No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 156

+25 BONUS

CHAPTER 0156

LAUREN’S POV

“Do you think I made a mistake not telling him that you’re her father?” I asked quietly, my voice barely rising above a whisper. The room had grown strangely still after everything that had just happened – Ethan’s anger, Roman’s calm fury, the confrontation that still lingered in the air like smoke after a storm. The silence that followed my question felt heavy, like even the walls were holding their breath, waiting for Roman’s answer.

Roman leaned back on the couch, one arm resting across the backrest, his gaze calm but thoughtful. “No,” he said finally, his tone firm but not unkind. “There was no mistake made there. First of all, Ethan is basically your past, so he doesn’t need to know information like that.” He paused, letting out a quiet sigh. “Secondly, Aria was there. The last thing she needs is to hear something like that in the middle of a shouting match. So, no, Lauren, you did the right thing.”

His answer was steady, certain, and for a moment, I envied that certainty. My chest tightened as I nodded slowly, trying to let his words sink in, trying to convince myself that he was right. “Yeah… okay then,” I murmured, though a small part of me still couldn’t shake off the guilt that always crept up whenever Ethan’s name came up in any sentence involving my daughter.

Roman rose to his feet, brushing off his pants as if to shake away the tension that still clung to him. “I should probably get going,” he said after a moment. “I’m sure you have a lot to do.”

But as he straightened up, my eyes caught on the faint discoloration forming beneath his left eye. It was swelling–slowly, but visibly. “Your eye,” I said quickly, moving closer before he could dismiss it. “It’s already starting to swell.”

He raised his hand and gently touched the area, his fingers brushing against the tender skin. “Don’t worry,” he said with a small, dismissive grin. “I’m sure it’ll come down after a few hours.”

“Roman, that looks bad,” I said firmly, ignoring his attempt to wave it off. “Sit down. I’ll heat up some water and get a towel to press it. That should help with the swelling.” Before he could argue, I was already heading toward the kitchen.

Behind me, I heard his amused voice call out, “You realize I can get this fixed with my personal doctor, right?”

I turned back with a small smirk. “Well, this is my way of saying thank you. But if you can’t wait, that’s fine.” I shrugged casually, though part of me hoped he’d stay a bit longer.

He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “I guess I can stay a few more minutes,” he said, sinking back onto the couch..

I filled a small pot with water and set it to heat on the stove. The faint bubbling sound filled the silence, calming my nerves a little. My hands moved automatically, years of habit as I grabbed a clean towel from the drawer and poured the steaming water into a bowl. As I returned to the living room, Roman was sitting quietly, his coat draped over the armrest. The faint bruise around his eye stood out against his skin, a sharp reminder of the chaos that had unfolded not long ago.

Setting the bowl on the table, I dipped the towel into the hot water, letting it soak before wringing out the excess. Steam rose gently from the cloth as I sat down beside him. “Hold still,” I said softly.

He didn’t move, watching me closely as I pressed the warm towel against his lower eye. I expected him to flinch, to at least wince at the contact, but he didn’t. His expression remained calm, stoic even. The man didn’t even blink. I raised a brow.” You’re not going to react at all, are you?”

He gave me a faint, teasing grin. “This is nothing.”

>>

That made me pause for a second. There was something about the quiet confidence in his voice, the weight of experience. Roman had always carried himself like a man who’d seen more than he ever talked about. It was strange how comforting that was, even now.

Before I could say anything more, the sound of a door opening down the hallway drew our attention. Tessa stepped out, an eyebrow raised. “I heard a lot of noise while I was in the room,” she said as she approached us. “I hope no one got seriously injured.”

1/2

CHAPTER 0156

+25 BONUS

Roman glanced up at her, one side of his mouth curling into a small, amused smile. “No, everyone’s alright,” he said, even though his left eye was visibly swollen. I couldn’t help but shake my head he really couldn’t stop downplaying everything “How’s Aria?” I asked, not taking my focus off Roman’s face as I continued to dab the towel gently against his bruise.

“I gave her my headset so she wouldn’t hear anything,” Tessa replied. “She’s asleep now.”

A small sense of relief washed over me. “Good,” I said, taking the towel off Roman’s face for a moment to inspect the area.” Alright, that should do it. At least the swelling should come down faster now. You can get some ointment on your way back or see your doctor tomorrow.”

Roman tilted his head, smirking slightly. “Alright, mom,” he said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes, but a smile still tugged at my lips. I caught Tessa trying to hide her grin beside me too. The air lightened a bit after that. For the first time in that moment, I actually felt the tension begin to fade.

Roman stood, reaching for his coat. “Would’ve loved to say goodbye to Aria, but she’s sleeping,” he said, slipping one arm into the sleeve.

“Well,” I said, meeting his eyes, “you’re welcome to come back anytime except early in the morning when we’re all sleeping.”

He let out a small laugh, He knew exactly what I was referring to. “Alright,” he said. “There’s something I’d like to discuss with you when you come to work tomorrow. You can come straight to my office.”

I raised a brow. “Again? I hope it’s not another surprise.”

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