HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 264

She simply watched as reporters clamored around Vanessa, their sharp questions leaving her cornered and speechless. Even her legal team seemed powerless to shield her. Throughout the trial and the final press conference, Daven had been conspicuously absent; only his lawyers had stepped forward to make official statements.

“At least it’s over,” Chase added, his voice gentler now, as if trying to pull her away from the heaviness of the moment. “You don’t have to worry anymore.”

Althea opened her mouth to reply—only for the sharp chime of the doorbell to cut through the room. It rang once, twice, then again in quick succession, impatient, insistent, almost demanding her attention.

“Wait a second—someone’s at the door,” Althea told Chase as she lowered the volume on the TV. She walked over; phone still pressed to her ear. The moment she opened the door, a hotel staff member stood there, his face pale, breath ragged as if he had just sprinted.

“Miss Althea—” his voice trembled, “there’s been an accident in front of the hotel.”

Althea froze. “What do you mean? What accident?”

The man swallowed hard, visibly uneasy. “A child… a hotel guest. Security identified him.” His eyes glossed with tears as he met hers. “The child… is your son. Joshua Grayson.”

The world stopped spinning. Althea went rigid, her body drained of strength. “N-no…” Her voice cracked, barely a whisper. “You must have the wrong person. That’s impossible—”

“Althea? What’s going on?” Chase’s panicked voice spilled through the phone.

The staff member stepped closer. “Please, ma’am. You need to come to the lobby right away. An ambulance and the police have already been called.”

Her phone nearly slipped from her trembling hand. Chase kept calling her name, his voice frantic, but all she could hear was the single word echoing in her head—Josh.

“Josh… how is he?!” Althea screamed, her eyes wide with terror. “Where is he now?”

“Waiting for the ambulance, ma’am,” the staffer replied softly. “He… he’s injured.”

Althea didn’t waste another second. She bolted from her room, the staff hurrying alongside her. Her phone was still clutched in her hand, Chase’s desperate voice spilling from the speaker.

“Althea! Tell me what happened! I’m on my way!”

But she couldn’t answer him anymore. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks. Every step felt heavy, like she was running through the darkest nightmare. Only one thought pounded through her mind—Josh.

Please, let my son be safe. God, I beg you—protect my child.

***

“Sir, these are additional files from the finance department,” Arsen said as he carefully set a new stack of documents on Daven’s desk.

Daven barely glanced at them, his eyes fixed back on his screen. “What time is our meeting with finance?”

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