Chapter 16
The Billionaire’s Ex-Wife (Her Ex-Husband’s Regret) Chapter 16
Cassie.
“Wow! Is this my grandmother’s house?” Kai peeks at car window in awe.
I stare at the wrought-iron gate with intricate carvings in front of us. Beyond the gate stands a grand fountain that dances gracefully in the center of a cobblestone courtyard. As we approach the mansion, we hear the sound of trickling water filling the air, bringing a sense of serenity.
My grandparents’ mansion is a sight to behold. Its front doors are adorned with polished brass handles and ornate carvings.
My mother grew up here?
A grand staircase greets us as we step inside. An elegant older woman descends its steps, her eyes brimming with tears. “Oh my God!” She reaches forward and cups my face between her palms. “You look exactly like your mother.”
I have heard that before. But now, it feels different hearing it from my grandmother. The resemblance she sees between me and my mother stirs something deep withinic, a longing for a connection that I have lost too early in my life.
I touch her hand on my cheek, unable to stop the tears from falling. “I’m sorry I only visited now. You know my father never told me about my mother’s family before.”
“I know.” 1 detect anger
er in her voice. “We’ve reached out to your father many times, but he refused to let us see you. He even threatened to file a restraining order against us. But he didn’t have a problem accepting the checks we sent for you.”
My eyes widen in disbelief. “You… you sent me money?”
She nods. “Every month since your mother died.
And yet, I grew up having Megan’s hand-me-downs
“Do you mean your father didn’t use that for you?” She starts to panic. Tell me you have a good l
give you everything you needed and more?”
life?
Did your father
My father’s business had always been struggling before I married Kayden. But I remember Megan and my stepmother didn’t act like we needed money. They always enjoyed the simple luxuries, and I always wondered how my father was able to afford those.
Did he let Megan and my stepmother enjoy my grandparents’ money and let me have Megan’s scraps?
I stare up at my grandmother, who’s expecting an answer from me. I force a smile on my face.
“I’m okay, grandmother. I was comfortable growing up. I had everything I needed.”
This is our reunion, and she just lost my grandfather. I don’t want to worry her with things that she has no control over. I want this first meeting to be memorable for both my grandmother and my son.
“It was the best that we could do. We could have fought your father in court, but we thought that you’d already lost your mother at such a young age. We didn’t want you to lose your only remaining parent. I hope we weren’t wrong.”
“You did what you can,” I say “And I’m thankful.”
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15:43 Fri, May
My grandmother looks down at my son and she stands still for a moment.
“Ummm… this is my son, Kai. Kai, this your grandmother.”
“It’s nice nice to meet you, g-grandmother,” Kai nervously say
My grandmother composes herself. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Kai.” She pulls Kai into her arms. “You can call me Granny.”
Kai beams. “Granny!”.
“Well, aren’t you a spitting image of.” she trails off, piquing my curiosity. Then she smiles shyly. “Just… someone I used to know. Never mind.” She is quiet for a moment, and I am curious as to who Kai reminded her of My grandmother takes Kai’s hand. “Come! We have so much to catch up or
Kayden
I sit in my office, completely lost in my thoughts. There is only one person in my mind lately. Seems I’ve been thinking about her almost every hour since she came back. I think she’s been haunting my waking hours for the past four years, I just chose to ignore it. But I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
After our divorce, I felt like I deserved to be desired and wanted
I wanted a man who will make love to me because his whole being is being consumed by his desire for me…”
Her words echo in my head over and over. It’s like a constant reminder of what a failure I was as a husband.
During our marriage. I kept lying to her. I shielded my emotions and showed her, not the face of a man in love with his wife, but that of a monster who cared more about his obligations to his company, and his promises to a childhood sweetheart.
y true self. And I didn’t even do a good job It was only when I made love to her that I peeled off my mask and showed her my at that, because apparently, even in bed, she didn’t feel that I wanted no one but her.
“Sir,” I hear t
my secretary call from the door. “You have a visitor.”
“Who?” I ask coldly, not even bothering to turn around to face her.
“It’s your girlfriend’s mother.”
It takes me a moment to realize who my secretary is referring to am not sure what Amanda Carlisle wants this time, and I thought I made it clear that she shouldn’t come to my office without a prior appointment. But I don’t want to be rude. After all, she was once my mother-in-law.
“Let her in”
“Kayden!”
“To what do I owe this pleasure, moth… I mean, Amanda?”
She giggles “Oh, my sweet boy. You can call me mother again. Pretty soon, you and Megan will be married.” I say nothing and she immediately senses my hesitation. “Well? You are going to marry her soon, aren’t you?”
When I was growing up, I was pretty sure I would marry Megan That’s why when Cassie blackmailed me into marrying her, I couldn’t forgive her. Lignored whatever I felt for her because Iruly believed that she robbed me of my chance to make
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good on my promise to Megan. Cassie was not in my plans. And I don’t like anything that didn’t go according to plan
Amanda’s eyes widen in shock. “You cannot be having second thoughts, Kayden! For four years, everybody was waiting for you to propose. Megan rejected many modeling offers abroad because she didn’t want to be away from you. She sacrificed a lot to be with you! And.. have you forgotten what she did for you when you were kids?”
How could I forget that? My relationship with Megan has been all about that.
“She saved you life, Kayden. And you were a complete stranger then. She didn’t even know who you were and yet she jumped into that dark water on a stormy night, and if it weren’t for her, you would have sunk to the bottom, and no one would have found you until you’re dead!”
Yeah! She can be really graphic!
When I first met Megan, it was in the small hospital where I was brought after my drowning incident. It was a stormy night, and I fell off the bridge reaching out for the necklace I dropped. I barely remember what happened after. But when I woke up in the hospital, I remember Amanda approaching me with Megan. She told me that Megan was the one who saved me. And that’s how our friendship began. It was also then that I decided to marry her someday. I was only ten then. But I was hell-bent on marrying my guardian angel, the girl who saved my life.
“What?” Amanda crosses her arms across he chest. “What’s your plan, Kayden? Are you forgetting what you owe her? She risked her life to save yours!” Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
I nod, feeling frustrated, but I don’t let Amanda see it.
I sigh. “I have been quite busy lately. I understand that Megan must be feeling a bit left out. Don’t worry, Amanda. I’ll speak to her soon.”
“Good,” she smiles.” “I’ll be waiting for the proposal of the century With that, she turns on her heel and leaves.
Proposal of the century?
I’ll be damned!
I take my phone and dial Megan’s number. She answers in one ring.
“Sweetheart! You finally returned my call!”
I take a moment to say something,
Marriage seems like a long shot. But Megan has always been in iny plans since that day she saved me from drowning. This may not be a proposal, but I guess it’s a start.
“Megan… would you like to go on a date with
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tomorrow?”