A Divorce He Regrets (Alissa Nexus) novel Chapter 66

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I narrowed my eyes at her, already regretting letting her through the door. “Vanessa, don’t even start.”

“Oh, come on,” she said, ignoring me completely. She sat back, twirling a strand of hair like she had the perfect plan. “All you have to do is find me a job at Graham Corporation. I’ll handle the rest from there. You get Raina back, and I’ll secure my spot in the family.”

“No,” I said flatly.

Her self-satisfied smile disappeared in an instant. “Why not?”

I stared her down, my patience already hanging by a thread. “Because you’d ruin everything,” I snapped. “Do you think Raina would ever trust me again if I let you anywhere near her? She’s already barely tolerating me.”

Vanessa’s eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked genuinely offended. “I’m trying to help you!” she snapped, her voice rising in pitch.

I leaned forward, letting my frustration seep into every word. “No, Vanessa. You’re trying to help yourself, like you always do. And I’m not about to let you use me or Raina for one of your little power plays.”

Her face flushed with anger as she stood abruptly, the legs of her chair scraping against the floor. “Fine!” she spat, throwing up her hands like a spoiled kid denied dessert. “Figure it out on your own!”

I didn’t even flinch as she stomped out of my office, slamming the door behind her.

A heavy sigh escaped my mother as she smoothed out her skirt, her calm composure never faltering. “You could be a little nicer to her, Alex,” she said, her voice soft but pointed.

I rolled my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Vanessa needs to learn to stay out of things that don’t concern her. She doesn’t care about me or Raina; she just wants to climb her way into power.”

My mother gave me a long, assessing look, the kind that made me feel like a child who’d just disappointed her. “She’s still your sister,” she said simply. “Try to remember that.”

She gave me one last glance, her expression softening ever so slightly. “Have you heard anything about Ava?”

The mention of my daughter hit me like a punch to the gut. My chest tightened, and I shook my head, my voice barely audible. “No.”

“She’ll come around,” my mother said gently, her tone uncharacteristically kind. “If Raina loved you even a little, she’ll understand. But you’ll have to earn her trust back first. Don’t waste this opportunity.”

And with that, she left, closing the door behind her and leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I sat there for a long moment, staring at nothing in particular as her words replayed in my mind. My gaze eventually drifted to my phone, and my chest ached when I saw the picture of Raina on my lock screen.

Her smile was vibrant, her eyes full of life and warmth—so different from the guarded, wary look she gave me now. I wanted to see that smile again. Not in a photograph, but in real life.

The knock on my door pulled me from my thoughts, and my assistant walked in, holding a stack of documents. “These need Ms. Graham’s signature,” she said, placing them on my desk.

It felt like fate.