A Divorce He Regrets

Chapter 196:

I’d slammed my fist down on the desk then, my patience snapping. “It’s because she’s my sister that I didn’t have her arrested too. Don’t push me, Mom.”

The bitterness of that argument lingered in my chest, but I shoved it aside, focusing on the woman in front of me. Raina was studying me, her expression soft but guarded.

“Thank you, Alex,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “For doing this. For thinking about the kids.”

I smiled, unable to help myself. “You don’t have to thank me,” I said, stepping closer. “It’s the least I can do.”

Before she could protest or overthink it, I leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. It was brief but enough to leave her momentarily stunned, her eyes wide as she blinked up at me.

“Alex!” she stammered, her tone caught somewhere between surprise and exasperation.

I grinned, pulling back just enough to open the car door for her. “Get in,” I said, motioning toward the seat. “I’m taking you to lunch.”

She hesitated for a moment, clearly caught off guard, but then slipped into the car without a word. I closed the door behind her, a satisfied smile tugging at my lips as I walked around to the driver’s side.

Maybe, just maybe, I was starting to win her over again.

Lunch with Raina felt better than I had expected, like we hadn’t gone to lunch before. It felt like something new each time. Her smile lit up her face, brighter than I’d seen in weeks, and I found myself smiling back like a fool.

“You’ve been sitting there grinning like a Cheshire cat,” she teased, picking at the salad on her plate. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “It’s just nice to see you laugh. I feel like I don’t get to see that enough.”

Her smile faltered slightly, and for a moment, I thought I’d said the wrong thing. But then she looked down at her plate, her voice soft. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a reason to laugh.”

Your favorite stories gⱯlnσνels․com

“You have one now,” I said without hesitation, my tone gentle but firm.

She glanced up at me, her eyes searching mine. “What do you mean?”

I hesitated, my hand tightening around the fork. “I mean… being with you like this. Spending time together. It’s been good. For both of us, I think.”

She didn’t reply right away, but the faint blush on her cheeks was enough to give me hope.

As she sipped her drink, I let my thoughts wander. Watching her sitting across from me, so effortlessly beautiful, I knew I had made my decision. I was going to buy a house—not just for her, but for us. A space where she could feel safe, where the kids could run free, where we could start fresh.

“You’re quiet all of a sudden,” she said, her head tilting slightly as she studied me. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Nothing bad, I promise.”

“That doesn’t sound convincing.” She narrowed her eyes playfully.

“You’re not plotting something, are you?”

“Me? Plotting?” I raised a hand to my chest in mock offense. “Would I do that?”

“Yes.” She laughed again, the sound lighter this time. “You absolutely would.”

I smiled at her, but the thought lingered. Even if she decided she didn’t want me back, I wanted her to have a place that felt like home—a space where she and the kids could be together without looking over their shoulders. A place where we could all come together—just the four of us.

After dropping Raina off at work, I pulled into the driveway of my office building and dialed my agent. I needed answers. “Anything new with Nathan? Anyone tailing Raina?” I asked, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel, impatience growing in my chest.

.noveldrama

.

.