HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 111

**Shadows of the Past – By Emma Clarke**

**Chapter 111**

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Vanessa, but I cannot disclose Mr. Daven’s schedule to you,” Arsen replied, his voice laced with exhaustion. The incessant ringing of his phone had become a relentless assault throughout the day, forcing him to silence it just to find a moment’s peace. Yet, even in silence, Vanessa’s calls flooded in like an unyielding tide. Her persistent messages were not an uncommon occurrence, but today felt particularly overwhelming.

Arsen cast a quick glance at Daven, silently pleading for some direction. However, Daven was deeply engrossed in a conversation with the Mayor of SunCity, his focus unwavering as they discussed the intricacies of his latest project. It was clear that Daven had no intention of intervening in Arsen’s predicament with Vanessa; he was leaving Arsen to fend for himself.

“Why are you being so secretive?” Vanessa’s voice crackled through the line, sharp and accusatory. “Do I need to remind you of your position, Arsen? You’re just Daven’s assistant! Hand him the phone. I need to talk to him right now.”

With a heavy sigh, Arsen responded, “I truly apologize, Mrs. Vanessa. Mr. Daven is currently in a meeting and cannot be disturbed. I kindly ask that you try again during his available hours.”

“How am I supposed to know when he’s free if he never shares his schedule with me?” Vanessa’s voice rose in pitch, a mixture of frustration and desperation. “Be honest, Arsen. Is Daven seeing someone else behind my back? Is he out enjoying himself while pretending to work?”

Arsen stared at his phone screen, incredulous. How could she even suggest such a thing? Daven was not the one crossing boundaries; it was Vanessa who had overstepped. Yet here she was, twisting the narrative to fit her own insecurities.

But Arsen was no fool; he understood the complexities of their relationship far too well. When Daven had once asked him to notify Vanessa if he was with Althea, Arsen had chosen silence. It was simply wiser that way—for everyone involved.

“Why are you ignoring my questions?” Vanessa’s voice cut through his thoughts once more, sharper than before.

Just as Arsen opened his mouth to respond, he caught Daven’s gaze. The intensity in his boss’s eyes conveyed a silent message. Without uttering a word, Daven motioned for Arsen to come closer, indicating that he had something important to communicate. Arsen complied, bringing the phone back to his ear for one final attempt.

“I must apologize, Mrs. Vanessa. I really need to return to my work now.”

With that, he ended the call, a sense of relief washing over him.

Before Daven could voice his thoughts, Arsen hurriedly interjected, “I’m sorry, Mr. Daven. Mrs. Vanessa was insistent, and I—”

“I have no interest in your conversation with her,” Daven interrupted, dismissing Arsen with a wave of his hand as he thrust a stack of documents toward him. “Keep a close eye on this construction project. The Mayor mentioned that most of the contracts have been awarded to the Miller family. It appears that man’s influence is even more extensive than my sources indicated.”

“Understood, Mr. Daven,” Arsen replied quickly, eager to shift the focus back to business.

“Did you inform her that I met with Althea?” Daven inquired, his tone steady but his expression unreadable.

“I… didn’t think it was my place to share that information with Mrs. Vanessa,” Arsen said cautiously.

A faint smile flickered across Daven’s lips, a rare sight that sent a shiver down Arsen’s spine. “You should have done what I asked, Arsen. Do you know why? Because it’s the truth. Just this morning—and even last night—we crossed paths, even if we didn’t exchange words.”

Arsen fell silent, the weight of Daven’s statement hanging in the air between them.

Daven clicked his tongue in annoyance before moving on. “Has Rio reached out to me yet?”

“Not yet, Mr. Daven,” Arsen replied, matching Daven’s pace as they exited the mayor’s office. Every few moments, he reminded Daven of his upcoming appointments, including the inquiry Daven had made earlier about visiting Josh’s school.

It wasn’t that Arsen wanted to meddle; rather, he hoped Daven would let go of this wild fixation he held onto so tightly.

The conviction… the belief… that Josh was his son.

“You really think I’d joke about something like this?” Althea scoffed lightly, savoring a bite of her cake. It was perfectly balanced—not too sweet, just right to accompany her refreshing lemon tea.

“So, what’s Chase doing about all of this?” Lydia pressed, curiosity piqued.

Althea let out a slow, contemplative sigh. “He’s arranged for a few people to keep an eye on Josh—without him even realizing it. And… I just discovered that Chase has capabilities I never imagined he possessed.”

Lydia leaned in closer, eager for the details. “What do you mean?”

“He’s effectively shut down every avenue Daven could use to dig deeper into Josh’s life. And let’s be honest, it wouldn’t take much for that man to do so,” Althea explained, her tone serious.

“Given your ex-husband’s considerable influence, no, it wouldn’t,” Lydia concurred, nodding thoughtfully. “I didn’t expect Chase to pull something like that, either. I always thought he was just the wealthy heir of the Miller Foundation. But it seems a lot can happen when someone like Chase is born into real power.”

Althea sighed again, her gaze drifting back to the half-eaten slice of cake before her, lost in thought.

“What’s with that expression?” Lydia asked, breaking the silence.

“I don’t know…”

“Instead of sitting there looking all pensive, why don’t you tell me how your dinner with the Miller family went? I’ve been dying to hear about it, Althea.”

Althea hesitated, her eyes locking onto Lydia’s, searching for the right words.

“Wait… did something go wrong?”