A Divorce He Regrets (Alissa Nexus) novel Chapter 170

I leaned against the doorframe, watching the scene with a mix of gratitude and exhaustion. Grandma's patience and care reminded me that in all the chaos, there were still moments of peace.

"You worry too much, Raina," Grandma said, not looking up at me, her voice soft but teasing.

I chuckled weakly. "Maybe. But I just can't help it.".

"Well, you try. The boy's all right," she said, and nodded toward Liam with a faint smile.

And, of course, she was right. Because as I watched Liam take slow, purposeful spoonfuls of the soup as the color started edging back into his cheeks, that tight coil in my chest slowly started to unknot.

And for the first time all day, I finally allowed myself a breath.

The next two days felt different, lighter. I made it a point to spend as much time with Ava and Liam as I could. We played silly games in the living room, built castles out of pillows, and read stories late into the night. The guilt that had been my bedfellow—the ache of not being there enough for them—began to lift.

Alex kept me posted on all that was happening at home. His voice was always reassuringly steady. Sometimes, he would slip in a flirtatious comment or two, making me smile despite myself. Every phone call ended the same: with an "I love you."

"And the kids too," he added quickly, almost as if to dilute the closeness of those words.

I couldn’t help but think he was calling more often just to say it, like he needed me to hear it.

While his words warmed me, they also planted a seed of anxiety. Once all of this was over, we’d need to talk. Really talk. About us, about everything. The thought of that conversation loomed over me, both hopeful and terrifying.

It was late, and I was getting ready for bed when Alex called once more. On the second ring, I answered and sat back against the headboard, curling my legs under the blankets.

"Still awake?" he asked, voice low and playful-sounding.

"Barely," I admitted, stifling another yawn. "How's things going there?"

The pause on the line was long enough to alert me that something wasn't quite right.

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