No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 141

I stood by the front door, a stiff, take smile stretched across iny face as I watched Cassandra step into her Uber. She shut the door, oblivious to the anger simmering behind my polite expression. The car rolled away, and I stayed there, hands tucked into my pockets, watching the red taillights vanish down the street.

The moment she was completely out of sight, the smile disappeared. My jaw tightened, my fingers clenched, and I turned back into the house, letting the door slam shut behind me. The sound echoed through the walls, sharp, thunderous, and satisfying, but not nearly enough to drain the fury boiling in my chest.

I stormed up the stairs two at a time, my footsteps heavy, loud enough to shake the wooden panels beneath me,

“Sofia!” I roared, the sound of her name bouncing off the high ceilings.

She appeared from the hallway before I even reached the bedroom. Her arms were crossed, her face composed, almost indifferent, like she didn’t understand what she had just done. That calm look only made my blood

“What is wrong with you, Sofia?” I snapped, my voice sharp as a blade. “Why would you say that in front of Cassandra?”

Her brows drew together, her tone falsely innocent. “What did I do?”

I let out a short, bitter laugh, running a hand through my hair. “Don’t give me that bullshit,” I barked. “You know exactly what you did. You came to me with this idea, remember? You told me about this girl, how desperate she was, how useful she could be. We sat right here, in this house, and planned out every move, every word and then you go and almost blow the whole damn thing to pieces in one conversation!”

My voice kept rising, every word fueled by frustration that had been building up for weeks. She just stood there, staring at me, like she couldn’t care less.

And then-

The sound of a door creaked open beside us.

My head snapped in that direction. There he was our son, standing at his doorway, tiny fingers clutching a toy car, his eyes wide and uncertain. My anger deflated instantly, replaced with a wave of guilt that pressed on my chest.

I drew in a slow breath and forced my voice softer. “Hey, bud,” I said, walking toward him. “Do you need something?”

He shook his head, his curly hair bouncing. “No…” he murmured.

“Then what’s wrong?” I asked, crouching a little to meet his eyes.

His voice was small, almost a whisper. “You and mummy are fighting again.”

That hit me harder than any insult Sophia could’ve thrown my way.

I smiled faintly, pretending everything was fine. “No, no, we’re not fighting,” I said, glancing back at Sophia. “We’re just… talking things out, that’s all.”

He didn’t look convinced, but before he could ask anything else, I called out, “Rosa!”

Within seconds, she appeared at the top of the stairs, slightly breathless. “Yes, sir?”

“Take Junior to the kitchen and make him a snack,” I ordered gently.

Rosa nodded, walking over to take his hand. “Come, sweetheart,” she said softly.

I waited, silent, until I heard their footsteps fading down the stairs and into the kitchen. Only then did I turn back to Sophia.

1/3

CHAPTER Olal

+25 BONUS

I grabbed her arm not roughly, but firm enough that she knew I wasn’t in the mood for games and guided her into our bedroom. The door shut behind us with a dull thud.

“What’s been going on with you lately, Sophia?” I asked, my tone lower now but no less intense. “Why have you been acting like this?”

She yanked her arm free, glaring at me. “Because you’re not giving me what I need,” she shot back.

That stopped me. My brow furrowed. “What you need? What the hell does that even mean?”

She scoffed, tilting her chin up. “Oh, come on, Ethan. Don’t play dumb. You think I haven’t noticed?”

I stared at her, confused, but she went on before I could say a word.

“You walk around here pretending everything’s fine,” she said, her voice dripping with frustration. “Pretending that business is booming, that money’s flowing like it used to. But I know what’s happening. You’ve been keeping secrets from me, Ethan. You’re not the man you used to be, the wealthy, powerful man I came back to.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “What are you talking about?” I asked, though part of me already knew exactly where this was going

“You’ve lost money,” she said bluntly. “Your company’s not doing well anymore, is it? That’s why you’ve been cutting corners, making excuses every time I ask for something. You think I don’t notice? Every time I ask you to buy me a new dress, a new bag, or plan a vacation, you suddenly become busy or claim it’s a bad time.”

Her words hit hard because they were true.

For the first time in a long while, I couldn’t find a response. My lips parted, but no sound came out. There was nothing to deny, nothing to defend.

She folded her arms, watching my silence with a smug sort of satisfaction. “See? I’m right,” she said. “And you refused to tell me. God knows what else you’re hiding from me.”

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay calm even as irritation bubbled beneath my skin.

“So that’s it?” I said finally, my tone laced with sarcasm. “That’s what you care about? That’s the big discovery? That your husband isn’t buying you the latest designer bag?”

I took a few steps closer, my voice rising again. “You didn’t notice the nights I barely sleep? The stress? The hours I’ve spent locked in my office, trying to fix what’s going wrong with my company? You didn’t notice any of that, Sophia. You only notice what affects you. Your dresses. Your vacations. Your goddamn lifestyle!”

She rolled her eyes, unbothered. “You should’ve known who I was the moment you came back to me, Ethan,” she said coolly.” I’ve always been expensive. I like fine things, and I make no apology for that.”

I stared at her, unable to believe the words coming out of her mouth.

“Only lazy men complain,” she continued, her voice sharp and dismissive. “So instead of shouting, I suggest you figure it out. Fix whatever’s wrong with your company. Fix yourself. You used to be better than this.”

I clenched my fists, anger and disbelief twisting inside me.

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