HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 257

Kate froze, stunned by the sharpness in her son’s tone. “You... why would you even think that?”

“Because if you even have the slightest intention of doing that—just the slightest—the one who will suffer the most isn’t me. It’s Josh, Mom.” Daven’s voice dropped, heavy with conviction. “Would you really treat your own grandson like some trophy to be fought over? When is his life right now full of love and stability with Althea and the people around him? And then we show up, tearing it apart, just because he happens to carry Callister blood. Have you ever stopped to think about what his life would look like after that?”

Kate let out a low, frustrated growl.

“Have you ever imagined what would happen if Josh asked, Where were you all this time? When I needed my father beside me, when I longed for my grandmother’s love—where were you?”

Her face turned away, unable to meet his eyes.

“Could you bear to hear that question, Mom?” Daven exhaled heavily, pressing his fingers against his temples in exhaustion. “Because I can’t. I can’t even imagine answering it. My role in Josh’s life doesn’t exist at all. What I want—what I’m trying to do—is slowly ease my way into his world, so at the very least he knows his father is alive. That I’m not just watching him from heaven. That I’m here. I want to hold him close, play with him, walk him to school... do all the little things a father should.”

Silence hung thickly between them.

“That’s why,” Daven said quietly, his voice heavy but steady, “I need you to be patient, Mom.”

***

“Mom?” Kalina studied her mother with a frown, startled by the unusual shift in Kate’s demeanor.

Kate only pushed the spoon across her plate, as if she needed time to gather herself before speaking. Felicia noticed too, her brows knitting in concern.

“Do you need something else?” Felicia asked carefully. Just earlier, when Kate had said she wanted to visit Daven, her mood had seemed light. But now… now there was a heaviness about her.

“No,” her mother replied softly. She set her spoon down with a long sigh.

“Mom, don’t tell me this is about Daven. We all know he’s busy and can’t make it home for dinner, right?”

“I’m not upset about Daven skipping dinner. I know how many things he must handle,” Kate muttered, a faint trace of irritation lacing her voice.

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