Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 325

Evelina swung her legs off the hospital bed and walked right up to Dean.

She lifted her hand, palm open, holding it out so he couldn’t look away.

“Dean, do you remember this scar?”

Her voice wavered and tears slipped down her cheeks.

“When that piece of glass stabbed into my hand, I didn’t even feel the pain. All I could think about was getting your mom out of the car. I couldn’t let her die in that explosion…”

“I’d just pulled her out of the driver’s seat when the car blew up.”

“But at least... I managed to keep her safe…”

Dean’s eyes dropped to the faded mark in her palm.

He wanted to do what he always did—to gently touch the scar she got saving his mother.

But just as his fingers were about to brush her skin, he froze.

A wave of nausea and revulsion surged up inside him, so strong he couldn’t fight it.

Evelina felt him hesitate. Suddenly, she grabbed his hand, desperate.

“Dean, it hurts so much when you treat me like this.” She looked up at him through her tears. “I never wanted any of that to happen. I didn’t want those people to touch me. I’m a victim too!”

Before he could respond, she wrapped her arms around his waist, holding on tight.

“Dean, marry me. Please?”

Dean’s body went stiff. Without thinking, he pushed her off.

“Eve, I can make it up to you... just not like this.”

“I don’t want anything else!” Evelina choked out, clutching him again, her voice breaking.

“I don’t care about anything else! Dean, I love you. I just want to be your wife. I want to have your baby!”

“Dean, you promised! You said you’d never let me down, that you’d love me forever!”

“You can’t just break your word!”

Dean’s frown deepened, his brow tight with tension.

Right then, a wave of regret crashed over him.

He realized he’d spent this lifetime trying to repay Evelina with his own marriage and happiness, thinking it was the right thing.

His mind flashed back to his previous life—a man with a great career, a happy marriage. People envied him, even though he and his wife never had kids.

But now?

Everything had gone off course.

This second chance was nothing like he imagined.

He hadn’t protected Emmy—she’d become a pawn in their family’s power games.

He hadn’t protected Evelina—her reputation was in ruins.

She hadn’t kept it from him—she’d told him she’d taken Dominic as her mentor, and insisted he clear his schedule to visit with her today.

James didn’t hesitate.

“I’ll pick out a gift and come get you by eleven. We’ll go together.”

Emmy let out a sigh of relief. She’d been stressing about what kind of gift to bring.

“Nothing too fancy, okay? Just something an older man would like. He’s into tea.”

“Yeah, I know.”

He was about to head out, but instead, he shrugged on his jacket and strode back over—crossing the room in a few long steps.

That wall of masculine energy hit Emmy before he even reached her. She knew exactly what he was about to do.

He stepped into her space, blocking out the light, and the next second, his hand was at the back of her head, pulling her in for a deep kiss.

Their breaths tangled together, and he only let go when they were both a little breathless.

His voice was low and rough in her ear, his breath hot against her skin.

“When you’re done with all this, you owe me. And I expect you to make it up to me—properly.”

With that, he let her go and walked out.

Emmy stood there, cheeks burning so hot she felt like she could fry an egg on them.