No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 184

LAUREN’S PERSPECTIVE

With a glass of water in one hand and a pack of ice in the other, I made my way back into the living room. My chest felt constricted, weighed down by the whirlwind of events that had just unfolded. The house, once alive with Aria’s joyous laughter, now felt unbearably silent, almost as if the walls themselves mourned the absence of her happiness. Each step I took echoed softly, a hollow reminder of the emptiness that had settled over the space.

Tessa sat on the couch, her complexion pale and drained of energy. Her hair was tousled, her blouse creased from the ordeal, and a thin streak of dried blood traced a path down the side of her temple. Swallowing the tight knot forming in my throat, I carefully handed her the ice pack.

“Here,” I murmured gently, sinking into the armchair opposite her. “Press this to your head. It should ease the pain.”

She gave a faint nod, gingerly pressing the cold pack against her injury, wincing as the chill bit into her skin. I placed the glass of water on the small table beside her and waited quietly. I didn’t want to rush her, but the silence stretched on, twisting my anxiety tighter with every passing moment.

“After I sent you that message,” Tessa began slowly, her voice fragile yet steady, “we were set to leave. Aria was dressed up, buzzing with excitement about going to the mall. But then she asked me for a glass of juice.”

I remained silent, my hands folded tightly in my lap as I listened intently.

“At first, I told her we’d have juice once we got there,” she continued. “But she wasn’t having it. She wanted homemade juice. You know Aria—once she fixates on something, there’s no changing her mind.”

A faint, shaky smile crossed my lips. That was so like her. Stubborn, just like me.

“I thought it would take too long since making fresh orange juice isn’t really my specialty,” Tessa admitted. “But she wouldn’t budge. So I gave in. I hurried to the kitchen to start making it, leaving her in the living room watching her favorite show. That was my mistake.”

Her words sank deep into my heart. I already sensed where this was heading, but I needed to hear it directly from her. Every detail mattered.

“And then? What happened next?” I asked, my voice barely steady.

Tessa’s brows knitted together as she recalled the moment. “I heard the front door open,” she said, voice low. “But it was locked. So I think Aria must have opened it. She probably heard someone knocking and went to see who it was.”

A cold shiver ran down my spine, the hairs on my arms standing on end.

“Aria has seen his face before,” I whispered, the realization hitting me before Tessa could confirm. “When he showed up that day, she saw him. She might have thought he was a friend of mine.”

Tessa gave a faint nod. “I called out to her, asking why she opened the door. My hands were still busy with the oranges. But after a few seconds, she didn’t answer. The silence felt… wrong. I thought maybe she’d gone outside to play, so I set down the juicer and went to check. I was already ready to scold her for risking her dress.”

Her voice trembled slightly as she continued. “But then Ethan appeared. He was just… standing there, right in front of the kitchen door.”

My breath caught sharply. Hearing his name was like a blade twisting inside me.

Tessa paused to sip the water, her hands shaking faintly as she lifted the glass.

“At first, I didn’t understand why he was there or how he’d gotten in. Then I noticed something—a small napkin in his hand. And gloves.”

My heart plummeted.

“I had a terrible feeling,” she said, her voice breaking. “I tried to grab something—anything—to defend myself. The closest was a wooden pestle on the shelf. But before I could reach it, he was faster. Much faster. He grabbed it first and… hit me. Hard.”

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