My Husband Chose His Ex I Became His Regret novel Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Aidan

I’m immediately walking towards her.

“Lila? What are you doing here?” I say when I see her holding her cell phone.

Is it true? Is The Knight Group filing for bankruptcy?”

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“Yes,” I say. “The board removed Mark this afternoon. They expect the bankruptcy filing to occur by Friday.”

“So what about Mark? Where is he?”

“I think he is at his attorney’s office preparing for the SEC investigation,” I tell her. “I would not be surprised if he is looking at criminal charges for what he has done very soon.”

“He has lost everything,” she states matter-of-factly.

“Yes,” I reply. “He has lost everything. His company, his reputation, and probably his freedom. Game over for Mark.”

She looks at me, but her expression is completely unreadable. Is she happy? Sad? Angry?

“Is this what revenge feels like? Watching someone lose everything they have ever had?” she asks in a whisper.

That question surprised me. “What?” I ask again.

“Is that how it feels to you? Watching Mark lose everything, that is. Is it victory, or revenge? You tell me,” she

says.

I give her a long, hard stare. Her appearance is pale, almost ghost-like. She has dark circles under her eyes, and her hair is pulled into a messy ponytail. She looks drained, just like I do.

“No,” I tell her. “This is not about me having revenge over Mark. This is about him receiving the justice he deserves for the crimes he has committed.”

“What is the difference between revenge and justice?” she asks.

“Revenge is inflicting harm on someone who has caused you harm. Justice is holding people accountable for the choices they make and the consequences for those choices. Mark did not lose everything because I want him to suffer; he lost everything because he committed crimes. The SEC investigation, the bankruptcy, the board voting him out; those are all results of Mark’s own choices, not me trying to get revenge.”

She’s quiet for a long moment. Then: “The Singapore contract. The clause about female executives. Tell me the truth. Why did you really bring me?”

Here it is. The moment I’ve been dreading.

“The truth is complicated,” I start.

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Chapter 64

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“I want complicated. I want the whole truth. Not the version you think I can handle. The actual truth.”

I take a breath. “The Lee Corporation wanted assurance that we value diversity. They specifically asked that our negotiating team include female executives. That was in the preliminary discussions before I even hired you.”

Her face falls. “So you..”

“Let me finish. Yes, that clause existed. Yes, having you on the team satisfied that requirement. But Lila…” I step closer. “That’s not why I brought you to Singapore. I brought you because you earned it. Because your strategic insights on the Nakamura deal proved you were brilliant. Because I trusted you to represent Storm Industries at the highest level. The contract clause was a bonus, not the reason.”

“How do I know that’s true?”

“Because I could have brought any female executive. Any of them. But I brought you. Because I wanted you there. Because I…” I stop. “Because even then, I was falling for you. And I wanted to show you the world. Wanted to see you discover things you’d never experienced. Wanted to be the one who…” I stop. This is too honest. Too raw.

“Who what?” she prompts.

“Who made you happy.” The words are barely above a whisper. “I wanted to be the person who made you happy. Not used you. Not controlled you. Made you happy.”

Silence. She’s staring at me like she’s trying to see inside my head. Inside my heart.

“When did you find out about the surveillance file?”

“Two days before I told you. James found it when he was looking for other things. I should have told you as soon as I found out. I waited too long because I wanted to give you a little bit more time before I told you that Mark was stalking you and that you’d had this horrible experience. It was selfish of me, but I thought I was looking out for you. I’m so sorry Lila. I know I was wrong for not telling you so you could prepare. I was hiding this from you out of love; I’m in love with you too much to watch you suffer again.”

“In love with me. You’re in love with me?”

Completely. Entirely. In a way that makes me stupid and reckless and willing to keep secrets because I can’t stand watching you in pain. Which I know is wrong. I know I should have told you everything immediately. But-” I stop. “I’m not perfect. I’m trying. But I’m not perfect

“Oh, absolutely. Totally and completely in love with you. Enough so that I think I’m being foolish by keeping this from you, but I cannot see you in pain any longer. I understand that I was wrong for hiding this. And it was wrong for me not to have told you the instant I knew. But…” I pause. “I’m not a perfect person, but I’m trying every day to be better.”

“Why did you really send that evidence to the SEC?” she asks. “The truth.”

“Because Mark threatened you. Because he’d been stalking you. Because he’s a criminal and I had evidence of crimes and morally, legally, I had an obligation to report it.” I pause. “And yes, because I wanted him to face consequences for what he did to you. For those years of abuse. For destroying your self-worth. For making you believe you were worthless. I wanted justice for that. Is that revenge? Maybe. But it’s also…”

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Chapter 64

“Right,” she finishes. “It was the right thing to do.”

“I’d like to think so.”

:

We stand there. Five feet apart. It might as well be five miles.

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