No Second Chances Ex-husband (Lauren and Ethan) novel Chapter 87

CHAPTER 087

LAUREN’S POV

The calm yet firm voice of the captain echoed through the speakers, announcing that we were about to land. The words stirred me out of the light nap I had been clinging to, my eyes blinking open slowly as I adjusted to the dimmed lights of the cabin. I turned my head to the right, where Aria sat beside me, her tiny head resting against the cushioned seat. She was still sound asleep, her lips parted slightly, her breathing soft and even.

She looked so peaceful, completely unaware of the whirlwind that had consumed our lives in just a matter of hours. We had left my place before dawn, rushing through the quiet streets to make sure we didn’t miss our flight. Everything felt hurried, messy. Aria barely had time to rub the sleep out of her eyes, and I barely had the chance to think.

If anyone should be resting right now, it was her. A child her age shouldn’t have to be dragged across countries, pulled away from familiar places and routines. She was too young to be caught in this endless cycle of sudden changes and new beginnings. And yet, here we were again.

I adjusted the blanket over her lap and leaned back in my seat, my mind heavy with decisions. This has to be the last time, I told myself. If they ever tried to send me off to another country again, if they expected me to pack up our lives and leave everything behind one more time, then that would be it, I’d quit. No hesitation, no second chances. I wouldn’t let them dictate our lives any longer.

For now, I had to keep my focus on what lay ahead. America. Returning wasn’t exactly a fresh start, I had already lived my first chapter there. In fact, America was where my story began. It was the soil I grew up on, the place that shaped me into the woman I am today. This wasn’t about starting over. No, this was about continuing the journey I had put on pause when life dragged me elsewhere.

Yesterday, I had nearly picked up my phone to call the manager and tell him I wasn’t going. The thought pressed against me like a storm, filling me with frustration and defiance. My finger had hovered over his contact, ready to end everything, ready to shout that I wasn’t a puppet to be moved from one branch to another at their

convenience.

But then my eyes had fallen on the picture frame sitting quietly on the table. The same frame I had carried with me to Italy, the same one I packed carefully into my bag every time I traveled. The frame that held the memory of Elena.

The weight of that memory pressed harder than my anger, harder than my exhaustion. Because with it came the promise I had made years ago the vow that still lived in my chest like fire.

I had stood at her grave, the cold wind cutting across my face, my heart torn apart after everything Ethan had done. To both of us. And I swore to her then, with tears burning my eyes, that I wouldn’t let him get away with it.

I promised Elena I would make Ethan pay.

That I would tear down the empire he had built so arrogantly, brick by brick. That I would make him regret the day he thought he could do what he wanted with us and walk away untouched. That his company, the one he spent years sacrificing everything for, would crumble under the weight of what he had done.

And that promise… that promise was the only reason I didn’t make that call yesterday.

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That’s why I agreed to just go back to America. I didn’t want to, but in the end, my decision wasn’t just about me anymore. My houses and cars here in Italy would all be sold off, the money wired back to me. It felt like I was being stripped of the life I had built, piece by piece, but I reminded myself that this was only temporary. A sacrifice. A move in a much bigger game.

Because while working at headquarters again, I already knew exactly what my next step would be. I was going to specifically target Ethan’s investors and allies. I had studied the reports, heard whispers, and I knew the truth: his company wasn’t in great shape anymore. It was already shaking, like a building with weak foundations. All it needed was one good push, and it would come crumbling down.

And I was going to be that push.

I would deliver the final blow by pulling his allies – one by one away from him and securing them for Hale Industries. Once he was bankrupt, once the empire he spent years building was nothing but ash, he would have nothing left to stand on. But even then, I wouldn’t stop there. Oh no. That would only be the beginning.

I was going to break him. I was going to make him beg. I was going to make him cry and wish he had never cheated on me, wish he had never done the things he did to me and to Elena. That promise I made at her grave burned hotter in my chest than ever. This wasn’t just about business. This was personal.

The sudden jolt of the plane landing snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. The captain’s voice came over the speakers, calm and steady, announcing that we had touched down safely. I exhaled, realizing I had been gripping the armrest too tightly, and released my fingers slowly. It was time.

“Hey,” I turned to my right, my eyes falling on Aria. She was blinking awake, her little body still curled in the seat. “How are you feeling? I know this is your first time on a plane, so it might feel a bit strange.” I leaned over and gently unbuckled her seat belt.

Her sleepy eyes lit up as a small smile spread across her face. “It was fun,” she said softly, her voice still heavy with sleep but full of excitement.

A chuckle escaped me despite everything weighing on my shoulders. “Alright, I’m glad you enjoyed the ride.” I brushed her hair back from her forehead, then took her small hand as we stood up together.

We began walking toward the exit of the plane, our steps slow, deliberate. The luggage would be handled and brought to us, so for now all we needed to do was leave.

–

The air outside the plane hit me first warm, familiar, yet sharp in a way that reminded me I wasn’t in Italy anymore. My heart skipped a beat as my eyes scanned the people waiting near the exit. And then I saw her.

Tessa.

She was standing by a sleek car, her figure instantly recognizable even after three years. Her hair had grown longer, and there were faint lines of stress etched around her eyes, but her smile – her smile was as bright as I remembered. The kind of smile that could lift me out of any darkness.

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