No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 115

“You have a lovely home,” Roman said as he lowered himself onto the couch, his tall frame sinking comfortably into the soft cushions. His gaze swept across the room with casual ease, but I could see his eyes quietly studying the details of each picture frame, each piece of furniture as though he was piecing together fragments of who I was from the space around me.

I forced a polite smile. “Thank you,” I replied, though my chest felt tight.

Beside me, Tessa edged closer, her bowl of ice cream in hand. She leaned in so close that her lips were nearly brushing my ear, her whisper low and sharp. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing him in. I thought you

u guys were going to talk outside.”

Her words carried that unmistakable scolding tone, like she was both shocked and amused at the same time.

1 flicked my eyes toward Roman, who was already watching us with a raised brow. His expression was unreadable–half curious, half suspicious as though he could sense we were whispering about him but wasn’t sure why.

“Would you excuse us for just a minute, sir?” I said quickly, forcing my tone to stay polite and professional. Without waiting for his response, I grabbed Tessa by the arm and dragged her into the kitchen.

We stopped near the counter. I leaned back against the shelf, folding my arms tightly across my chest, stealing a glance past her shoulder to make sure Roman wasn’t listening in.

“Aria wanted him to come in,” I hissed, my voice sharp with frustration. “And weren’t you the one who said you’d go out and invite him in yourself if I didn’t?”

“Yeah,“T

“Tessa muttered, licking her spoon with infuriating calmness, “but I didn’t literally mean it. That was just one of my bluff threats to make sure you didn’t go off the right track.” She took another slow scoop of her ice cream, looking far too relaxed for my liking.

I stared at her, my jaw dropping. “Are you kidding me? So all of this…” I motioned toward the living room “Is because of one of your bluff threats,

anger was bubbling, but I tried to keep my voice low.

“Well, bravo,” I continued bitterly. “Because now he knows I have a daughter.”

Tessa only shrugged. “So? How is that a bad thing?“.

I ran a hand over my face, the frustration clawing at me. “It’s a bad thing because if he figures out her age, he might start putting the pieces together. He might realize I gave birth just months after we had sex, and if he starts connecting dots, he might find out the truth.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “I thought you said if he found out, you weren’t going to deny it?”

“That doesn’t mean I want him to find out now, Tessa.” My voice was sharp. “Timing matters. And right now is not the right time.”

She exhaled a long, disappointed sigh, shaking her head like I was being unreasonable.

1/3

“I need to get back there,” I said, straightening myself. “We’ll talk about this later. For now, I just need you to take Aria to her room and keep her there. I’ll find a way to get him to leave.”

sweep

Tessa looked unconvinced, but I didn’t wait for her response. We walked out of the kitchen, and I let my eyes.

across the dining room, expecting to find Aria quietly sitting there. But instead, my steps halted abruptly.

There she was sitting beside Roman on the couch, her small legs dangling off the edge as she laughed with abandon. His deep voice rumbled warmly as he spoke to her, his expression softened in a way I’d never seen before. He wasn’t the CEO in that moment; he was just… a man, entertaining a child with gentle words and silly jokes.

The sound of Aria’s laughter was bright, full, and genuine the kind of laugh she rarely let out. My chest squeezed at the sight.

I felt Tessa’s glance on me, her eyes holding something knowing. She leaned in slightly and whispered, “The father and daughter bond is already there, even though neither of them knows it yet.”

Her words hit like a weight. I wanted to argue, to deny it, to push away that dangerous truth, but the lump in my throat stopped me. I forced myself to look away from the tender scene and walked fully into the living room.

Roman was tickling Aria now, her laughter echoing through the house like music. My lips parted, but for a moment, nothing came out. I had to clear my throat to steady myself before saying, “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

Tessa stepped forward quickly. “Come on, Aria,” she said softly. Aria climbed down from the couch reluctantly, giving Roman a little wave as she followed Tessa toward her room.

I caught Roman’s eyes following her until she disappeared down the hall. Then he turned back to me. “She looks so much like you, even at this young age.”

I forced a small smile, keeping my voice even. “Thanks for your kind words, sir.”

But he didn’t let it rest there. He leaned forward slightly, his elbows resting on his knees, his eyes holding mine with unsettling focus.

“Okay, let’s talk about this,” he said firmly. “I told you earlier, my coming here wasn’t about work. I didn’t come here as your boss. I came here as Roman. So please, call me Roman… like you once used to.”

My throat tightened at his words. Like you once used to. He remembered. Of course, he remembered.

“Sir, that was before I knew you were my boss,” I said carefully, trying to keep the professional walls between us. “It’s… difficult calling my CEO by his first name, especially when I take my job very seriously.”

“You have my permission to,” he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

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