A Divorce He Regrets (Alissa Nexus) novel Chapter 39

39

RAINA

The ride home was unbearably quiet. My hands clenched in my lap, and my jaw ached from holding back the tears that refused to fall. I was too angry to cry. Too furious at Alex. All this time–years of agony–and I had been married to him? To the man who shattered my life? Why would he do this? Why would he play God with iny life like it was some game?

Hate wasn’t a strong enough word for what I felt.

As soon as we pulled into the driveway, I pushed the car door open and stormed toward the house. My grandparents stood by the door, balloons in hand, their faces lighting up at the sight of me.

That was when the dam finally broke.

Tears streamed down my face, and I choked back a sob as I ran past them. I would’ve made it to my room if my grandfather’s voice hadn’t stopped me.

“Where’s Liam?” he asked, his tone laced with concern.

I froze, my back to them, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Liam… Liam won’t be staying with us. Not yet.”

The words tasted bitter, and my voice cracked as I spoke. I heard Dominic telling Ava to head upstairs and play. My little girl hesitated, walking over to me instead. She tugged at my hand, her big, hopeful eyes looking up at me.

“Don’t cry, Mommy,” she said softly. “Liam will be home soon.”

I tried to smile for her, nodding even though every fiber of my being screamed otherwise. I wanted to believe those words but it was too obvioius that Alex would make it impossible for me. She gave me a quick hug before scampering upstairs, her laughter echoing faintly.

Once Ava was out of sight, Dominic spoke up. His voice was steady but tinged with anger. “When we got to the hospital, Liam was gone. Alex had taken him. And that’s when we found out Raina.. that Raina was still married to him.”

Hearing it out loud again made me crumble. The weight of everything crashed down, and a sob ripped through my chest as I sank to my knees. My grandmother was at my side in seconds, her hands warm and steady as she helped me up. She whispered soothing words, guiding me to the couch.

“Why is this happening to me?” I asked no one in particular, my voice broken.

My grandfather paced the room, his anger barely contained. “That damn Sullivan boy…” His voice trailed off, and Dominic stepped in, his tone firm.

“Calm down, Grandpa,” he said. “Mind your heart.”

Dominic explained everything Alex had said, but my mind kept circling back to one thing–Alex wanted me back. Why? Why now, when my life was finally starting to make sense? Why not years ago, when I was desperate for him to come back? Why did he have to ruin things? And Nathan… What would he think of me now? Would he still want me, knowing I’m still married?

My grandmother stroked my hair, her words soft and comforting, but they did little to ease the ache in my chest. After some time, my grandfather stopped pacing and turned to Dominic.

“Is there anything we can do to make Alex submit to a divorce?” he asked, his voice sharp with determination.

Dominic sighed. “The Vince Project is still on. We could kick him off, but I doubt that’ll stop him. Our best bet is the court. A different one, maybe in another state. The state attorney is a friend of the Sullivans.”

The old man nodded. “I’ll speak to a friend of mine and get the best lawyer on this. Raina, you have nothing to worry about.”

I wanted to believe him, but I couldn’t shake the weight in my chest. “I have a lot to worry about,” I muttered under my breath.

Theaded upstairs, my feet heavy with exhaustion. Once in my root, I stared at my phone. I needed to talk to someone who

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wasn’t family. Someone who didn’t know Alex. I needed Nathan. But if he heard me crying, he’d rush over, and then he’d find out everything. I wasn’t ready for that. Not yet.

Sleep eluded me again that night. Morning came too quickly, and as I got ready, Grandpa met me in the hallway.

“I’ve found a lawyer,” he said. “Before the day’s out, Alex will be served the court order.”

Relief washed over me, and I nodded. “What about Ava?” I asked.

“She’s already gone to school,” he replied.

As I headed for the door, Nathan was waiting outside. My heart raced at the sight of him. He was leaning casually against his car, his gaze locked on mine.

Dominic stepped out behind me, raising an eyebrow. “When did you get here?” he asked.

“I’ve been here for a while,” Nathan replied, his voice calm but warm. His eyes never left mine.

Dominic looked between us and then announced, “Nathan will be handling your case. Not only is he a partner at his firm, but his firm is an ally of ours.”

I blinked, stunned. “He knows?” was all I could manage.

Nathan nodded, his gaze softening. He stretched out his hand toward me, and I hesitated before taking it. Instead of a handshake, he pulled me into a hug, his voice low as he whispered, “It’s okay.”

He pulled back just enough to look into my eyes. “We’ll need to head to my office,” he said gently. “We need to go over your history with your… ex.” He gritted the word, his jaw tightening.

At Nathan’s office, the atmosphere was calm yet charged with unspoken tension. He exuded professionalism, sitting across from me with a notepad in hand, his pen poised. But there

chest.

“You really didn’t know Alex never filed the papers?” Nathan asked, his voice steady but tinged with disbelief. His brows furrowed, his confusion evident.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I had no reason to believe he wouldn’t. I signed them minutes after giving birth, Nathan. It was a chaotic, emotional moment, and I just… I trusted he’d follow through.” My voice wavered as the memory resurfaced. “We hadn’t spoken for years after that.”

Nathan’s gaze softened, and he gave a small nod, encouraging me to continue.

I told him everything–every painful detail I’d buried over the years. The anguish, the betrayal, the loneliness. I recounted the day I’d signed those papers, the exhaustion from giving birth, and the hollow feeling as Alex walked out of my life with barely a glance back. Every word felt like reopening an old wound, but Nathian listened intently, his pen moving swiftly as he took notes.

When I finished, my voice cracked from the strain of revisiting it all, Nathan set his pen down, leaning forward slightly. His presence was grounding, his sincerity unwavering.

“Thank you for trusting me with this,” he said, his voice low and earnest. His eyes held mine, and I saw nothing but understanding in them. “We’ll prepare for court and do everything we can to make this right. But until then…” He hesitated, his expression shifting to something more serious. “We’ll have to suspend our relationship.”

His words landed like a blow, though I knew they were coming. My chest tightened, but I nodded, forcing myself to remain composed. I nodded, agreeing to suspend our relationship, even though the decision weighed heavily on me. Deep down, I told myself it was for the best. If Nathan hadn’t brought it up first, I would have. I was just relieved I didn’t have to be the one to say it

out loud.

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