Ex-Husband's Regret (Ava and Rowan) novel Chapter 66

Nine years ago,

My phone pings with a new notification, waking me up from yet another restless sleep. For some reason, I haven’t been able to sleep well for the past two years.

Part of me thinks it’s because of Rowan. That my heart and head aren’t at peace because he isn’t near me anymore. My restlessness started when he joined the university two years ago. During the time he’s away at Uni, I rarely sleep, but when he’s home for the breaks, I sleep like a baby.

Groaning at yet another night without sleep, I wake up and check my phone. I’m surprised, but it quickly turns to happiness when I see what the notification is.

I paid someone money to install an app that lets me track Rowan every time he’s around. Right now, it just notified me that he was home.

Jumping out of bed, I get dressed quickly. He was probably back with Emma or maybe Travis or Gabe, but I didn’t mind. I just wanted to see him, even if it’s from afar.

Once I’m done getting ready, I sneak out through my bedroom window. I had the furthest room in the house. It’s nearly impossible for my parents or the maids to hear me leaving.

I get safely down and begin walking. Taking my phone out, I order an Uber.

“This is a terrible idea!” a voice niggles in my sub-consciousness

I ignore it. My head is already swimming with visions of my Rowan. I haven’t seen him in months, and my eyes were dying to feast on him.

“Ava, go back home. You’re making a mistake,” the voice continues shouting.

I stop in my tracks. That isn’t right. Nothing about Rowan would ever be a mistake. Cementing that in my head, I push all other thoughts to the back of my mind.

Minutes later, my ride arrives.

“Please, Ava, turn back” the damn voice pleads with me just as I am getting into the car.

I feel torn. Like I was fighting against my own mind and body. Finally, I manage to push the thought aside and get inside the car.

I should have listened to its warning.

After another thirty minutes, we arrive at a bar. I pay the guy and get out. I stare at the dingy place, wondering what the hell Rowan was doing here. This wasn’t his kind of scene.

Squaring my shoulders, I walk towards it and manage to get in using a fake ID. Quickly, I walk to a hidden spot and survey the place looking for him. I locate him within seconds, surprised to find he was alone.

I stay hidden for a while. Waiting to see if any of the others would arrive, but none of them did. He was here alone.

“No, I want to ask what you’re doing here, drinking alone, but I didn’t want to come off as rude.”

He sways in his seat as he leans forward. “Aren’t you sweet?” he says, then goes back to drinking.

“Are you okay?” I ask in concern. He wasn’t acting like his normal self.

He ignores me and continues drinking. I continue drinking too, and I just keep quiet. Waiting for him to break the silence.

“She doesn’t want to marry me,” he says after a while.

I stare at him. I was already feeling a kind of buzz.

“Who? Emma?”

“Yes, I asked her to marry me. I had the ring, and I proposed. I even took her to a special place and got down on one knee. I did everything right, but she still turned me down.”

I look at him in shock. Unable to believe that he had asked her to marry him. I’m hurt, but I push it down.