Unmasked My CEO Ex-Husband’s Regret novel Chapter 25

The Downtown Loft was right in the city center. When they were dating, Elara had practically lived there with him because the commute was so convenient.

After getting married, they had moved into the luxury villa Maddox Beckett had gifted them.

Julian had felt the loft held sentimental value, so he purchased it outright. Whenever he worked late, he would crash there.

Knowing he occasionally stayed over, Elara had hired a cleaning service to tidy the place once a week, and she made a point of regularly stocking the fridge.

But with her recent freelance casework and Melody falling ill, she hadn't found the time to visit in over a month.

She never imagined the apartment that held the precious memories of their courtship had now become a secret love nest for Julian and another woman.

Snapping out of her thoughts, she saw Julian's reply pop up: [No need. I'll take care of it.]

She couldn't tell if he was just brushing her off or actively trying to keep her away so she wouldn't discover the truth.

Since he insisted, Elara played along: [Alright, make sure you take good care of yourself.]

"Still so lovey-dovey, huh?"

They had reached the office door. Sarah rested her hand on the knob, shaking her head as she teased Elara for texting her husband while walking.

"You guys have been together for what, ten years now? And you're still acting like teenagers in the honeymoon phase. Doesn't it get exhausting?"

Elara paused, slipped her phone into her pocket, and looked up at Sarah with a faint smile. "It does."

"That's why I'm getting a divorce."

Her tone was so casual, she might as well have been discussing a client's consultation. Sarah completely brushed it off, pushing the office door open and stepping inside.

"Give me a break. With how obsessed you two are with each other, I'll get married and divorced before you two ever split up."

Sarah was fiercely anti-marriage, viewing men strictly as casual playthings. Getting her to tie the knot was about as likely as her becoming the richest woman in the world overnight.

Elara just smiled, walked into the office, and took a seat. She took a slow sip of the tea Sarah had prepared before casually saying, "You lose this time. Lunch is on you."

The loser of their bets always bought lunch—it was a long-standing tradition between them.

Though they hadn't formally wagered on a divorce, Elara unilaterally declaring her victory proved she wasn't joking.

Sarah froze, her teacup hovering inches from her lips.

She stared intensely at Elara, who met her gaze with absolute calm.

The teasing grin on Sarah's face slowly morphed into a grim expression. She set her cup down. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious."

"Why?"

"Julian cheated on me."

"What? Julian cheated?"

"Do you have solid proof?"

Elara waved her phone. "I saw it with my own eyes, and I even have a video."

A heavy silence blanketed the office.

Elara calmly sipped her tea, giving her friend the time she needed to process the bombshell.

"Holy shit!"

It was like a boulder crashing into a tranquil lake, sending explosive ripples crashing in every direction.

Sarah slammed her hand on the desk, her sharp lawyer's mind kicking into overdrive as she unleashed a string of colorful, poetic curses.

Several minutes later, Sarah finally calmed down. She downed a few cups of tea in rapid succession and slammed her cup onto the desk with a heavy thud.

"What's your plan?"

They were both attorneys; there was no need to waste breath on trivialities.

Knowing Elara wouldn't feel right if she didn't express her gratitude, Sarah let it slide without an argument.

The two sat in companionable silence, drinking their tea, until Sarah couldn't hold it in any longer. "Why, though?"

"You guys were so deeply in love. Julian adored you. To be with you, he nearly severed ties with his own mother. When Melody was born, didn't he drop everything to focus on her treatments with the doctors?"

Looking back at the last decade, Julian had been flawless as a boyfriend, husband, and father.

In their friend group, they had always joked that if they ever got married, they wanted to find a man exactly like Julian.

Yet here they were, and the poster boy for perfect husbands was sleeping with someone else.

"Maybe..."

Elara took a sip of her tea, the corners of her mouth twitching up into a bitter smile. "...he regrets it."

"Regrets what?"

Sarah wasn't a divorce attorney, but she'd seen enough cases to know that this made absolutely zero sense.

"He chased you relentlessly, he proposed, you've been married for years, and your kid is five! And now he suddenly has regrets?"

"How disgusting can one guy be?"

If he truly didn't want this marriage, why hadn't he backed down when his mother threw a fit?

Back when they were dating, Elara had reviewed all his contracts for free. After the wedding, she had never demanded shares. When Melody was diagnosed with high sensitivity, Elara didn't hesitate to give up her career so Julian could focus on building his empire without distraction.

Now that his company was thriving and Melody's condition had stabilized, he had the nerve to claim he regretted it and try to replace her with a new mother?

Was he even human?

Elara sighed softly. "Ark Solutions is definitely profitable, but compared to Beckett Corp, it's a drop in the ocean."

Sarah froze. "Are you saying Julian is still gunning for Beckett Corp?"