Chapter 23
The Billionaire’s Ex-Wife (Her Ex-Husband’s Regret) Chapter 23
Cassic.
I sit quietly in Ethan’s car as he drives me home in silence. I look out the window, wondering what’s going on inside his
mind.
Was I wrong? Should I have told him about Kayden?
To be honest, I really don’t know. I was just so used to not telling anyone about my personal life, especially about my past with Kai’s father. Ethan and I weren’t officially dating. I just didny think I was under the obligation to tell him that I was formerly Mrs. Kayden Steele.
Besides, during our marriage, Kayden forbade me to tell anyone that I was his wife. I just always thought the same rules apply even after our divorce.
Ethan parks his car in front of the hotel that I was staying at. He just stops, and doesn’t say anything.
This is weird!
Usually, he gets out of the car and opens the passenger door for me.
He must really be pissed with me!
I sigh. I guess I will have to wait until he has calmed down and I will explain everything.
I unbuckle my seatbelt and reach out to open the door, but then feel his hand grip my wrist, holding me back.
I turn to him, raising a quizzing brow.
Ethan sighs in defeat. “Tell me it’s not true. And I’ll believe you ll believe anything you say to me.”
His expression is a mix of sadness, heartbreak, and hope. His voice is pleading and I hesitate for a moment, torn between wanting to spare him the pain and longing to be honest.
“L…”. The words seem to be stuck in my throat. “I can’t…” Tears start to well up in my eyes. “I wish I could tell you that it’s not true. But Ethan, I’m sorry. Because it is.”
He leans back in his seat, looking deflated. “How did that even happen?”
“Ha!” I laugh humorlessly. “Sometimes I ask myself the same question. And you know what? Kayden did too.”
Ethan stares back at me. “What do you mean by that? Didn’t he propose to you in order to marry you?”
I shake my head sadly. “Kayden Steele believed that I blackmailed him into marriage.”
“What?”
“I was the old Cassie,” I remind him. “Naive. Trusting. Stupid. Megan asked me for a favor. I couldn’t say no to her. I got ready to meet her boss, but… things became hazy. I blacked out for some reason. And when I woke up, I ended up in Kayden’s bed”
“You mean Kayden drugged you?”
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I shake my head. “I did think I was drugged. Somebody did. But I’m sure it wasn’t Kayden. He was a bit drunk that night, too. We did… sleep together. I thought it was just a stupid one-night-stand. And it led to an arranged marriage.”
Ethan stares back at me in surprise. I know that it takes a lot to shock him. But it seems that I’ve done just that with flying
colors.
“So… it was a loveless marriage
I can detect the hope in his voice. For a moment, I am tempted to say what he wants me to, but I just can’t bring myself to lie
to him anymore.
“It was loveless… on his part. But not on mine.” I give him a bitter smile. “During our marriage, I was head over heels in love with Kayden, and I had always hoped he’d come to love me in return.” I shake my head. “It never happened.”
“Stupid mutt!” Ethan says under his breath.
“Kayden had always thought that I orchestrated the whole thing in order to force him into marriage. I tried explaining to him that I was drugged, and that I did not even know what I was doing in his apartment. But he just wouldn’t listen. To him. I was nothing but a scheming social climber who drugged him. Had sex with him, and called the paparazzi to blackmail him into marriage.”
“You do not need to blackmail anyone into marriage. Any guy would kill for an opportunity to marry you!”
I shake my head. “Not Kayden. He couldn’t wait to get rid of me. And when my stepsister, Megan, came back to town, he wasted no time in asking me for a divorce.”
“Of all the people to cheat on you with? It had to be your stepsister?
“Apparently, Kayden and Megan had a long history together. Kayden had promised to marry Megan a long time ago. He wasn’t really cheating on me. He never loved me. He had vowed to marry Megan. I was actually the bitch who interrupted their happily ever after.”
I am not aware that tears are rolling down my cheeks as I open up about my past with Kayden. I thought I was already ov this a long time ago. But now, I realize that it still hurts.
Shit! Kayden still has an effect on me!
“Is he.. Kai’s father?”
I know Ethan would ask this. And I also know that even if I do not tell him, he already knows the answer. After all, Kai is a spitting image of Kayden.
I look down on my hands, and I nod slowly. “Yes, he is.”
“And he never even bothered to visit his son?” Ethan grips the steering wheel tightly. “Kai is sick. He needed special treatment. He didn’t even bother to find out about that?”
I bite my lower lip, looking away from him, shame and guilt gnawing me.
“Unless…” Ethan trails off, studying my expression carefully. “He doesn’t know, does he?”
“When I found out that I was pregnant, it gave me hope that Kayden would have a change of mind and heart. But before I got the chance to tell him, he asked me for a divorce.”
“That worthless piece of shit!” Ethan curses. “How could a man do that to his wife?”
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“Megan came back to town and she claimed her stake on Kayden He fired me from my job as a graphic artist in Steel Corp. And when I went back to my parents’ house, Megan sort of burned it to the ground.”
As tears continue to roll down my cheeks, I feel Ethan’s h
enveloping mine.
“He doesn’t deserve you, Cassie,” he whispers. “He doesn’t deserve Kai, too. You are both wonderful human beings, and you are a lot more than he deserves.”
“I thought that part of my life was over,” I admit. “I thought I was over him. But…” “Tears continue to roll down my cheeks. “The past is still too painful.”
Ethan reaches forward and pulls me into his arms, giving me a tight hug. “Ssshhh…” His voice is soothing and reassuring. “I am here, Cassie. I will take care of you and Kai. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Kai is sick. 1 accepted my inheritance because I was hoping that one of my relatives would be his match. I didn’t want to come back here. I didn’t want to see Kayden again, I didn’t want him to find out about Kai.”
“But… why were you together in the car?”
I shake my head. “I have no idea. He just came out of nowhere and pulled me to the car. You shocked me, Ethan. I didn’t know what to do or where to go. Then he jucame and pulled me away. I wasn’t even thinking when I got into his car.”
“I know. I’m sorry for putting you on the spot. I should have spoken to you in private.”
Ethan’s question echoes in my brain.
Why did Kayden pull me to get into his car?
He never cared about me before. Why is he taking a sudden interest in me now?
I know Kayden. Everything he does has a reason. He’s changed his tune towards me a bit. It’s almost as if he’s trying to be
nice.
Suddenly, a dreadful thought crosses my mind. “What if…what if Kayden knows that Kai is his son? My face drains of color as I turn to look at Ethan.
Ethan shakes his head. He reaches forward to caress my cheek gently. “No. He doesn’t have to know. And when he asks, tell, him…” he pauses, and I hold my breath as I wait for him to continue. Then he cups my face between his palms and says, “Tell him that Kai is mine.”
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