HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 82

**Shadows of the Past – By Emma Clarke**
**Chapter 82**

He had been anticipating this moment for what felt like an eternity.

“Mr. Daven.” The voice, firm yet tinged with uncertainty, accompanied a deliberate knock at the door.

“Come in,” he replied, his tone steady, though inside, he felt a flutter of nerves.

The door swung open, revealing Rio—the same man who had crossed paths with him a few months prior. Now, he stepped into the office again, an air of awkward tension clinging to him like a heavy fog.

“Have a seat. Make yourself comfortable,” Daven instructed, gesturing toward the chair opposite his desk.

“Thank you, Mr. Daven,” Rio replied, his voice steady, though his posture betrayed a hint of apprehension.

Taking a seat, Rio exuded a careful calmness as he retrieved a folder from his bag, his movements deliberate and precise. “Here you go, sir,” he said, offering the folder with a sense of quiet confidence. “Thank you for trusting me with this.”

Daven’s heart raced slightly as he accepted the folder, his fingers brushing against the cool, smooth surface. “So… it’s as I suspected?” he ventured, his voice tinged with a mixture of hope and dread.

Rio nodded, his expression resolute. “Please review the documents. I’ve double-checked everything to ensure accuracy.”

With a practiced motion, he opened the black folder resting on his lap, revealing an array of official documents, photographs, and meticulously organized notes. The sight of it all sent a jolt of anticipation through Daven.

“I conducted a layered verification—civil records, field surveillance, and everything in between,” Rio explained, his tone calm yet urgent. “The name Althea Grayson is officially listed as a resident of SunCity for nearly seven years now. And… she is indeed your former wife.”

Daven’s breath caught in his throat as Rio handed him another set of papers. “I confirmed her home address. You’ll find additional notes there, including observations from the site. A modest house, not far from the city center. She lives there with only one other person—her child. Joshua Grayson.”

Daven’s gaze fell upon a particular photo, and his hand stilled. There she was—Althea, the woman who had haunted his thoughts for so long. But there was something different now; something brighter.

She was smiling—wide, open, and free.

When had he last seen Althea smile like that?

A tremor coursed through his fingers as he held the photo, memories flooding back. After a year spent searching for her, how was it that fate had woven their paths together again in such an unexpected manner?

“Miss Althea works as one of the teachers at a school under the Miller family’s foundation. She’s been teaching there for nearly four years,” Rio continued, his voice steady. “She doesn’t interact with many people. Aside from the information I gathered from her neighborhood, I also conducted some direct surveillance. Nothing suspicious. From what I observed, they live a quiet, happy life—just the two of them.”

“Just the two of them?” Daven echoed, unable to mask the sharp edge in his tone. He reached for the photo Rio had taken—Althea and Joshua, seated together at a fast-food restaurant. The boy, freshly released from school, still wore his uniform, a broad grin illuminating his face.

“Throughout my observations, there were no signs of her being in a romantic relationship with anyone—at least not publicly. The neighbors know her as a quiet, independent single mother. They say she keeps to herself, but she’s always polite. Occasionally, she receives visits from the school principal, but nothing beyond that has raised any suspicions.”

“Who are you talking about?” Daven narrowed his eyes, suspicion sharpening his voice.

“Mr. Chase Miller. According to my source, he’s quite close with Miss Althea.”

Daven’s mind raced back to the friendly man he had met once before. No wonder Josh had seemed so familiar with him. “So, that man visits her often?”

“I can’t say how close their relationship really is,” Rio admitted cautiously, “but many people around them say they’re… close. Perhaps it’s a romantic relationship they’re keeping under wraps.”

Daven exhaled slowly, a wave of emotions crashing over him. A wild thought struck him—one he couldn’t shake off, especially when it came to Althea… and Josh.

“Have you found out who Josh is?” His tone dropped, intensity lacing his words. “I mean… who his father is?”

Rio looked at him, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.

“So you haven’t done that part of the job yet, huh?” Daven let out a faint, bitter smirk. “Find out who Josh’s father is. If necessary, run a DNA test. Quietly.”