Chapter 67
The Billionaire’s Ex-Wife (Her Ex-Husband’s Regret) Chapter 67
Chapter 67
Kayden.
Lying next to Cassie, I stare at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. Time is ticking away, our stolen moments together drawing closer to an end. I hold her tighter, not wanting to let go.
“That was it!‘ I say to myself. “That was my ‘what if. I have always been asking myself that question. What if… what if I had been a better husband? What if I didn’t let her go? What if Megan didn’t lie to me? What if I just followed my heart when we were married?
Cassie gave me a chance these past two days to get the answer to my ‘what ifs. I got a taste of what life might have been like for us… and it’s fucking perfect!
I know I only asked for these stolen moments, but now that I know how it would feel to be with her again, I don’t think I can ever let it go.
Now, more than ever, I am convinced that I will do everything, I will stop at nothing… I’m going to win back Cassie. Letting her go was the biggest mistake of my life. It is my biggest regret, but I know I can still do something about it. Cassie still feels something for me. She must still love me, or at the very least, she’s still attracted to me. Otherwise, we would not be here right now, tangled in sheets, completely spent by our lovemaking.
Cassie stirs beside me. I watch her beautiful face in the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. Her lashes flutter gently against her ch*eks. I brush a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear as I caress her ch*ek with the back of my hand.
She opens her eyes and looks directly into mine. Her l*ps curve into a smile.
“You’re awake already,” she says.
I shake my head. “I don’t think I slept at all.”
She raises a quizzing brow at me. “Why?”
I sigh, leaning forward so I can ki*s her l*ps. “Because I don’t want to waste any precious time with you by sleeping.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” She giggles.
She looks past my shoulder and her eyes widen in surprise. “Oh my God! The storm is over!”
Damn right, it is! As if I need a reminder that this stolen piece of heaven is about to be finished.
She pulls away from me, grabbing her robe from the floor.
“Coffee?” she asks.
As she disappears to the kitchen, I remember again what she said about her life after our divorce.
I’m positive that she didn’t mention having Ethan during her pregnancy.
What happened there? Did they meet after our divorce, and had s*x, and then she only told him about Kai later?
I know that they knew each other when they were younger. He probably has always had a thing for her. So, why would he let her go after sleeping with her? I don’t know him well, but that does not sound logical to me.
I nod.
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
I cannot shake off the feeling that I’m missing something.
I grab my phone from the bedside table and scroll over to Maxwell’s number.
I try to recall that day that Sullivan shoved a DNA test result in my face. Back then, my mind was focused only on the 99.99 figure. That was all that mattered.
Shit! What was that lab company’s name again?
Bio… new…
I search the internet for the possibilities, and then finally, I got lucky.
Bio Nouveau Labs New York. I’m sure this was it. The logo is exactly the same.
I send Maxwell a text message:
‘Ethan Sullivan ordered a DNA test report at Bio Nouveau Labs in New York. It’s a paternity test between him and Cassie’s son, Kai. Can you check it out? If the test is legit? I don’t care how you do it. This is important but I want you to get a copy of this test and validate it. I don’t care who you will
pay to get this.‘
‘Copy, boss, Maxwell instantly answers.
I grab my clothes from the floor and dress up. Then I follow Cassie to the dining room.
I find her standing in front of the kitchen counter sipping coffee while watching the news. I walk up behind her, then I snake my arm around her waist and ki*s the exposed skin on her shoulder.
“Good morning, love,” I whisper against her ear.
“Coffee?”
“Good morning!” she beams at me. read
I nod. She happily pours me a cup.
All the more, I wish my future mornings will be like this. Easy. Comfortable. Blissful.
I take a sip of the coffee and immediately, the unique flavor hits me. It tastes a bit like cinnamon, with a flavor of mint. I have no doubt that she created this from scratch.
“Damn! This coffee is delicious!”
“Thank you! My beef medallions were something you already had before, but this is something new I picked up along the way.”
“Okay, so how I can go back to regular coffee again after this?” I tease as I take another sip. I am not kidding, though. How will I go back to waking up alone after having this with her? If we weren’t making hot love first thing in the morning, we’re having a nice early morning coffee together.
“The rain has stopped. The roads are passable now,” she says. I try to listen and look for hints that she’s feeling any regret at all that our time together is coming to an end. But her voice is steady, and her face is expressionless.
“You know… this doesn’t have to be the end,” I say in a quiet voice.
She gives me a rueful smile. “I need to go back to Kai. I can’t stay a day longer.”
I shake my head. “That’s not what I meant.”
“What do you mean then?”
I put my cup down and then I pull her closer to me. “Us. This doesn’t have to be the end of us. I mean… didn’t you see how happy we can be together? We can give our marriage another try, Cassie.”
She sighs. “Kayden… we agreed that this would be the only time we have. You asked me for a chance… so, I can forgive you.” “And have you forgiven me?” I ask in a hopeful voice.
She nods slowly. “But that does not mean I will just forget everything, leave everything behind and try again.”
“Why not?” I can already feel the last rays of my hope fading away.
“It’s too complicated. After you…. I just don’t think I believe in marriage anymore. And besides… you don’t even have the complete freedom to be with me. We have too much excess baggage. There’s just too many things around us that will not leave us be.”
“Whatever it is, Cassie… I will take care of it! Just please…. please give me another chance.” Tears roll down my ch*eks. I’m getting more and more desperate. I know that her saying yes, will be too far–fetched, but I’m giving it a shot anyway.
“You asked me for that chance, Kayden. This was it. This was the two days that I went against my better judgment and allowed you to have it your way, even though we both know that it’s wrong, and we’ll be hurting a lot of people around us.”
2/4
“And what? Is it better that we get hurt instead?” I ask. “Why are their feelings more important than ours?”
Cassie looks at me with a mixture of sadness and understanding in her eyes. She reaches out to gently wipe away my tears, her touch sending shivers down my spine.
“Kayden, we need to do what’s right.”
“But what is right, Cassie? Is it giving up on us before we even try again?” I plead, my voice cracking with emotion.
“There’s too much at stake here. The whole world thinks that Megan is your fiancee. She’s pregnant with your child. If we continue this, it will ruin you and Steele Corp. Think about the other people who will be affected by this.”
“Damn if I care about them!” I curse under my breath.
“Then think about me,” she says firmly. “Think how this news will ruin me. I am running my own company. And I have King’s Court. How will I look in front of the Board Members of King’s Court when they find out that I slept with you?”
“But this isn’t the first time we have slept together! You were my wife! We have so
“Yeah, but nobody knows that!” she argues.
much history together.”
She has a point! Now, I am cursing at myself for keeping our marriage a secret before.
“Don’t get me wrong, Kayden. The past two days were… amazing.” Tears well up in her eyes. “Now, I know that you could be a wonderful husband.” Tears roll down her ch*eks. “But I can’t do this. This might also impact Kai. And we’re already going through a lot together. I can’t add any more pain or disappointment for him. I want to focus on his health and his future. I’m not thinking about myself anymore.”
I have to understand this, even though it’s too damn painful. How can I win when her child is on the line?
So, even though it’s heart–wrenching, I have to accept defeat. At least for now.
I nod, wiping the tears on her che*ks with my thumbs. “Okay,” I say, feeling the burden of our impossible situation and the knowledge that no matter how fiercely I wish for it, some things just cannot go my way. “But please… can I ask more thing.”
“What is it?”
“Don’t marry Sullivan yet.”
“I told you marriage is not my priority right now.”
you
for one
“Good.” At least I find this a little reassuring. “I want you to wait for a little while, okay? Because I’m going to make things right for us. I’m going to fix things. I will remove all the obstacles in our way.”
“Kayden…” she starts to argue, but I pull her into a hug.
“Please…” I beg. “Time. That’s all I’m asking for from you. I just need a little time, and I will make everything all right. I promise that soon… I will shout out to the world that you’re the woman I’m in love with, that you are my wife and I promise you, no one will look down on you, or hurt you… both you and Kai. I will protect both of you.”
“Kayden…” she pulls away from me. Tears continue to stream down her face.
“Please, Cassie. Just a little bit of time. That’s all I’m asking.” I am crying too.
Cassie heaves a sigh. She bites her lip, contemplating what she will answer. A ray of hope springs anew inside me. I can see it in her eyes. She’s giving in to me.
She opens her mouth to say something, but before she can utter a word, her phone rings. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
She grabs her phone from the countertop. I catch a glimpse of Sullivan’s name displayed on her screen.
“Hello,” she answers the call.
“Cassie!” I can hear Sullivan’s voice through the speakers. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, Ethan. Everything is fine. I’m just at the hotel. I’m perfectly safe.”
“That’s good. You can pack your stuff now. I’m about ten minutes away from the hotel. I’m picking you up.”
3/4
Chapter 67
Holy mother of crap!