CEO’s Regret After I Divorced (Serena and Ryan) novel Chapter 222

Chapter 222: Chapter 222 The Misunderstood Heart

Serena’s POV

I watched Ethan shift uncomfortably in his seat, looking like a schoolboy caught passing notes. Poor guy. Maya had practically frozen him with that glare when we walked in.

"Ethan," I said, leaning against my desk, "you need to talk to her. Now."

He ran his fingers through his perfectly styled hair, messing it up slightly. "It’s complicated, Serena."

"No, it’s not," I crossed my arms. "You led her on in London, whether you meant to or not. And now you’re avoiding her like she’s got the plague."

Ethan winced at my directness. That’s one thing about regaining pieces of myself - I’m not as soft-spoken as I used to be. The old Serena might have sugar-coated things.

"I didn’t mean to give her false hope," he mumbled, looking down at his expensive shoes. "We spent time together, had dinner a few times. I enjoyed her company, but..."

"But what?" I pushed. "Maya isn’t just my business partner, Ethan. She stood by me when I had nothing. When I was drowning after the divorce. She’s family to me."

I walked over to the window, watching employees bustling about in the main design area. Maya was directing someone with animated gestures, professional as always despite her personal frustrations.

"You know what it’s like for women like us in this industry?" I asked, not really expecting an answer. "We’re constantly underestimated. Constantly having to prove ourselves. And when we open up to someone, show vulnerability..." I turned back to face him. "That takes courage."

Ethan’s face softened. "I never meant to hurt her."

"Intention doesn’t matter when someone’s heart is involved," I replied. "She puts on a tough exterior, but she’s human. You can’t just fly in from London, charm her, then pretend nothing happened."

"What exactly am I supposed to say?" He looked genuinely lost.

I sighed, shaking my head. "The truth, Ethan. Whatever that is. If you’re not interested, say so clearly. If you are but you’re hesitating because of work or distance or whatever else... say that too. She deserves honesty."

He stood up suddenly, pacing my office. "It’s not that simple. The LUXE and Dreamland partnership is important. If things go badly between us—"

"Oh please," I cut him off. "We’re all professionals. Maya would never let personal matters affect business. That’s not who she is."

Ethan stopped pacing and looked at me thoughtfully. "You really care about her."

"Like I said - she’s family." I walked to the door. "Now go talk to her. Clear the air. No more excuses."

I opened my office door pointedly, making it clear our conversation was finished.

"What if she throws something at me?" he asked, only half-joking.

I couldn’t help but smile. "Duck."

With visible reluctance, Ethan straightened his tie and walked out. I watched through my glass walls as he approached Maya’s office, knocking tentatively. She looked up, surprise briefly crossing her face before that mask of cool indifference slipped back into place.

She gestured for him to enter, and as the door closed behind them, I felt a strange mixture of hope and worry. Maya deserved someone who recognized her worth. Whether that someone was my brother or not remained to be seen.

I turned away, giving them privacy. My phone vibrated with a message from Lucy confirming my afternoon appointments. Back to work. Dreamland wouldn’t run itself, and after yesterday’s confrontation with Tiffany, I needed to stay focused.

Whatever was happening between Maya and Ethan, they’d have to figure it out themselves. I’d done my part as both friend and sister. Now it was up to them to find their own way through this mess.

Ethan’s POV

I pushed open Maya’s office door after knocking, feeling like I was walking into a lion’s den. My palms were sweaty, something that never happened during multi-million dollar negotiations. Yet here I was, nervous as a schoolboy asking someone to dance.

"Fine," she said flatly. "Let’s hear what you have to say."

I sat down, keeping a respectful distance between us. "I want to apologize for last time. Everything happened so suddenly, and I... I didn’t know how to respond, so I left. It wasn’t appropriate, and I regret it."

Maya’s mouth twisted slightly, but she didn’t interrupt. Some of the tension seemed to leave her shoulders.

"Maya, when it comes to relationships, I’m... inexperienced," I continued, feeling increasingly awkward. "I didn’t realize my actions might give you the wrong impression, so—"

"I understand completely," Maya cut me off, standing abruptly. Her expression had shifted to professional detachment. "You can go now, Ethan."

I froze mid-sentence. Wait, that wasn’t what I meant to say at all. Serena had told me to be honest, and I was trying to explain that while I hadn’t intended to lead her on, I did enjoy our time together. That maybe we could see where things might go.

"Maya, you—"

"Please leave," she said, already back behind her desk, eyes fixed on her computer screen. "I have work to do."

I swallowed the words on the tip of my tongue, nodded stiffly, and left her office. As I closed the door behind me, instead of feeling relieved that the awkward conversation was over, I felt worse. Much worse.

Why did Maya’s dismissal bother me so much? Wasn’t this what I wanted—clarity, no complications? Then why did I feel like I’d just lost something important before I even knew I had it?

Her face when she told me to leave kept replaying in my mind. The spark in her eyes had gone completely flat. I’d seen that same passionate woman laughing under London rain, arguing brilliantly over design concepts, challenging my every assumption.

Now she looked at me like I was just another business associate.

And somehow, that felt much worse than any anger could have.