No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 109

I changed into something more comfortable, slipping out of the dress I had worn earlier into a softer outfit that gave me more freedom to move. Today wasn’t about style or showing off it was practical. It was about me, about finally getting myself something I had been putting off since I came back. A new car.

At first, I had considered simply buying the same Range Rover I had back in Italy. It was familiar, dependable, and I knew I liked it. But the more I thought about it, the more a nagging voice whispered at the back of my mind: why settle for something you already had? Cars, like so many things in life, carry memories, and I didn’t want to keep carrying Italy around with me. I wanted something new, something that would belong to me here, in this chapter of my life.

The Range Rover had been an obsession once. I wanted it badly, and when I finally got it, I was thrilled. But after some time, I realized the thrill had faded. It wasn’t as special anymore. That thought made me more open today, more willing to let my eyes wander and find something unexpected.

Thankfully, the manager had approved my leave today, and I wasn’t about to waste that opportunity. Work had been overwhelming, especially after everything with the gala. My head was still buzzing from Roman Hale’s. unwanted dinner invitation, from Sofia’s cold glares, from Ethan’s presence. Too many faces, too many emotions crammed into one night. This, at least, was simple. A car. A decision that was mine and mine alone.

A few minutes later, I stepped out of my room, keys in hand, ready to go. Tessa emerged from hers almost immediately, her purse slung casually over her shoulder, her energy as vibrant as ever.

“You ready?” she asked, brushing back her hair.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I said with a small smile.

We headed out together and slid into the Uber we had ordered. The driver gave us a polite nod through the rearview mirror, but didn’t speak much. Which was fine by me.

Since we weren’t in our own car yet, Tessa kept her mouth shut for most of the ride. She knew better than to bring up delicate topics in front of a stranger who could overhear. But I could feel her questions burning. I could practically hear her impatience. And sure enough, the moment we got out of the Uber and the driver pulled away, she pounced.

“Now that we’re not around a weird driver,” she began, her eyes narrowing at me, “why do you have so much interest in Ethan?”

I stifled a groan. Of course.

“Relax,” I told her as we made our way toward the glass doors of the dealership. “I’ll tell you once I get the car.”

It was a lie. A neat little excuse to push the conversation forward, to keep her from drilling deeper right now.

I didn’t know wh

what I’d tell her when the time came but I’ll keep trying to get her off my back till then.

We stepped into the Toyota dealership, the scent of leather and wax filling the air. The lights reflected off the cars, SUVs, and sedans lined up like soldiers waiting for inspection.

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“I didn’t know you liked Toyota,” Tessa said, her voice tinged with curiosity as her gaze roamed the showroom.

“Well, it’s part of the three dealerships we’re going to visit,” I explained, taking in the lineup with measured eyes. “But I’m sure we’re going to see one that I like.”

My gaze traveled across each car slowly, almost critically. Sedans, SUVs, hybrids… nothing called out to me. They were all clean, polished, modern but something was missing. I wasn’t here to settle.

Then, just as I was about to move on, my eyes froze on it.

The most beautiful car I had ever laid eyes on.

It stood there, gleaming under the spotlight like it had been waiting for me all along. Sleek lines, an elegance that whispered power rather than screamed it. Refined, Understated. Yet undeniably commanding.

I stopped dead in my tracks, my heart giving a strange leap.

“Lauren, someone’s walking over here,” Tessa said under her breath, but her voice sounded distant, muffled.

Because I wasn’t listening. My eyes were locked on the car, glued so tightly that everything else blurred at the edges. I didn’t even register the sound of approaching footsteps until a voice cut into the air.

“Hello ladies,” a man greeted smoothly.

I blinked and turned, finally noticing him. He was tall, dressed in a dark suit that seemed just a touch too tight around the shoulders, and his expression carried the kind of smug confidence I instantly disliked.

“I’m the manager here,” he continued, looking us both over with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I assume, from the way you two are dressed, you’re here to get an affordable vehicle of your standards.”

His words landed with a sting, and I felt Tessa stiffen beside me. We hadn’t dressed up for this outing. Why would we? We were here to look at cars, not to attend a red–carpet event. But somehow, in his eyes, our casual attire had already branded us as less. As unworthy.

“Now,” he went on, gesturing toward a row of modest–looking sedans, “there are several vehicles over there in the twenty to thirty thousand dollar range. That’s the lowest we can go. If you know you can’t afford that which is understandable please, you’re free to leave right away.”

His tone carried that polished fake politeness people used when they were really insulting you to your face.

I didn’t bother responding to his condescension. Instead, I lifted my chin and pointed directly at the car that had stolen my attention.

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