HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Before long, they found themselves standing in front of an elderly man who exuded an air of authority, dressed impeccably in traditional Japanese formal attire. His warm smile greeted them as he spoke.

“Mr. Callister, welcome,” the man said in polite, accented Japanese. “And this must be your wife?”

Daven extended his hand with a respectful nod. “It’s an honor to meet you, Ambassador Sugimura. Yes, this is Althea, my wife.”

Althea responded with a graceful bow before speaking in flawless Japanese. “Konbanwa, Sugimura-sama. Omedetou gozaimasu, kono subarashii omotenashi no tame ni.”

(Good evening, Ambassador Sugimura. Congratulations, and thank you for this wonderful hospitality.)

The ambassador’s eyes widened in surprise, then he chuckled appreciatively. “Ah! Nihongo ga jōzu desu ne! You speak so fluently, Mrs. Callister!”

Daven glanced at Althea, momentarily taken aback.

“You speak Japanese?” he whispered, barely audible.

She smiled softly, maintaining her polite demeanor. “I studied it at university. I’ve always had a deep admiration for Japanese culture.”

Sugimura continued the conversation in Japanese, clearly pleased by Althea’s elegance and command of the language. Daven stood silently beside her, listening intently, observing her with fresh eyes. For the first time in what felt like ages, he truly saw her—not just as his wife, but as a person with layers he hadn’t fully appreciated before.

When their brief exchange came to a close and they stepped aside, the silence between Daven and Althea stretched for a moment before he finally spoke.

“Why didn’t I know you spoke Japanese?”

She answered flatly, “You never asked.”

Daven shook his head, a hint of disbelief in his voice. “You keep surprising me.”

Althea didn’t offer any explanation. She felt no need to justify herself. Tonight was different—rare, almost luxurious. Standing next to her husband, speaking so effortlessly in a language she loved, it was a moment she never imagined she’d experience.

If this was all just a fleeting dream, she wished she’d never have to wake up.

Still, the evening’s flow pulled Daven back into conversation with his colleagues, while Althea found herself mingling with the ambassador’s wife and a few other women.

That small moment of calm shattered when he noticed someone approaching her before he could even move—a tall man dressed in an ivory white tuxedo, dark hair neatly styled, carrying two glasses of wine.

“Althea?”

The voice was familiar—warm, unmistakably close.

Althea turned, her eyes widening in surprise. “Oh my God… Alan?”

From across the room, Daven’s gaze sharpened. A smile—one he had never seen on her face before—lit up Althea’s features. It was wide, genuine, and radiant.

The man handed her a glass, and they immediately launched into an animated conversation as though no time had passed between them. Althea laughed openly, a joyful sound that seemed to fill the space around them. She leaned slightly toward him, her posture relaxed and familiar.

That was enough.

Without hesitation, Daven set his glass down on the nearest tray and strode purposefully across the room. Without a word, he placed a firm yet gentle hand on Althea’s back and took hold of her arm.

The tension in the air tightened, the evening’s elegance suddenly charged with unspoken emotions beneath the glittering lights.