HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 389

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**Shadows of the Past – By Emma Clarke**

**Chapter 389**

“Then what is it that you truly desire?” Althea finally inquired, her tone a blend of curiosity and skepticism.

Selena’s eyes sparkled with a flicker of hope as she met Althea’s gaze. “I want you to recognize me as someone who shared a bond with Chase. As a mother.”

A faint smile played on Althea’s lips, but it was laced with irony. “That’s quite amusing, really.” She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, a defensive posture that spoke volumes. “You see, I perceive you as someone who has arrived far too late, with far too many demands on my compassion.”

Selena couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh, tinged with disbelief. “Goodness! If I had known you would brush aside our existence so casually, I should have come to you the moment the news of Chase’s death reverberated through the world.”

Althea’s smile remained thin, barely there. “Yes, you should have. Had you done so, perhaps no one would have questioned your motives. Maybe not even me.”

Selena released a long, shaky breath. This woman was a formidable opponent—Althea’s calm demeanor belied an undercurrent of immense pressure. She was not one to act impulsively, always scanning her surroundings with a discerning eye. Selena’s attempts to tug at her emotions seemed futile; Althea was resolute, unmoved by the emotional bait Selena had dangled before her.

Dealing with Althea was proving to be a far more challenging endeavor than Selena had anticipated.

“I understand that you were his legal wife. I never aimed to take your place. I didn’t come here with malicious intentions,” Selena finally articulated, her voice steady despite the turmoil within. “All I want is for Eli to be accepted.”

“Accepted as what, exactly?” Althea’s voice was quiet, yet it held an edge that demanded clarity.

“As Chase’s child,” Selena replied, her heart racing.

Althea exhaled softly, the air escaping her lips like a whisper of resignation. “I have no interest in Chase’s past—who he was with long before our marriage. I was fully aware of the types of women who surrounded him back then. To Chase, they were merely colleagues and business associates. But I always knew where his heart truly resided.”

Selena’s eyes bore into Althea’s, searching for any sign of weakness.

“Only with me,” Althea stated, her voice calm but imbued with an unyielding certainty. “I never once questioned the depth of Chase’s love for me. And your sudden appearance,” she continued, her tone shifting to a gentle yet razor-sharp edge, “only raises the question—what is it that you truly seek?”

“Do you honestly believe I’m pursuing status simply because Chase was the eldest son of the Miller family?” Selena retorted, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “Do you genuinely think I’m that desperate?”

“Perhaps. Who can say?” Althea met her gaze with unwavering steadiness. “Even had you approached me sooner, the outcome would remain unchanged. I am the lawful wife of the late Chase Miller. You were never married to him. Eli was conceived from a relationship that was mutually consensual between the two of you.”