HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 127

**Shadows of the Past – By Emma Clarke**
**Chapter 127**

“What… what did you just say?” Vanessa leaped from her chair, her breath hitching in her throat, each inhalation frantic and shallow, as if the very air around her had thickened into a suffocating fog.

“I’m divorcing you,” Daven reiterated, his voice steady and resolute, a stark contrast to the chaos that erupted around the dinner table. “The papers will be delivered officially tomorrow morning.”

The atmosphere shifted abruptly, turning electric with tension.

“Daven Callister!” Theo’s voice thundered, his chair scraping violently against the floor as he rose, eyes ablaze with indignation. His fierce glare was fixed on Daven, who, infuriatingly, remained composed, casually sipping his drink as if he hadn’t just detonated a bomb in the middle of their family gathering. What was he thinking?

“You think this is a joke?!” Theo’s voice was sharp, slicing through the air as he lost his temper.

“This isn’t some impulsive decision,” Daven replied coolly, his demeanor unyielding. “I didn’t just think about it once—I’ve deliberated over this countless times.” He glanced at Theo, his expression unwavering. “And no, Mr. Blake, this is not a joke.”

“You arrogant bastard!” Theo slammed his palm down on the table, the sound echoing like a gunshot. “If you believe you can humiliate my daughter in front of her own family, then as of tonight, I’m withdrawing every last cent of my investment from Callister Group!”

“Dad!” Vanessa cried out, panic coursing through her veins as she grasped her father’s arm. What on earth had turned this dinner into a battlefield? Everything had spiraled out of control, and she felt utterly powerless. She couldn’t fathom what was going through Daven’s mind. “Daven, please! Can’t we discuss this privately?”

“For once, Vanessa’s right,” Felicia interjected softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She had come to the dinner merely out of obligation, not intending to speak at all. The idea of facing Vanessa again was daunting, let alone reconciling. But this? This was beyond her expectations.

Half-rising from her chair, Felicia appeared visibly unsettled. Even Kate, who had been quiet until now, seemed to sense the gravity of the situation, her expression shifting from confusion to alarm.

“Daven! Don’t be reckless!” she gasped, her voice trembling with concern.

“This isn’t recklessness, Mom,” Daven replied flatly, his tone devoid of emotion. “I’ve reached the end of my patience. I’m done pretending that everything is fine.”

“Tired?!” Vanessa’s eyes, rimmed with red, bore into him like daggers. “You didn’t even attempt to fix anything! You disappeared for days without a word, without an explanation—and now you just show up and drop this bombshell on me like it’s nothing?”

“Enough!” Kate’s voice quivered, but she forced herself to maintain composure. Her gaze flickered between Vanessa and Daven, searching for a glimmer of hope. “If there’s something wrong between you two, this isn’t the way to resolve it. Isn’t there any other way?”

“I agree!” Felicia chimed in, now standing with a sense of urgency. “Divorce isn’t the answer. Daven, please think this through. This isn’t just about the two of you—it’s about your family, your name, your—”

“It’s too late,” Daven interrupted coldly, his voice cutting through the air like a knife.

With deliberate movements, he reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, pulling out a thick envelope brimming with documents and photographs. Without uttering a single word, he placed it squarely in the center of the table. Some of the contents slipped out as he released his grip.

Among the scattered items, one particular object caught the eye—a small voice recorder, its presence ominous and heavy with implications, filled with files meant to corroborate the photographs with undeniable proof.

Vanessa felt as if the ground had shifted beneath her, leaving her breathless and frozen in place.

She had never envisioned that everything she had worked so diligently to conceal could unravel so swiftly—laid bare before her family. And the most gut-wrenching part? It was her own husband who had orchestrated this exposure.

Her gaze darted across the disarray of documents on the table—most of them were photographs featuring her and James. If it had merely been a casual dinner, perhaps Vanessa could have talked her way out of it. But the images were damning. They depicted intimacy, affection—the kind meant solely for lovers, not colleagues.

Vanessa stiffened, her heart racing. “What is all this?”

“You’re genuinely asking me that?” Daven’s smirk was razor-thin, a cruel twist of his lips. “Do I really need to spell it out for you?”

A tightness gripped her chest, unease clawing its way up her throat like a feral beast.

“Better yet, take a good look for yourself.” His eyes bore into hers, challenging. “That’s proof of your affair.”

The room fell into a suffocating silence.

“I don’t want to hear it,” he replied quietly, his voice devoid of warmth.

“Save your excuses for court. Hire the best lawyer you can, Vanessa. Because I’m not playing around with this divorce.”

“Wait, Daven,” Theo interjected, panic rising in his voice. “What do you mean by filing for divorce? Can’t you two talk this through first?”

“Why should I listen to the excuses of someone who betrayed my trust?”

The words struck Theo like a physical blow, leaving him reeling. The pain was sharp, visceral, and as the reality of the situation settled in, he felt his body sway, his breath becoming shallow and uneven. He hunched forward, and then—

“Dad?!”

Theo collapsed, his head striking the back of the chair as he slumped down, unconscious.

Felicia and Kate sprang to their feet, both screaming in unison. The room, once charged with silent fury, erupted into chaos. The dinner, which had been meant to be a warm gathering, had devolved into sheer panic.

“Call a doctor! Now!” Felicia shouted, her voice breaking with fear.

“Don’t let him lose consciousness!” Kate cried, rushing to check Theo’s pulse. It was weak—far too weak.

Vanessa stood paralyzed, her breath coming in sharp, ragged bursts. Her heart didn’t just pound; it felt as though it had ceased to function entirely.

The world around her blurred into a cacophony of noise and frantic movement.

All she could see was Daven’s cold, unyielding gaze. It sliced through her like a merciless blade—final and unforgiving.