My Husband Chose His Ex I Became His Regret novel Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Lila

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“You’re staring at me like I’ve grown a second head.”

I blink, realizing I’ve been watching Aidan dissect his salmon for the past thirty seconds instead of eating my own lunch. We’re at Marcello’s, the Italian place two blocks from Storm Tower that’s become our regular lunch spot when we actually remember to eat.

“Sorry,” I say, stabbing at my pasta. “I was just thinking.”

“About?”

About how unfair it is that you look that good in a suit. About how you roll your sleeves exactly three times and it shouldn’t be attractive but it is. About how you’re left-handed and I only noticed last week even though we’ve been working together for three months.

“The Nakamura contract,” I lie.

He raises an eyebrow. The left one. He always raises the left one when he doesn’t believe me.

See? I notice things. Too many things.

“The contract we finalized yesterday?” he asks.

“I’m… reviewing it mentally. For errors.”

“There are no errors. You checked it six times.”

“Seven times.”

“Seven times.” He sets down his fork. “Lila, what’s really on your mind?”

Everything. You. The way you defended me yesterday against Mark. The way you said ‘I’ll always defend you’ like it was a promise, not a platitude. The way I can’t stop replaying that moment,

“I’m just tired,” I say instead. “Late nights catching up.”

“Then we should cut back on the hours…”

“No.” The word comes out too fast. Too revealing. “I mean, I like the late nights. The work. Learning from you.”

Something flickers in his eyes. “Learning from me?”

“You’re a good teacher.” I twirl pasta around my fork, not looking at him. “Patient. Thorough. You don’t make me feel stupid when I ask questions.”

“You never ask stupid questions.”

10:08 Wed, May 13 N

Chapter 38

“I asked you what EBITDA meant last week.”

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“And I explained it without judgment. Because there’s no shame in not knowing something. Only in refusing to learn.” He picks up his wine glass, we’re not supposed to drink during business lunches, but he ordered a bottle anyway. Says the best negotiations happen with a glass of wine in hand. “You’re one of the fastest learners I’ve ever worked with. You absorb information like…”

“A sponge. You’ve said that before.”

“Because it’s true.” He takes a sip. Watches me over the rim of the glass. “Where is this coming from? The self- doubt?”

Nowhere. Everywhere. From the fact that I’m sitting across from my devastatingly attractive boss, eating overpriced pasta, and trying very hard not to notice the way the afternoon sunlight catches the gray in his eyes and turns them silver.

“Just making sure I’m earning my salary,” I say lightly.

“You’ve earned it ten times over. The Zenith partnership alone justified your entire first year.” He leans back. “Actually, that’s something I wanted to discuss.”

My stomach flips. “If this is about my performance…”

“It’s about a business trip. Next week. Singapore.”

“Singapore?” I set down my fork. “As in… Singapore, Asia?”

“Is there another Singapore I’m not aware of?”

“I’ve never…” I stop myself. “What’s in Singapore?”

“A potential partnership with the Lee Corporation. Tech manufacturing, massive scale, exactly the kind of deal that could position Storm Industries for global expansion.” He’s watching me carefully. “I want you to come with me. Handle the preliminary negotiations. Observe their operations. Learn how international deals work.”

My heart is racing. “You want me to negotiate with….I’ve never done international…what if I mess up?”

“You won’t.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do. Because you’re brilliant, and meticulous, and you don’t walk into a room unprepared. He leans forward. “This is the next step, Lila. You’ve mastered domestic strategy. It’s time to go global.”

“When would we leave?”

“Monday. Five days in Singapore. We’d be back the following Saturday.”

Five days. In Singapore. With Aidan.

10:08 Wed, May 13

Chapter 38

I’m trying to focus on the professional implications. The opportunity. The career advancement.

I’m failing spectacularly.

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Because all I can think about is five days of meals together. Five days of late-night strategy sessions. Five days of being in close quarters without the buffer of the office.

Five days of pretending I don’t notice the way he looks at me when he thinks I’m not paying attention.

“What about the Nakamura follow-up meeting?” I ask, grasping for practical concerns. “That’s scheduled for Thursday.”

“Marcus can handle it. Or we reschedule.” He’s still watching me. “Unless you don’t want to go.”

“No! I want to…” I catch myself. Sound less desperate, Lila. “I mean, yes. Professionally, this would be valuable experience.”

“Professionally,” he echoes. Something in his tone makes me look up.

His eyes are intense. Focused entirely on me. Like I’m a puzzle he’s trying to solve.

“What?” I ask.

“Nothing. Just…” He shakes his head. “You’ve never traveled internationally, have you?”

“How did you…”

“Your passport. Had to check the expiration for the visa application. It’s pristine. Never been used.”

Right. Because Mark traveled constantly for business and never once asked if I wanted to come. Said I’d be bored. Said I wouldn’t understand the meetings. Said…

“I’d like to,” I say firmly. “Travel, I mean. See the world. Experience things beyond this city.”

“Then this is your chance.” He pulls out his phone, starts typing. “I’ll have Marcus book your flight. First class. We leave Monday at 6 PM, arrive Tuesday morning local time. I’ve blocked out the full week.”

“First class?” My voice squeaks slightly. “That’s not necessary…”

“It’s a fourteen-hour flight. You’re not sitting in coach.” He says it like it’s obvious. Like spending thousands of dollars on a plane ticket is normal. “We’ll need you sharp when we land, not cramped and miserable.”

“I’ve never flown first class.”

“Then you’re in for a treat.” He’s smiling now. That rare, genuine smile that makes my stomach flip. “Fair warning: after you experience lie-flat seats and actual food, you’ll never want to fly economy again.”

“Adding to my list of expensive habits you’re teaching me,” I say. “First designer clothes, then luxury apartments, now first-class travel. You’re ruining me for normal life.”

“Good. You were never meant for normal life anyway.”

10:08 Wed, May 13 N

Chapter 38

The words hit harder than they should. Settle somewhere in my chest.

“What was I meant for?” I ask quietly.

He looks at me for a long moment. “Extraordinary things. You’re just starting to realize it.”

Our waiter appears, breaking the moment. “Can I get you anything else? Dessert? Coffee?”

“Tiramisu,” Aidan says without looking at the menu. “Two spoons.”

“We’re sharing dessert?” I ask when the waiter leaves.

“You always want to try mine anyway. This way you don’t have to pretend you don’t.”

He noticed. Of course he noticed. Aidan notices everything.

“I don’t always…”

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