Dear Ex-Wife Please Be Mine Again (Christina and Alex) novel Chapter 184

Chapter 184

Christiana's POV.

I didn't know why I was doing this. It was reckless, maybe even stupid, but the nightmares had pushed me past my limit. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him, his smug face, his voice, commanding a n d cruel. He m a d e m e relive that awful moment, telling me to strip, his words twisting like a blade in my mind. And then my kids' faces, terrified, helpless. I couldn't take it anymore.

So here I was, standing in the station, my heart pounding as I told the officer my request.

"You're sure you want to do this, ma'am?" the officer asked, his brows furrowed. "You don't have to see him if you're not ready."

"I need to," I replied firmly, even though my insides felt like they were trembling. "Just bring him out."

The officer gave me a hesitant nod and disappeared through the heavy doors. I stood in the cold, sterile waiting area, my fingers gripping the strap of my purse like it was the only thing holding me together.

Minutes felt like hours before I heard the door creak open. And then he was there. Daniel.

He looked different...thinner, his once well-groomed appearance now disheveled. His hair was longer, his beard unkempt. But his eyes? They hadn't changed. That same smug glint, as if he still believed he had the upper hand.

A smirk spread across his face as the officer led him to the small visitation room. "Christiana," he said, dragging out my name like a song. "I didn't think l'd see you here. Couldn't stay away, could I followed him into the room, my heels clicking against the floor.

My chest felt tight, but I pushed the fear aside. "Don't flatter yourself, Daniel. I'm not here for you."

He chuckled as he sat down, shackles clinking against the metal table. "Oh, but you are. You missed me so much you just had to see my face, didn't you?"

I sat across from him, my hands gripping the edge of the table.

"Miss you?" I spat. "You're delusional. I came here to remind myself of what you are...a monster."

His smile didn't waver. If anything, it grew wider. "A monster?

Come on, Christiana. Don't act like you didn't feel something for me once. You used to smile when we talked, remember? Back when you actually gave me the time of day."

I stared at him, my jaw tightening. "You were a good man once, Daniel. What happened to you? What turned you into... this?"

His expression shifted briefly, almost like he was considering my words. But then he leaned back, shrugging. "What happened? You did, Christiana. You walked into my life, and I couldn't get you out of my head. You were perfect...too perfect to let go."

My stomach churned, a mix of anger and disgust rising in me.

"Perfect? Is that what you tell yourself to justify kidnapping my children? Traumatizing them? Traumatizing me?"

He tilted his head, his smirk never fading. "It was all for you. You and I were meant to be. I just had to make you see it."

"By putting a gun to my head?" | snapped, my voice rising. "By forcing me to strip to prove my loyalty to you? By tearing my family apart? That's your idea of love?"

His eyes darkened slightly, but the smirk remained. "Love makes you do crazy things, Christiana. You wouldn't understand."

I stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor. "Don't you dare talk to me about love. You don't know the first thing about it.

Love is selfless. Love is about sacrifice. You don't love anyone but yourself, Daniel."

He leaned forward, the chains on his wrists rattling. "You can lie to yourself all you want, but I know the truth. I know you think about me. I know you feel something...otherwise, you wouldn't be here."

I shook my head, laughing bitterly. "You're pathetic. You're sitting here in handcuffs, facing a trial that's going to lock you away for life, and you still think you have a chance with me?"

His smile faltered for the first time, but he quickly recovered. "It's

not over. You'll see. You'll come back, just like you did today."

"Not a chance," I said coldly, stepping away from the table. "I came here to remind myself that you're nothing but a sad, twisted excuse for a man. And to tell you one thing...stay out of my nightmares, Daniel. You don't control me anymore."

As I turned to leave, his voice stopped me. "You'll never be free of me, Christiana. You'll always remember what we had, what we could've had."

I glanced back at him, my eyes burning with anger. "What we had?

You ruined any chance of that when you became this. Goodbye, Daniel."

I walked out of the room, the door slamming shut behind me. The officer gave me a concerned look, but I didn't say a word. I didn't need to.

Outside, the air hit me like a wave, cool and sharp against my skin.

I leaned against the car for a moment, my hands shaking as I tried to steady my breathing. He didn't deserve another second of my t i m e .

Let the trial come. Let him face the consequences of what he did.

Because I was done letting him haunt me.