The CEO's Regret: Darling, Don’t Leave Me novel Chapter 178

Chapter 127: “Stupidities”

Clara

There is a second… a very short one… in which I remain silent.

Not because I don’t have anything to say but because I’m trying to decide how to say it.

But then… I look at him. And something inside me breaks.

“My stupidities?” I repeat, incredulous.

My voice is not loud yet… but sharp. Very sharp.

Alexander doesn’t move, he doesn’t flinch. And that… That makes everything worse.

I let out a small, humorless laugh, shaking my head.

“Did you really just say that?”

He looks at me as if nothing happened.

As if this were a normal conversation, as if he had not just crossed a huge line.

“I’m talking about the company,” he replies.

Cold, controlled. As always, and that… It turns me on more.

“No,” I interrupt him. “You’re talking about me.”

My hands rest on the table, leaning a little towards him.

“And you’re doing it in the most cowardly way possible.”

Silence… only silence. But I don’t stop, because if I do… I’m going to swallow all this.

And no. Not this time.

“You have no right to meddle in my personal life,” I continued.“None.”

I feel the pulse in my temples, fast, strong.

“And much less to come here to insinuate that I don’t know how to do my job because…” I make a vague gesture with my hand… “What I do outside this office.”

Alexander remains unchanged, not a muscle, not a visible reaction. And that… it makes me desperate.

Because I’m here… feeling all of this. And he… isn’t.

“I’m pointing out a pattern,” he says, calmly.

As if he were explaining something logical, measurable.

I frown, completely incredulous.

Chapter 127

“A pattern?”

straighten up.

“Do you know what pattern | see?”

I look at him directly, without filters.

“That you can’t stand not having control.”

There, that was it. A small, minimal crack. But I saw it. And I continue.

If he now observes me, I do the same.

“That you can’t stand things not going the way you want them to,” I add. “And now you contre to disguise it as “business concern“.”

I shake my head.

“No, Alexander.”

My low voice… but it becomes firmer.

More dangerous.

“This isn’t about the company.”

I pointed among us.

“This is you… trying to get in where you don’t have a place. It’s my private life, you can’t get into it.”

The silence becomes heavy, dense. But I do not back down.

“And I won’t allow it.”

His eyes are fixed on mine, colder now, harder.

“You’re making a mistake,” he says.

But it doesn’t sound so neutral anymore. Not quite.

“No,” I answer immediately. “The one who is making a mistake is you.”

My breathing is faster now. But I don’t care.

r

“Because if you think you can come to question me, to invalidate me, to talk to me like that… just because

you don’t like a decision I made in my personal life…”

I take a step back, but not to move away, to mark distance.

“Then you don’t know me at all.”

Silence.

We look at each other, and this is no longer professional, this is personal. Absolutely.

Charter 122

“As a partner.” he says, mere firmly now, “I have every right to question decisions that may affect the company.

“Then question real decisions,” I throw at him. “Don’t make excuses to get involved in something that doesn’t belong to you.”

My chest rises and falls strongly.

“Because until now… You haven’t pointed out a single real mistake.”

That stings, I know. But he doesn’t break down.

He is not going to do it, he never does.

“Not yet,” he replies.

Cold, calculated.

That word, still… I purse my lips.

“Is that a threat?”

He doesn’t respond right away, he just looks at me. And that… That’s worse than any response.

I exhale hard, that’s it. This is not going anywhere. And I’m hot going to stay here and let him continue.

“You know what?” I say finally. “I am not going to continue with this.”

I take the documents from the table and push them lightly towards him.

“When you have something professional to say… We talk.”

My voice trembles just at the end, with rage. Not weakness.

“But this,” I add, pointing to each other, “does not happen again.”

I turn, without waiting for a response. I walk to the door, open it. And just before leaving… I stop for a second. Without turning around.

“And by the way…”

My voice is low, but firm.

“My life is not your mistake.”

And I go out. I close the door harder than necessary, the sound echoing in the hallway.

Some people look up, I don’t care.

Fast path. With my heart beating strongly, with rage still burning in my chest.

But underneath all that… there is something else. Something I don’t want to acknowledge yet.

Because this… It wasn’t just an argument. It was a warning and the worst… I know that he is not going to stay here.

Chapter

Idon’t know when I left the building, I just know that I’m outside.

The air hits my face… but the heat inside me can’t get down.

I breathe once, twice. Nothing changes.

I feel my hands tense, my chest tight… the head full.

I walk a few steps aimlessly, as if I need to move to get all this out of my system.

“Stupid…” I murmured.

But I don’t know if I mean him… or everything. I close my eyes for a second. Because what bothers me the most… It’s not what he said. That’s how he said it. That way of insinuating, of getting itrvolved.

To make me doubt… even if it’s just a little. I purse my lips.

No, I’m not going to give him that power.

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