When She Ended It With Divorce (Chiara and Titus) novel Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The journey to the beach stretched on longer than Paul had anticipated. Throughout the drive, his eyes frequently flicked to the file Chiara held, visible in the rearview mirror. He couldn’t shake the nagging thought about what was inside it.

Knowing that Titus was in an unusually good mood today, Paul decided it was best to give Chiara a gentle warning—just to keep himself out of any potential trouble. “Mrs. Goodman,” he began cautiously, “this isn’t another divorce agreement, is it?”

Chiara glanced up briefly at the mirror, her expression tightening slightly. “Another one?” she repeated, a hint of surprise in her voice. “So he actually did get the divorce papers yesterday?”

Paul cleared his throat awkwardly. “Well, Mr. Goodman wasn’t exactly thrilled when he saw that file, so…” His words trailed off, but Chiara immediately caught his meaning. She lowered her gaze to the folder in her lap and whispered softly, “Don’t worry. It’s not divorce papers.”

Relief softened Paul’s features. “That’s good to hear, Mrs. Goodman. Mr. Goodman has been working overtime, squeezing in extra meetings just to take you out today. He really wants to make you happy. You mean a lot to him.”

He said it deliberately—after all, a content boss usually made for a smoother day at work. But deep down, Paul believed it. Titus wouldn’t have gone to such lengths if he didn’t care.

Something stirred quietly in Chiara’s chest at those words. She stared out the window, the crashing waves in the distance barely registering in her mind, and murmured, “Really?”

Paul thought about the surprises he’d arranged for the evening and nodded confidently. “Absolutely.”

Nearly an hour later, they finally pulled up to the beach. Chiara was so lost in her own thoughts that she barely registered the grandeur of the yacht or noticed Paul stepping aside to make a quick phone call.

The yacht itself was enormous, dripping with luxury at every corner. As she stepped into the cabin, soft music began to play. She glanced over and immediately frowned—there was a band performing that she didn’t like at all.

“Mrs. Goodman, this way. Mr. Goodman is waiting for you,” a crew member called out politely.

Chiara tightened her grip on the file, a slight unease creeping in. She looked away and gave a small nod in response.

She followed the crew member through the cabin into the dining room—and froze. The entire space had clearly been transformed for this evening. Soft candlelight flickered across the polished surfaces, and the table was beautifully set.

From the moment she stepped inside, Titus’s gaze was fixed on her. Wearing a flowing white dress that made her appear almost fragile, she looked genuinely surprised by the elaborate setup.

Titus, who had initially thought the whole thing was a bit excessive, raised one eyebrow. *Seems my wife really does like this,* he thought, amused. *She’s so taken aback she’s almost acting silly.*

He rose and walked over to her. “Like it?” he asked, his voice calm but warm.

Chiara blinked a few times, shaking off her surprise. She looked up at him, cheeks flushed. “You…”

Without waiting for a response, Titus gently wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her hair.

“I did all this for you. Do you like it?” His tone was deep and relaxed, laced with a casual kind of affection.

Her heart pounded fiercely, emotions rushing back despite everything that had happened between them. She still loved him, that much was certain.

But the stronger those feelings grew, the clearer it became—he didn’t love her the same way.

He was only trying to placate her, making time because he thought she was throwing a tantrum.

Taking a slow, steadying breath, Chiara finally spoke softly, “Can we talk? There’s something I need to tell you.”

Titus guided her gently to the table, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders. “What’s on your mind?”

She watched as he sat opposite her, her thoughts a tangled mess. Once again, he was stirring up emotions she wasn’t ready to face.

Noticing her hesitation, Titus gave a small, understanding smile. “If you don’t feel like talking right now, we can eat first. We’ll talk after dinner.”

It was only then that Chiara truly noticed the spread laid out before her. But as her eyes landed on the mango pudding, she froze.

Titus caught her staring and grinned, guessing she liked it. “You like this too?” he asked, placing the plate carefully in front of her.

Chiara dropped her gaze, masking the turmoil inside. Yet beneath the table, her hands clenched tightly into fists.

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