HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 189

**Shadows of the Past – By Emma Clarke**
**Chapter 189**

“I simply can’t remain here any longer. How much longer must I endure this torment?”

The shrill sound of her phone pierced the silence, a jarring interruption to her spiraling thoughts. She lunged for it, her heart racing with a flicker of desperate hope—surely, it was James. It had to be James.

But as she glanced at the screen, her heart plummeted. The name that illuminated her phone was not the one she yearned for. It was Krystal.

Irritation twisted her lips into a thin line, yet she answered the call, her voice edged with annoyance. “Yes?”

“Vanessa, it’s Krystal,” came the strained voice of her manager, heavy with fatigue.

“I’m aware. You think I wouldn’t save your number?” Vanessa leaned back against the headboard, her tone sharp and defensive. “What do you want?”

A weary sigh crackled through the line, echoing the burden Krystal carried. As the manager of Khiel Agency, she was responsible for all of Vanessa’s brand deals and partnerships, and her current tone suggested she was grappling with something monumental.

“We need to meet today, Vanessa. There’s far too much at stake.”

“What? No. I can’t leave the house,” Vanessa replied, her voice firm yet tinged with panic.

“Do you honestly think you have a choice in this matter?” Krystal’s breath was heavy, laced with frustration. “Every single contract associated with you is under fire. International brands are pulling out. Some sponsors are threatening legal action for damages. If you don’t step up and take responsibility, this could all come crashing down.”

Vanessa’s teeth clenched, a wave of anger surging through her. “Shouldn’t James be handling this? He’s my personal manager!”

“James? Don’t make me laugh.” Krystal’s voice was bitter, devoid of humor. “He hasn’t answered a single call. No one has been able to reach him. You can’t rely on him. The only person you have left is yourself. So, prepare yourself.”

Before Vanessa could muster a response, the line went dead, leaving her in stunned silence.

She stared at her phone, disbelief washing over her as the sting of Krystal’s words sank deep into her chest. Never before had Krystal spoken to her in such a way.

“Damn you, Krystal. How dare you treat me like this?” Vanessa spat, her voice trembling with a mixture of fury and hurt.

She felt utterly alone. Completely, devastatingly alone.

A sharp knock rattled her door, grating against her already frayed nerves. Who could it be now?

“Miss Vanessa, there are documents delivered from the law office. Shall I bring them in for you?” a servant’s voice called from the other side of the door.

Vanessa tightened her grip on the blanket, her heart pounding. “No! Don’t bring me anything. Just leave!”

She heard the footsteps retreat, and silence enveloped her once more, heavy and suffocating. Yet, she barely noticed; she couldn’t remain like this—curled up in despair, broken. She needed to take action.

Throwing off the covers, she forced herself out of bed and shuffled to her vanity. Her reflection stared back at her—pale skin, swollen eyes, a face that seemed foreign, unrecognizable.

“I can’t lose. I’m Vanessa Blake. I… I have to rise again,” she declared to her reflection, though the words trembled in her throat, her body quaking as if betraying the very resolve she fought to uphold.