All Chapters of MY EX WANTS ME BACK: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Diane's povI stared at the photograph for almost a minute.It was us.Walking beside the river.Laughing.My hand was wrapped around Zephyr's.The sunlight caught the edge of my hair.From the angle...Whoever had taken it couldn't have been more than twenty feet away.My stomach tightened.I immediately checked the rest of the message.Nothing.No threat.No explanation.No demands.Just...The photograph.A cold feeling settled over me.Someone wanted me to know they'd been there.I called Zephyr.He answered on the second ring."Hey."His cheerful voice almost made me cry."Can you come over?"A pause."I'm already grabbing my keys."He didn't ask why.He didn't ask questions.He simply came.Twenty minutes later...There was a gentle knock on my door.When I opened it...He took one look at my face.Without saying a word...He wrapped me in a hug.I held onto him tighter than I meant to.He didn't comment.He simply let me.After a long moment...He whispered,"What happened?"I

Zephyr's povThe rain had washed the city clean.Sunlight reflected off the sidewalks as I pulled into the parking lot outside Holloway Industries.For a moment...I didn't get out of the car.I simply watched people beginning their day.Some hurried inside.Some laughed over takeaway coffee.Some looked exhausted before work had even started.Life.Ordinary life.A year ago, I would've driven straight into the office without noticing any of it.Now...I paid attention.Maybe Diane had taught me that.Or maybe...We'd taught each other.---"Distracted?"I looked up.Richard stood beside my open car window.I smiled."Just thinking.""That's dangerous.""I've heard that before."Richard laughed."I imagine Diane said it.""More than once."The two of us walked toward the building together.After a few moments, Richard spoke again."I owe you something."I frowned."You don't owe me anything.""I do."He stopped walking."When Diane came back after everything happened...""I wasn't sur

Diane's povI stared at the package for several seconds before picking it up.It wasn't heavy.The silver key rested neatly inside black tissue paper, catching the light from the hallway.The wax seal on the envelope had already been broken when I unfolded the note again.Charles hid one last truth.Only Diane can unlock it.A chill ran through me.Why me?Not Richard.Not Zephyr.Not Abe.Me.My phone was already in my hand.I dialed Zephyr.He answered before the second ring."Diane?""I... I got another package."His voice immediately became serious."Are you okay?""I think so.""What was inside?""A key."Silence."A key?""And a note.""I'm on my way.""You don't have to—""I know."He interrupted gently."But I'm coming anyway."Twenty-five minutes later...There was a knock at my door.When I opened it...Zephyr stood there, slightly out of breath."I may have ignored three speed limits."I folded my arms."I'm pretending you didn't tell me that."He smiled sheepishly."Fair."

Diane's pov I had imagined Holloway House a hundred different ways. None of them came close to the real thing. The iron gates stood open, rust creeping along the ornate patterns like vines reclaiming forgotten history. Beyond them... A long stone driveway disappeared into towering oak trees. At its end... The mansion emerged. Grand. Silent. Weathered by time. It looked less like an abandoned home... And more like a place that had simply been waiting. Richard parked beside the old fountain. Its water had long since dried up. Cracks spread through the marble basin. Marcus stepped out of the second car and looked up at the mansion. "Well..." He muttered. "If ghosts exist..." "They definitely live here." Sarah elbowed him. "Don't start." "I'm serious." "You get scared watching nature documentaries." "I do not." "You screamed when that penguin slipped." "It was unexpected." Despite the tension... Everyone laughed. Even Olivia smiled. Zephyr walked around the

Zephyr's povEveryone spread through the archive.Olivia photographed every document she found.Marcus carefully labeled boxes.Sarah dusted off shelves, sneezing every few minutes.Richard wandered slowly between the bookcases, occasionally stopping to smile at old photographs of his grandfather.Abe hadn't moved far from his father's desk.He held the old camera in both hands as though it might disappear if he let go.And Diane...She was still standing in front of the locked cabinet."You've been staring at it for five minutes."I walked beside her."I know."She smiled faintly."I keep thinking...""...whatever is inside that cabinet is why Charles wanted me here."I looked at the lock.It was smaller than the one hidden behind the portrait.More intricate.The silver key didn't fit."There has to be another key."I murmured.Diane nodded."Or another way."Richard joined us."I've been thinking."He studied the cabinet."My grandfather loved puzzles."Marcus looked over."That's