My Husband Chose His Ex I Became His Regret novel Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Lila

2)

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The descent into JFK feels like falling, and I can’t tell if it’s the plane or just my entire world tilting off its axis.

Aidan hasn’t touched me in three hours.

Not since we started strategizing. Not since Marcus sent the photos of his destroyed office, scorched walls, melted furniture, everything he’d built literally burned. Not since the reality of what we’re walking into became impossible to ignore.

He’s across from me now. Laptop open. Jaw tight. Every inch the CEO I met four months ago. Cold. Calculating. Controlled.

The man who kissed me awake this morning feels like a distant memory.

“We’ll go straight to the office,” he says without looking up. “Marcus is assembling the executive team. We need to address this immediately.”

“Okay.”

“You’ll need to prepare a statement about the Lee Corporation deal. Emphasize the legitimacy. Counter Mark’s lawsuit claims.”

“Okay.”

“And we should…” He finally looks at me. Stops. “What’s wrong?”

Everything. Nothing. I don’t even know anymore.

“This is my fault,” I say quietly.

“What?”

“Mark. The attacks. The fire. All of it.” I gesture at his laptop, at the destruction displayed on the screen. “He’s doing this because of me. Because I left him. Because I’m with you now. Because…”

“Stop.” Aidan closes his laptop. “This is not your fault.”

“Isn’t it? He literally said it in his text. He’s targeting you because of me. Your office is destroyed because I…”

“Because Mark Knight is a vindictive child who can’t handle losing.” He leans forward. “This isn’t about you, Lila. This is about me. About fifteen years of him thinking he’s untouchable. About his father destroying my family and getting away with it. You’re just the excuse he’s using.”

“But if I wasn’t here, if we weren’t together, he wouldn’t have ammunition.”

“Then what? You want to leave? Want to pretend Singapore didn’t happen? Want to go back to being strangers so Mark Knight doesn’t feel threatened?”

10:14 Wed, May 13 M…

Chapter 51

The question hangs between us. Loaded. Dangerous.

“I don’t know,” I whisper. “I don’t know what I want anymore.”

He stares at me. Something shifts in his expression. Hardens.

“The seatbelt sign is on,” he says. Standing. “We’re landing soon.”

He walks to the back of the plane. Disappears into the bedroom. Doesn’t come back.

🙂

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I sit there. Alone. Watch New York appear below us. Gray. Cold. Nothing like the warmth of Singapore.

Nothing like the warmth of this morning when everything felt possible.

My phone buzzes. Text from Patricia:

Saw the news about the fire. Are you okay? Do you need to talk?

I type back: I’m fine. Just landed. Will call later.

Another text. This one from my father. I almost delete it without reading.

Almost.

Lila. We need to discuss this situation with Storm and Knight. You’re in over your head. Call me before you make things worse.

I delete it. Block the number again. But the damage is done.

Everyone thinks I’m the problem. The liability. The reason everything is falling apart.

Maybe they’re right.

The plane lands. Smooth. Professional. Like nothing is wrong.

Aidan emerges from the bedroom. Face neutral. Walls up.

“Car’s waiting,” he says.

“Okay.”

We move in silence. Get into the waiting town car. Sit on opposite sides of the backseat.

He’s on his phone immediately. “Marcus. We just landed. What’s the current status?” Pause. “And the clients?” Pause. “Fuck. Okay. We’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

He hangs up. Stares out the window.

“What did Marcus say?” I ask.

“We lost two more accounts this morning. Patterson and Morrison are officially gone. Henderson is

10:14 Wed, May 13 M…

Chapter 51

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‘evaluating their options.” His voice is flat. Emotionless. “Mark’s offering them packages we can’t match without operating at a loss.”

“There has to be something we can do…”

“There is. We fight back. We show the remaining clients why Storm Industries is worth the premium. We leverage the Lee Corporation deal. We…”He stops. Runs his hand through his hair. “We do what we always do.

We win.”

“And if we don’t?”

He finally looks at me. “Then we lose everything.”

The words settle between us. Heavy. Final.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I’m so sorry this is happening because of…”

“Don’t.” His voice is sharp. “Don’t apologize for Mark’s actions. Don’t take responsibility for his vindictiveness. Don’t…” He stops. Breathes. “Just don’t.”

“I’m trying to help…”

“Then help by being the brilliant strategist I know you are. Not by spiraling into guilt.” He turns back to the window. “We have work to do. Focus on that.”

Work. Right. Because that’s what we are. Colleagues. Partners. CEO and CSO.

Not the people who said “I love you” twelve hours ago.

Not the people who fell asleep tangled together, planning a future.

Just business.

The car pulls up to Storm Tower. There are news vans everywhere. Reporters. Cameras. A crowd gathered. taking photos of the 40th floor where broken windows and scorch marks mar the glass facade.

“Back entrance,” Aidan tells the driver.

We circle to the underground garage. Take the service elevator. Emerge on the 42nd floor-Aidan’s office level, untouched by the fire.

The executive team is already assembled in the main conference room. Marcus. David. Legal. PR. Everyone looking grim.

“Update,” Aidan says. No greeting. No preamble. Just business.

Marcus stands. Pulls up a presentation. “Total damages estimated at $3.2 million. Insurance will cover most of it, but there’s a 60-day payout period. More importantly, the fire triggered safety inspections across the entire building. We’re looking at potential code violations that could shut us down temporarily.”

“How temporarily?”

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Chapter 51

“Two weeks. Maybe more.”

“Unacceptable. We can’t afford to be offline for two weeks. Not with clients already jumping ship.”

“I’m working on expediting….”

“Work faster.” Aidan turns to legal. “The lawsuit. Where are we?”

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The head legal counsel, a woman named Cecilia Ross stands. “Knight’s claims are baseless. They’re alleging we stole proprietary technology, but they can’t specify what technology or provide evidence. It’s a nuisance suit designed to damage our reputation.”

“Can we get it dismissed?”

“Eventually. But the process takes time. And in the meantime, the press is running with it. ‘Storm Industries faces corporate espionage allegations’, that’s the headline everywhere.”

Aidan’s jaw tightens. “Countersue. Defamation. Harassment. Everything we can throw at him.”

“That will escalate things…”

“Good. Let it escalate. Mark Knight wants a war? He’s got one.”

I sit there. Listening. Watching Aidan transform into someone I barely recognize. The warmth from this morning is gone. The vulnerability. The man who said he’d choose me over the company.

This version of Aidan would choose the company over anything.

The meeting continues. Strategies. Counterattacks. Damage control.

No one asks me for input. No one looks at me. I’m just… there. A spectator.

10:14 Wed, May 13 M…