A Divorce He Regrets

Chapter 76:

I turned to face him, wiping hastily at my tear-streaked cheeks. The concern in his eyes was genuine, but it only irritated me. I didn’t want his pity. I didn’t want him anywhere close to me for much longer.noveldrama

“Send me the reservation details,” I snapped, my voice shaky but resolute. He blinked, clearly surprised, but nodded without question. “I will, but are you—”

Without waiting for him to finish, I walked away, my thoughts a tangled mess of anger, pain, and the need to strangle that woman.

Alexander may have saved my life, but that didn’t mean he could fix it. That was my job, and I wasn’t about to let anyone—or anything—stand in my way.

When I got home later that evening, sure enough, the details were waiting in my inbox. A high-end restaurant in the city, one of those exclusive places with a months-long waiting list.

I sighed, leaning back against the couch and staring at the message. My mind was still heavy with thoughts of Liam, his struggles, and the uphill battle he faced.

The sound of the doorbell jarred me from my thoughts. I frowned, glancing at the clock. Who could possibly be visiting at this hour?

With a deep breath, I stood and made my way to the door, my heart pounding for reasons I couldn’t explain.

As I reached for the handle, a small voice in the back of my mind whispered a warning, but I ignored it. Turning the knob, I opened the door, bracing myself for whatever—or whoever—was waiting on the other side.

ALEXANDER

The tie was fine. It had been fine the first time I adjusted it and the tenth time after that, but here I was, fixing it again like a nervous schoolboy. The polished mirror in the car visor reflected a man who was supposed to be composed, confident. Instead, my fingers fumbled with the knot for what felt like the hundredth time.

This wasn’t me. I didn’t get nervous. Not during business negotiations, not ever. But this wasn’t just business, or any of the other things I’d perfected over the years. This was Raina.

She had always had this effect on me, even before I was foolish enough to let her go. And now, as I sat in my car, parked just a few yards from the Graham property, waiting for the right time to make my move, I felt like I was twenty again, standing outside her door, waiting to ask her on our first date.

ᴹᴼᴿᴱ ᵁᴾᴰᴬᵀᴱˢ ᴵᴺ ᴳᴬᴸᴺᴼⱽᴱᴸˢ.ᶜᴼᴹ

Except this wasn’t a first date. This was an apology wrapped in a desperate attempt to win her trust back.

I checked my watch again, the seconds dragging like hours. It was still too early, but I couldn’t sit idle. The dress I had sent her should’ve arrived earlier in the day, and I couldn’t stop imagining her in it. Deep emerald green—her favorite color. She’d always looked stunning in green, like it was made for her.

When the clock finally struck the hour, I started the car and drove the short distance to her house. Luck was on my side when I saw her stepping outside, about to get into her car. Perfect timing. I parked, stepped out, and called her name.

“Raina!”

Her body stiffened, and she turned slowly, her expression an annoyed mix of surprise and exasperation.

“What are you doing here, Alex?” she asked, her tone sharp, like she was already preparing for a fight.

I smiled, ignoring the bite in her words. “I wasn’t about to let my…” I stopped myself just in time. My wife. The word almost slipped out, but she didn’t know the truth yet. That revelation would take time, and I couldn’t afford to blurt it out now. “…date,” I finished smoothly. “I wasn’t about to let my date head to the restaurant on her own, especially when you’ve only just recovered.”

She crossed her arms, her gaze narrowing with barely concealed irritation. “I said I would meet you there,” she said sharply. “I don’t need an escort.”

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