HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 32

Chapter 32

When Althea first stepped through the door of this modest house, all she owned was a single, battered suitcase containing a handful of threadbare clothes. But now, three large suitcases stood neatly arranged in the corner of her bedroom. They weren’t filled with expensive trinkets or lavish belongings acquired during her marriage to Daven. Instead, each case held items of profound sentimental value—treasures that spoke of memories and connections far deeper than material wealth.

These were gifts from Evelyn.

Simple yet meaningful possessions: a hand-knitted blanket, its yarn soft and worn from years of use; a faded recipe book filled with Evelyn’s delicate handwriting, the pages yellowed but cherished; and a lavender scarf, once draped around Evelyn’s neck on cold winter days, carrying the faint scent of her presence.

To anyone else, these might have seemed like ordinary keepsakes, but to Althea, they were priceless relics of a bond that transcended words.

From a small, tidy drawer, she carefully pulled out a debit card—one she hadn’t dared to touch in many months. The last time Evelyn had offered it to her, Althea had gently refused.

“I don’t need it, Omma,” she had said quietly, returning the card to Evelyn’s outstretched hand. “Daven takes care of everything I could possibly want. Really.”

The elderly woman, with her ever-kind eyes and tender heart, had smiled softly and brushed her fingers over Althea’s hair. “This is a gift from me, sweetheart. You never know when you might need it. Besides, it’s only right that my grandson provides for his wife, isn’t it? He has plenty of money, Althea. You should never have to worry about lacking anything.”

At the time, Althea had nodded, her voice steady but her heart conflicted. “That’s exactly why I don’t need it, Grandma.”

Evelyn had pouted playfully, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “You really know how to hurt an old woman’s feelings, don’t you, Althea?”

The words had made Althea’s chest tighten with guilt.

“I even set aside some of my own savings just to give you this card,” Evelyn had said, her tone half-joking but sincere. “And you’re turning it down? Felicia would never say no to something that involves money. She’s always finding something new to buy, Althea.”

Althea had swallowed hard, her nerves tightening as if a knot had formed in her stomach.

Her eyes squeezed shut tightly as a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her. “Ugh. Why does my head hurt so badly?”

The pounding pressure behind her eyes came on unexpectedly, relentless and unforgiving. She shook her head slowly, trying to clear the fog clouding her mind.

“Come on, Althea,” she whispered to herself, bracing against the spinning room. “Don’t get sick now. Just a little more to finish.”

Her gaze swept across the room, landing on the last of her belongings scattered in disarray. Pushing herself away from the wardrobe, she grasped the edge of the vanity for support, willing her legs to hold steady.

But her limbs felt heavy, as if weighted down by invisible chains. Her vision blurred, the edges of the walls bending and darkening. Still, she forced herself forward—she had to finish packing. She had to.

But she managed barely three steps before the floor seemed to tilt sharply beneath her feet. The last image that lingered before darkness swallowed her was the trio of suitcases lined up against the wall—still open, still waiting to be filled.