My CEO HUSBAND sign the divorce novel Chapter 296

Chapter 296: Utterly unmoved

"We’ll talk after the meeting," I replied simply.

Together, we headed toward the conference room. Employees paused to greet us as we passed, and I acknowledged them with a nod, though my mind remained elsewhere.

The directors rose to their feet when I entered, offering their greetings before taking their seats. Moments later, the conference began, each department head presenting their reports in turn.

Nearly two hours passed. I listened, asked the necessary questions, and made the required decisions, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the villa—to Alicia, and to the conversation we had left unfinished....

After the second meeting ended, it was already noon.

"When is the next one?" I asked Karen as we walked toward my office.

"In thirty minutes, sir."

I pushed open the door and headed for my desk. "Bring me the finance files that need reviewing."

"Yes, sir."

I sat down and noticed she was still standing there.

"Why are you still here?"

"You haven’t had breakfast, sir. Should I have something brought up?"

"No."

"But, sir...."

"Get the files," I cut in sharply.

She flinched almost imperceptibly before hurrying out.

Leaning back in my chair, I closed my eyes. I had asked Maria to call when the doctors arrived, but my phone remained silent. It was already noon.

With a sigh, I scrolled through my contacts. My thumb hovered over Alicia’s name. After a long moment, I locked the screen instead. If she ignored the call,or worse, answered only out of obligation.I wasn’t sure I could bear it.

Restless, I lit a cigarette and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. Below, the city moved on, indifferent and alive.

My thoughts drifted to two years ago, when Alicia and I would leave work together, ride home in silence, have dinner, and begin the same routine again the next day. She would sometimes try to initiate conversations , but I would never give her much attention.

Now, standing alone in my office, I finally understood how much of her I had missed.

Only now did I realize how foolish I had been. Even if I hadn’t loved Alicia back then, that was no excuse to ignore her the way I did.

And now, when I was the one trying to bridge the distance between us, she seemed utterly unmoved.

Lost in thought, I didn’t hear the office door open. I only felt a light tug on my sleeve and looked up.

Karen stood beside me, a cup of coffee in one hand. Her other hand fell away from my arm the moment my gaze dropped to it.

"I brought you some coffee, sir."

I accepted it without a word and stubbed out my cigarette in the ashtray before turning back to the window. When I realized she was still standing there, I asked, "Is there something else?"

"You seemed distracted during the meeting," she said, stepping closer.

For a moment I just stood quietly thinking about the nerve she had to say something like that to me.

Most employees would have retreated under a look like the one I gave her .

In the past two years, my patience had worn thin, and I had developed a habit of snapping at even minor mistakes—a side of myself I scarcely recognized. Karen, however, was different.

Since she began working for me, she had only faltered a handful of times beneath my temper. More often than not, she met my coldness with the same quiet composure she wore now.

I ignored the question. "Call the villa and make sure everything is fine." I instructed but Instead of leaving, she lingered.

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