No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 155

CHAPTER 0155

LAUREN’S POV

I stood there frozen, my mouth slightly open, still trying to process what I had just witnessed. My brain struggled to catch up with my eyes, like it couldn’t quite believe what it had seen. Roman – quiet, calm, composed Roman had just dislocated his own shoulder, twisted it back into place, and then flipped Ethan over like he was tossing a pillow across the room. For a second, I thought maybe I was dreaming or hallucinating, but the crash of a nearby coffee table and the sting of adrenaline in the air told me otherwise.

I blinked a few times, still standing in the middle of my living room, watching the chaos slowly settle into silence. The scent of sweat hung in the air. I should’ve been angry, furious, even that they’d turned my living room into a miniature wrestling ring. But instead, I found myself… oddly amused. Shocked, yes. But amused too.

How in the world was Roman that flexible and athletic at his age? The man moved like someone half his age like he was still in his twenties, not someone who’d lived through wars, heartbreaks, and whatever else life had thrown his way. Every move he made during that fight had been precise, deliberate, and powerful. There was no hesitation in him. Just control. Pure, unnerving control. 1

And then there was Ethan. The man who used to brag about his martial arts classes every weekend, the one who came home with bruised knuckles and that smug grin because he’d finally mastered some fancy kick or takedown. He used to talk about it so much that I could practically demonstrate the moves myself from memory. But after I got pregnant with Elena, he’d stopped going. Said he wanted to “focus on family,” though now I realize that was just another one of his excuses.

I always assumed he could hold his own in a fight. But seeing Roman dismantle him so easily… It made me realize that Ethan’s confidence had always been more ego than skill.

The echo of footsteps pulled me out of my thoughts. Roman appeared in the doorway, his expression calm, as though he hadn’t just thrown a grown man across the room a few minutes ago. His shirt was slightly wrinkled, with a small tear at the shoulder where I knew he’d forced it out of place earlier.

He let out a small sigh and said quietly, “Sorry about what just happened.”

I turned to him, crossing my arms though I couldn’t quite hide the faint smile tugging at my lips. “It’s okay. He equally deserved it.”

Roman arched a brow, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk. “I was actually expecting you to be more freaked out than this.”

“I should be,” I admitted, sinking onto the edge of the couch. “But I knew you were just stopping that psychopath. Are you alright though? You took some heavy hits.”

He shrugged it off effortlessly, lowering himself into the seat across from me, “Yeah, I’m good. I’ve been through worse.”

His tone was so casual, so matter–of–fact, that I couldn’t help but study him for a moment. There was something unsettlingly calm about the way he carried himself. Like someone who’d seen too much to be rattled by anything anymore.

I frowned, running a hand through my hair. “How was he able to find this place, though? I made sure to keep my

CHAPTER 0155

+25 BONUS

address out of the media on purpose because of some people, and now he just shows up here, acting like he owns the place, saying he wants me to come work for his company, and even more?”

Roman leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His brows furrowed slightly as he thought it over. “If you didn’t give him your address, the only other place that has it would be your employee file back at Hale Industries. But no one would go through your file there. And I’m sure the manager wouldn’t, she’s too loyal. I’ve known her for years.”

I bit my lip, trying to think. “Then how else could he have found me?”

The question hung heavy in the air. My mind raced through possibilities, none of them making sense. Ethan had no reason to come here, no reason to even care where I lived anymore.

“And before I left for Italy,” I went on, my voice tightening, “Ethan couldn’t even stand the sight of me. So I really don’t understand why he’s suddenly showing up here, saying I’m his. He’s married, Roman. He chose his mistress over me! Does he think he can just walk back into my life because his company needs me? That I’ll drop everything and run back into his arms?”

Roman’s expression hardened slightly. “He approached you back at the ceremony?”

“Yes. How did you know?” I asked, surprised.

“You mentioned it when you were talking to him,” Roman said calmly.

-Ethan’s smug

I blinked, realizing he was right. Everything from that ceremony replayed in my mind expression, that fake charm of his. “I’m pretty sure he was still going to try and get me to come work for him back then,” I muttered. “He just waited for the right time to corner me.”

Roman leaned back against the couch, letting out a long sigh. “Well, here I was thinking this day was going to go perfectly.”

His tone held a mix of humor and fatigue, and despite everything, I felt a small smile tug at my lips. “Let’s not allow this to ruin the mood. Regardless of him showing up, I still had a nice time. And I’m also glad you stayed to help me. Thank you for that.”

He glanced at me with that familiar half–smile of his, the one that always carried a touch of warmth beneath the roughness. “You’re welcome. But as much as I’d love to tell you the grass is green from here on out, that would just be a lie.”

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