HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 190

**Shadows of the Past – By Emma Clarke**
**Chapter 190**

“Over the top,” Vanessa murmured under her breath, her voice barely a whisper as she stood before the full-length mirror in her bedroom. She scrutinized her reflection for what felt like the third time, but the truth was, she had lost count. The long black coat she wore draped over her shoulders like a protective shroud, concealing not only the bandages that wrapped around her body but, more crucially, shielding her from the prying eyes of the reporters who were undoubtedly lurking just outside.

“There’s no way I can leave without an escort,” she thought, the weight of her predicament pressing heavily on her chest.

With a sudden determination, she snatched her phone from the vanity, her fingers trembling slightly as she dialed the only person left in her life whom she could trust—her father’s aide.

“I need a security detail,” she said, her voice clipped and urgent. “Send people to pick me up from the house right now.”

On the other end, she could hear a long, drawn-out exhale, followed by a tone that was both careful and polite. “I’m sorry, Miss Vanessa, but Mr. Theo has forbidden you from leaving the house for the time being. There are too many risks to consider—”

“I have to meet with my agency,” Vanessa interjected, her tone sharp and insistent. “There are matters that need to be discussed. Can’t I at least do that? Tell my father I won’t act recklessly or tarnish his name.”

“What about the reporters? They’ve been stationed outside, waiting for your appearance,” the aide responded, still hesitant.

“I know they’re out there. I won’t say anything careless.”

A heavy silence hung in the air, stretching on until Vanessa’s voice became more insistent, tinged with desperation. “Dad, please. I can’t go to the agency without protection. Those damn reporters will bombard me with disgusting questions.”

At last, her father’s voice broke through the line—firm, commanding, as always. “I’ll send some men. But remember this, Vanessa—this isn’t only about you. It’s about the Blake family’s name. Whatever happens there, you will hold yourself together. Do you understand?”

Vanessa exhaled in relief, a flicker of warmth igniting in her chest despite the gravity of the situation. “Yes, Dad.”

“If you cause any more scandals, I won’t help you again.”

“You won’t abandon me, will you?” she asked, a faint smile teasing her lips, the knot in her chest loosening just a bit.

“Foolish girl. I can’t abandon you—you carry my name. I’m already working on a counterattack against Daven and Althea. All you need to do is endure. That’s it.”

The call ended abruptly, leaving Vanessa standing in the silence of her room for a moment longer. She picked up her handbag with a lighter step, her father’s words providing a flicker of comfort, even if they were more about his reputation than her well-being. Still, at least she wasn’t entirely alone in this chaos.

***

The sleek black car that carried Vanessa sped through the bustling streets of Mighatan, the city blurring past in a whirlwind of colors and sounds. Two broad-shouldered men occupied the front seats, their expressions stoic and watchful, while she leaned uneasily against the luxurious leather of the back seat. Her gaze flitted nervously to the window, scanning the surroundings as if expecting the paparazzi to leap out from the passing traffic at any moment.

“Don’t worry, Miss,” one of the guards reassured her, his voice steady and calm. “We’ll make sure you get into the building safely.”

“Safe?” Vanessa let out a bitter, humorless laugh that echoed with disbelief. “There’s no such thing as safe today.”

As the car turned into the agency’s lot, her worst fears were confirmed. A swarm of reporters lay in wait, cameras raised like weapons, microphones thrust forward like spears. The air erupted with a cacophony of shouts the moment Vanessa stepped out of the car.

Her teeth ground together, fighting against the tears that threatened to spill. “Get them away from me! I don’t want to see anyone’s face!” she snapped, her voice ragged and raw.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of struggle, her guards managed to shove her through the glass doors into the agency’s lobby. The doors closed behind them with a heavy thud, muffling the chaos outside. Vanessa staggered forward, breath coming in sharp, desperate gasps. She had never felt so suffocated—not even at her grandest film premiere, when the paparazzi had swarmed in droves. This was different. This was merciless.

“Damn it!” she hissed, hastily smoothing her hair and coat, desperately trying to compose herself. “I’ll make every one of them pay for this. Every single one.”

Inside, Krystal was already waiting, her figure rigid as she sat at a table piled high with contracts, her expression heavy with tension.

“Ms. Krystal, Miss Vanessa has arrived at the lobby,” a staff member reported quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Krystal immediately set her work aside, rising from her desk with urgency as she hurried to meet the woman whose name was suddenly on everyone’s lips across Mighatan—and undoubtedly in every major city beyond. If the situation had revolved around accolades, Krystal wouldn’t have been this shaken. But the scandal was everywhere: on television, splashed across social media feeds, dissected in heated conversations among the public.

The agency was in chaos.

“Finally, you came,” she said flatly, her voice edged with steel as she stepped into the private waiting room reserved for Vanessa. The model was one of the few stars who received such treatment, her popularity demanding it—and her own disdain for waiting alongside the others making it a necessity.

“Have you been standing all this time? Sit down.”

Vanessa tilted her chin high, clinging to her dignity even as the weight of the world pressed down on her. But she couldn’t argue with the fact that standing forever was not an option. With a sharp tone, she asked, “What was so important that I had to be dragged here?”