo