The Billionaire's Ex-Wife (Her Ex-Husband's Regret) novel Chapter 41

Cassie.

I stare at myself in the mirror, completely satisfied with my look. I’m wearing a baby pink off-shoulder top and a matching floral balloon skirt that goes all the way up to the top of my knees. My hair is elegantly styled into a loose bun, with a few tendrils framing my face softly. My makeup is subtle yet elegant, with a rosy blush on my cheeks and a sweep of shimmery eyeshadow that matches my dress.

“Wow, you look like a princess, Mommy!” Kai says as he enters the room.

“Why, thank you, dear Sir,” I beam at him. “You look dashing yourself.”

Wearing a suit, and his black hair combed back, he looks even more like…

I sigh, remembering Kayden once again.

‘Stop thinking about him!’ I scold myself. ‘He’s a lying son of a bitch!’

He sounded so desperate when he told me that he wanted me back. He looked so disappointed when Ethan showed him the fake DNA test saying that Ethan is the father of Kai. Then it turned out that Megan is pregnant with his child? While he was confessing his feelings for me, he’s been banging my stepsister?

‘Seriously, who does that?’ What an asshole!

I hear a knock on the door. Daisy, the on-the-day event organizer that Ethan hired, enters the room. She beams at me. “Oh, you are a dream to look at! Come on, it’s time.’

We follow her down the small hall of the chapel.

“Lyn is ready?”

“Yes! She can’t wait!”

I hear the sound of the piano as Daisy hands me a bouquet of roses.

“See you later, Mommy,” Kai smiles as he walks down the aisle.

After a few minutes, Daisy gives me a cue. It’s time for me to march.

I take a deep breath, feeling the delicate fabric of my skirt swish around me, and begin to walk down the aisle. I feel a mix of emotions inside. I feel all teary and emotional. I never knew walking down the aisle can feel like this. I have been married once, but I never walked down the aisle before. Kayden didn’t give me the luxury of walking down the aisle. It was a quick, unemotional ceremony. I guess that’s his way of sending me a message. That wedding was nothing more than it is—a business deal, a desperate resort, a band-aid solution.

I see Ethan standing beside his cousin, Norman, at the altar. The moment he sees me, he cannot help the wide smile on his face. Then he winks at me, and I cannot help giggling.

I stand in my place on the side of the altar, opposite Ethan.

“You look amazing,” he mouths.

Then the pianist starts playing “The Bridal Chorus” and all our eyes go to the entrance.

And there she is, dressed in pure white, strapless ball gown, the lace intricately embroidered with sparkling crystals. Gazing at Lyn, as she walks down the aisle, no one will be able to tell that this was a whirlwind romance. She met Ethan’s cousin, when? Three months ago? And now, here they are. Taking a plunge all of a sudden that we all had to rush to Vegas for their wedding. But Lyn is already six weeks pregnant. Norman is adamant about marrying her before she starts showing.

I am truly happy for Lyn. At least one of us is walking down the aisle without so much drama of complications. Going to Vegas, in a way, is an escape for me. Since I spoke to my father last night, and he told me to stay away from Kayden, I just want to be away from them all. My father… Megan… and especially Kayden.

After the wedding, we take Kai back to the hotel. Lyn hired a new nanny to take care of Kai while Ethan and I celebrate their wedding with them.

“Are you sure that Lyn screened the nanny she hired?” Ethan asks.

“Yes,” I reply. “I also checked her profile. She has a degree in child care, and she came highly recommended by her previous employers, who seem to be high profile as well.”

“Good,” he says. “I will hire a bodyguard for Kai.”

“That’s not necessary, Ethan,” I argue. “You’re already hiring one for me. Besides, we already established that I’m the target. Not Kai.”

“Okay.” Ethan nods. “But I’ll have the new nanny checked again.”

“Suit yourself.”

I take a ride with Ethan to the restaurant.

“Lyn seems happy,” he says.

“She is. I still can’t believe she’s married and pregnant!” I sigh. “I was too caught up with my own problems that I forgot Lyn has a life, too.”

“I still can’t find it hard to believe that they’ve met each other three months ago, and now they are married!” Ethan chuckles.

“Kayden and I got married three days after we met each other,” I say absent-mindedly.

Ethan falls quiet. When I turn to him, I see that he is looking seriously ahead, gripping the stirring wheel tightly.

I sigh. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking when I said that.”

“It’s okay,” he murmurs. “I just wish I could turn back time to when Steele did not exist in your life.”

“That’s not possible,” I sigh. “Because that will also mean Kai won’t exist in my life. And you know Kai is my life.”

“I know,” he heaves a sigh. “And you… you are my life. You know that.”

I know. I know that too well.

“Ethan… my life is crazy right now. I have my grandfather’s will. I have Kai’s bone marrow transplant. And now, somebody wants to kill me.”

“And I’ll be with you through all of that. You never have to go through with that alone.”

“But that won’t be fair to you. I would always feel like I’m using you.”

“So what? I don’t care! As long as you’re with me. Use me however you want.”

I sigh in frustration. Tears start to peer in my eyes. “It won’t be fair to you. And I will always feel guilty about not being able to return your feelings.”

“Why can’t you return my feelings? Is it because of Steele?” Ethan’s voice is cold and grim.

“If that were the reason, how come I didn’t agree to date you even before I went back to South Carolina? Kayden has been out of my life for years! I wanted nothing to do with him. I won’t even tell him that he’s Kai’s father.”

Ethan falls quiet.

For the rest of the ride to the restaurant, we both say nothing to each other.

I’m sure that I love Ethan as a friend. But do I love him as a boyfriend or a future husband? I am not sure. And I don’t want to think about it right now.

Arriving at the restaurant, the tension between Ethan and me is thick. We sit at our table in silence, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavily in the air.

“Are you guys okay?” Lyn asks.

“Yeah! Sure!” I reply.

I excuse myself to go to the bar, needing a moment to gather my thoughts and drown out the conflicting emotions swirling inside me.

As I sipped on my drink, I can’t shake off the unease that has settled within me. From across the room, I see Ethan being pulled in the middle of dancefloor by some redhead.

‘Huh? Is he drunk already?’