Ex-Husband's Regret (Ava and Rowan) novel Chapter 560

Mary is in her late forties and nothing like the stereotype of cold, snippy secretaries. All the executive assistants here are warm, thanks to a rule Uncle Rowan implemented after a former secretary went rogue and nearly killed Aunt Ava.

I don’t remember how long Aunt Ava was in a coma, but I remember Noah stopped coming to school during that period. Because of how extensive her injuries were, they had to cut Iris out of her at only six months. So while Aunt Ava was in a coma, Iris was in NICU.

Aunt Ava pulled through, but she woke up with amnesia. When she finally regained her memory, that same secretary tried to kill her again.

“Is Noah in?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper—as though just saying his name is taboo.

Mary’s eyes widen. “You want to see Noah?”

I don’t blame her for being shocked. After all, I don’t think there is a single person in this world who doesn’t know that Noah and I don’t get along

“Yes.”

“Umm… I can book you in,” she says, fumbling with her computer. “What’s this about?”

“Just tell him I’m here to see him.”

She nods slowly. “Okay… take a seat, then.”

I offer her a tense smile and sit down. My legs bounce restlessly, and I tuck my hands under my thighs to keep from biting my nails. Everything inside me is vibrating as if about to burst and for the hundredth time I think of how easy it would be to just disappear with the baby and not tell him anything.

Lilly had hyped me up so much last night. She stayed over, talking with me, holding me while I cried, telling me everything was going to be okay. In that moment, with her beside me, I believed it. I believed I could handle this shitstorm.

I didn’t sleep a wink. When she left at six, I was still wide awake, still panicking, still envisioning every possible way this could go wrong.

She left me little notes, all full of encouragement. I’d felt strong this morning. Brave, even. But the moment I arrived here… all that strength crumbled.

“He’s busy,” Mary says, snapping me from my thoughts. “Just give him a little time to finish up with some paperwork.”

She’s lying.

I can see it in her eyes, in the wince on her face. He’s not busy. He just doesn’t want to see me.

Still, I nod, choosing to give him time, all the while anxiety is eating me from the inside out. It feels like I’m drowning. Like I’m fighting for my next breath.

Time drags on. An hour passes.

“Not yet?”

“I don’t give a damn what you have to say. Didn’t I tell you I never want to see your face again?”

Okay, that stings. Actually no, it fucking hurts.

“It’s important,” I say, trying not to flinch under his fury.

“And I said I don’t give a flying shit!”

God, he has such a foul mouth.

“Listen—”

He steps forward, eyes blazing. “If you don’t walk out of my office right now, I swear—”

“I’M PREGNANT!” I shout.

Silence.

Pin-drop silence.