My Husband Chose His Ex I Became His Regret novel Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Lila

I can’t stop thinking about it.

Have I met you before?

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Three words. Three simple words I said to Mark Knight, and they felt like throwing a grenade into my old life and watching it explode.

I press my lips together to keep from smiling too wide.

Professional. I need to stay professional. But inside? Inside, I’m screaming. I’m doing cartwheels. I’m dancing on the grave of the woman who used to apologize for breathing.

“You’re smiling,” Aidan murmurs beside me, low enough that only I can hear. His arm is draped casually across the back of my chair, not touching me, but close enough that I can feel the heat of him. “Try to look less triumphant. We’re going for effortlessly confident, not gloating.”

“I told Mark Knight that I don’t know him,” I whispered back to Aidan. “I think I can smile.”

“Good point,” he said as he brushed my shoulder with his thumb lightly.

“But people are watching. Half the room is trying to figure out our relationship, the other half is looking at how fast you went from Mark’s garbage wife to my Chief Strategy Officer in just a few months.”

Glancing around, I can see he is right; people are looking at us, some more discreetly than others, and I catch Sienna’s eyes from across the room-she’s back at her table, but she looks like she’s been crying. Mark sits beside her, rigid, staring at his plate.

Good.

Is it bad that I feel absolutely no sympathy? Is it normal to feel a little bit of satisfaction knowing Sienna’s eye makeup is smudged and that Mark’s jaw looks like it’s going to snap from tension?

Patricia would say that’s okay, and that I deserve to feel vindicated; that all the years of abuse didn’t go away over night and that celebrating the little victories is part of healing.

But this doesn’t feel like a little victory.

This feels monumental.

A voice breaks the trance: “Ms. Stark,” I look up to see Hiroshi Nakamura approaching with two members of his team. “I am so sorry for interrupting, but I wanted to personally congratulate you on your outstanding presentation.”

My automatic reaction is to stand up due to Genevieve’s training to always stand when someone senior to you addresses you. “Thanks Mr. Nakamura; however, Aidan did most of the heavy work. I was just there for show.” I said before I even realized I had said anything. I was being self-deprecating and diminishing my

accomplishments, exactly what I was trained not to do.

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Chapter 27

Shit!

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But Aidan standing next to me quickly adds, “Lila is just being humble.”She played an influential role in establishing Al’s full integration approach. The subsequent development of the integration will be based entirely on the user experience and practical usage of the entire program based on her input.

I feel a little shocked. I’ve been at Storm Industries for only five days, but I haven’t actually developed anything to date.

However, Nakamura is impressed as he nods his head in agreement. “You have made a great decision Aidan. A woman of multiple talents.”

“Very lucky,” Aidan responds by placing his warm hand in the small of my back, providing support. “Lila is intelligent and very creative. I am working hard to promote her talent.”

We talk more, and Nakamura inquires about my history. I provide him with the clean version that Aidan had prepared: UCLA graduate, love of business strategy, and now at Storm Industries. I have not provided him with any information about Mark; nor have I provided him with any information from the three prior years of being erased.

Once Nakamura leaves to return to his table, I drop my head and lay back in my chair.

“I screwed that up,” I said quietly. “That ‘just there to look good’ was ultimately wrong. I should not have said that.”

“No,” Aidan replied. “It’s human.”

Aidan then sat down next to me and began to re-adjust his bowtie. “You’re making progress. It will take a while; three years of making yourself smaller will not disappear immediately. But you did recover. More importantly, you still have not apologized.”

He was right. I didn’t give in to it. Just two weeks ago I would have continued by saying, I sorry, I did not mean that.

But tonight? I just left it alone.

“Small victories,” I whispered to him.

“Small victories build empires.”

The dinner then continues.I spot multiple guests stopping to converse with Aidan and look at me as Aidan makes their introductions, all are either somewhat recognizable through my crash course of highly-esteemed individuals or totally unknown to me. With each introduction, Aidan introduces me as his Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). He makes certain to include me in each conversation and gives each opportunity to help elevate my status.

“Lila, what is your opinion on the new SEC regulations?”

“I would like to hear from Lila regarding this. She has a very unique point of view.”

I do respond, even sometimes nervously, other times with great confidence, but I do answer all questions. I do

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Chapter 27

not automatically defer to Aidan or assume that my opinion does not matter.

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These powerful, wealthy and somewhat intimidating people are actually listening to what I am saying.

It is very exciting!

While waiting for my next conversation, I watch Aidan reclined in his chair as he takes over the floor and provides a magnetism to attract all guests to him with their immense interest in Aidan’s approval, investment and time.

Now I am starting to understand the reason.

First, it is not the money, although I am sure that Aidan has his fair share of it. It is not even the overall success that he achieved with Storm Enterprises, as it has been recognized in the industry.

It is the manner in which Aidan gives 100% of his attention to whomever is speaking to him. He does not look at his phone nor at anyone else who may enter the area. Rather he pays complete attention to the speaker. He is always engaged with what the speaker is saying. At the conclusion of the speaker’s comments, he always provides a thought-out response, while making sure that the speaker feels as if they are the only person in the

room.

It is a gift. It is a skill. Both are going to be something I need to learn.

I watch him talk to a potential investor, a woman in her sixties, old money, skeptical expression. He leans forward slightly. Asks questions. Nods. And gradually, I see her posture relax. See her smile. See her pull out her business card.

“What are you thinking about?” Aidan asks suddenly, turning back to me. The investor has excused herself, promising to schedule a meeting.

“I’m watching how you interact with people; how you empower them without making yourself feel less of a person. You lead by example. It’s like seeing the perfect way to execute those behaviors in real-time.”

Aidan’s eyes flicker with pleasure and surprise, and to me. “You are very observant.” He takes a sip from his wine glass, then adds, “That will only help you grow as a leader. The more you watch others, the easier it is for you to see how you can learn from them and adapt your behavior over time.”

“Lila; you are a natural-born leader. You just spent the last three years with someone who made you feel that you weren’t a leader, but you are a leader. You’ve always had the ability to lead yourself and others.”

I look down at my plate and feel a rush of emotion build up in me from his words.

Aidan places his hand over mine on the table; it feels warm, strong, and real. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just can’t believe how grateful I am for everything you have done for me; you truly have changed my life. You have given me the ability to continue building my future and have been my greatest supporter when I have not had any faith in myself.”

“Stop.” Aidan’s voice was calm but firm. “You have worked extremely hard to achieve your goals, and I want you to understand that you deserve this credit. I have believed in you because I could see that you were a natural leader, and I wanted you to know that you should take pride in what you have accomplished this evening. You will continue to achieve and succeed as a result of your hard work and desire to lead yourself.”

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When I looked up into Aidan’s eyes, I saw the gray of his eyes looking directly to me.All at once. I realize how close we are. His hand is still covering mine, and he’s tracing absent circles on my wrist with his thumb.

I can feel my heart beating faster than it should.

“Aidan…” I start, but the orchestra starts playing again, the opening notes of a waltz ringing through the ballroom.

“They’re opening the dance floor,” Aidan says, yet he doesn’t pull his hand away or break eye contact with me. “We should…”

“Dance?” I finish his thought.

“Make an appearance.”

He stands up and offers me his hand.

I take it.

He leads me to the dance floor, which is made of marble that reflects every movement, and crystal chandeliers are casting prisms through the room. There are already a number of couples dancing. I can see Mark and Sienna among them, almost like he’s staring right through them instead of at her, but they’re looking right at us.

His hand slides down to my waist while his other hand is holding mine. We start to move together, as if we’ve done this sort of dance thousands of times before. He’s a confident lead, and I think back to all those hours Genevieve spent teaching me how to dance.

“You’re a good dancer,” I say as I try not to trip in my five-inch heels.

“I took private lessons for ten years. My grandfather insisted.” He spins me and brings me back to him. “He always said if a man can’t dance, he can’t lead. The two types of skills are very similar: reading your partner, anticipating their moves, leading without too much control.”

“Wow, that’s surprisingly insightful.”

“He was a surprisingly insightful man,” Aidan says, the tone of his voice changing just slightly, but just for a few seconds before he snuffs it out.”You would have liked him,” Aidan said, pulling me in just that tiny bit closer without stepping out of bounds into unprofessional land. “He had a thing for smart women who stood up for themselves.”

I actually laughed. “I doubt I fit that bill-”

“You stood in front of five hundred people and told Mark Knight you didn’t know him. I think you fit.”

The song changes. Tempo slows. Couples around us shift closer, more intimate. Aidan doesn’t let go. Doesn’t step back.

If anything, he pulls me closer.

Now we’re not dancing like CEO and employee. We’re dancing like…

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I don’t know what. But it feels dangerous. Thrilling. Like standing at the edge of a cliff and considering jumping.

“Everybody’s staring at us,” I whispered to him.

“I know,” he replied, his hand on the lower portion of my back holding me into place. “Let them stare. Let them wonder. It’s good for my business.”

“Is that what this is? Business?”

I could tell as soon as I asked that question that I probably should not have; it was an inappropriate thing to say. Aidan’s expression changed just slightly as I asked.

“What do you think it is?”

The truth is, I don’t know what to think.

I am dancing in Aidan’s arms while five hundred people look at me. I can feel his heartbeat against me through his tuxedo. I can see him speak but I am also wondering… I know I shouldn’t be doing this!

But Aidan interrupts me, “You’re thinking too loudly again.”

“I’m sorry.”

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“Don’t apologize.” He spins me again but this time when he spins me back to him we are so close together that I can only focus on him. I only see him. I only feel him. There are still five hundred other people here but I feel like we are the only two people here.

Mark has never looked at me with such focus in two years, never!

“Aidan,” I say as I breathe. I don’t know if I am giving him a warning or asking a question or what.

“I know.” Aidan’s voice is rough when he responds. “I know this is complicated; I know this isn’t what we agreed to; I know…”

The song ends and all five hundred people at the ballroom start clapping and I can feel the spell, break.

Aidan stepped away to create the professional distance that we had prior to dancing but the look in his eyes has not changed; they are still dark and intense and saying so much more than his mouth does.

“We need to return to our table,” Aidan says.

“Yes we do.”

Neither of us move.

“Lila–”

“Mr. Storm. I’m sorry for interrupting but I would like to speak with you about the Zenith partnership. Do you have a moment?”

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And the moment has now completely shattered. Aidan is now in CEO mode again, completely controlled professionally and focused on business.

“Of course.” He glances back to me. “Excuse me for a moment.”

“Take your time, I will be at the table.”

He nods to me and quickly squeezes my hand once, quickly so that nobody else sees this. Then he is off with the businessman already discussing business.

I remain on the dance floor alone now with my heart racing and my skin still vibrating from Aidan’s touch.

What just happened?

I walk to our table but before I get there I notice Mark getting closer to my area again.

Oh God, not now! Not without Aidan as my buffer!