CEO’s Regret After I Divorced (Serena and Ryan) novel Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Winning back the truly mattered

Serena’s POV

I bit my lip as Ryan’s gaze held mine, his eyes filled with an honesty I hadn’t seen in years.

He stood there like a man awaiting judgment, his usual confidence replaced with vulnerability that made him look almost boyish. Damn it. Why was he making this so hard?

Maybe I could try trusting him one more time, but I needed him to understand where I stood.So I wiped the smile from my face, instantly serious.

"Sophie works at your company, and you’re constantly protecting her. It’s hard not to think something’s going on."

Ryan caught my meaning immediately. "I’ll have someone clarify our relationship to everyone at the company. No more rumors." His voice was firm, determined. "If you don’t believe me, just wait. I’ll prove it to you. How’s that?"

I couldn’t help but snort, though I felt my expression softening. "You’d better." Then, shifting topics to avoid the flutter in my chest, I asked, "What are you planning to do about Grandmother?"

Our eyes met, and an unspoken understanding passed between us.

"If Grandmother wants to see that cripple, I’ll arrange it," he said, referring to his uncle. "Kane has no power in this city anymore. He can’t cause any trouble."

I stayed quiet. This was Blackwood family business, and technically, I had no right to voice an opinion anymore. Strange how that thought stung.

"Serena, aren’t you coming back to the apartment?" Ryan’s question hung in the air between us.

"I’m comfortable at Maya’s place," I answered, eyeing him suspiciously. "What are you getting at?"

"Staying at someone else’s home can’t be convenient for long."

I waved my hand dismissively. "That’s my choice to make. Until you resolve this Sophie situation, don’t come looking for me."

I turned to leave but remembered Grandmother’s condition. "If anything happens to Grandmother, call me. We were family once, after all." I paused, considering. "Though since you’re letting Kane return, I suspect her health won’t deteriorate that far."

With nothing more to say, I walked away, feeling his eyes boring into my back. Part of me wanted him to stop me, to grab my hand again. The other part was relieved when he didn’t.

When I got back to Maya’s apartment, I flopped onto her couch with a dramatic sigh. My back was killing me - pregnancy wasn’t exactly the glowing experience everyone made it out to be.

"So?" Maya appeared from the kitchen, two mugs of herbal tea in hand. "What happened with Mr. Ice King? You were gone longer than I expected."

I recounted the whole encounter - Grandmother’s condition, Ryan’s unexpected sincerity, and his promise to deal with Sophie.

Maya rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. "God, Serena, you’re hopeless. Absolutely hopeless." She handed me the tea and plopped down beside me. "Why are you so determined to hang yourself on this crooked tree? The man had years to treat you right and chose not to."

"It’s complicated," I muttered, cradling the warm mug against my chest.

"No, it’s really not. You’re just—" Maya stopped mid-sentence as I gasped. "What? What’s wrong?"

I grabbed her hand and placed it on my belly where a distinct little kick had just landed. "Feel that?"

Maya’s eyes widened as another kick pressed against her palm. "Oh my god!" She squealed, dropping to her knees to get closer to my bump. "Hello in there, little one! It’s your Auntie Maya!"

I couldn’t help laughing at her enthusiasm as she kept her hands glued to my stomach, waiting for more movement.

I held up my hand as she started forward, her momentary look of triumph fading when I physically blocked her path. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Ryan, what are you...?"

"Grandmother’s resting. You wouldn’t be able to see her anyway," I said firmly. "I need to talk to you."

I walked outside the gate, stopping by the wall. Sophie followed, her smile still fixed in place though I could see anxiety flickering in her eyes.

God, how had I never noticed how calculated her expressions were? Standing here now, I could practically see the wheels turning in her head, strategizing her next move. Had she always been this transparent?

"Sophie, I have Serena now," I stated plainly, feeling lighter with each word. "It’s better if we minimize our contact."

After all these years of carrying Sophie as a ghost in my heart, the freedom of finally letting go was exhilarating.

"Whatever our past was, I don’t want to revisit it anymore."

"Ryan... you..." Sophie’s voice trembled, her perfectly manicured hand reaching toward me.

"That’s all I wanted to say. You can leave now." I took a deep breath, turned around, and walked back into the mansion without looking back.

For the first time in years, my shoulders felt unburdened. The weight I’d carried since Sophie’s "death" was finally gone.

Now I could focus entirely on winning back the woman who truly mattered – the mother of my child, who against all odds, might be starting to believe in me again.