The Billionaire's Ex-Wife (Her Ex-Husband's Regret) novel Chapter 59

Chapter 59
Cassie.
“I love you, Cassie…” he says to me. “I love you so *amn much, my angel.”

I can hardly believe the words that Kayden just said.
Did I hear him right? Is this real? Am I dreaming?
There’s no way the Kayden I know would say that to me. Maybe he’s not even aware that he said it.
“Kayden…” I shake my head. “Don’t just say things you don’t mean.”
He raises a brow at me, trying to understand what I meant by what I said. Then he gives me a mischievous smile. “Okay,” he says. “I promise you that from now on, I’m not going to say anything to you that I don’t mean.”
Yeah, I thought so. He just said he loved me because he was still inside me.
Annoyed, I start pushing him away. He pulls himself off me. I sit up from the bed, but I am surprised when I feel Kayden. pull me back to bed. He’s smiling at me, something he never did before after sex. In the past, he’d usually turn his back on me, and then I’d hear him quietly snoring.
But now… he’s pulling me back to bed, and he has a playful smile on his face.
“What?” I ask.
His expression turns serious. Then he says, “I love you. I mean it Cassie.”
“Kayden…” I reach up to cup his cheek with my palm. Maybe you’re just confused. We’re just caught up in this moment of insanity… it’s not the right time to say things like this.”
Kayden turns sideways so that he can kiss my palm. Then he turns back to me. “What? Do you think I just said I love you because we just had sex?”
“Well… it’s not too far-fetched, is it? I mean… are you even hearing yourself, now?” I push him off me. Then I sit up and gather the bathrobe from the floor. After putting on the robe, I turn to him. “Kayden, do you remember who I was to you?”
He nods. “Yes. You were my wife.”
“And do you remember that you hated me back then?”
He heaves a frustrated sigh. “I didn’t hate you.”
“Ha! Well, you surely fooled me!” I roll my eyes.
Kayden sits up from the bed and put on his pants. Then he takes a step towards me. “Look, I know I wasn’t a good husband to you before. I regret not treating you better. And if I could turn back time, I would do things very differently.” He reaches forward to push a lock of stray hair away from my face. Then he cups my face with his palm and tilts it so I can look into his eyes. “But right now, I want to do this right. I want to be the man that you deserve.”\
“Kayden…” Tears start rolling down my cheeks.
“I can’t change the past. All I can do is apologize for it. And I will spend the rest of my life apologizing and making up for it.”
“What do you want, Kayden?”
“You,” he responds. “I want you in my life. I want to call you my wife again. And this time, I will let the whole world know
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Chapter 59
about it.”
I shake my head. “Kayden, it’s not that easy. You’re going to have a baby with Megan. I have a lot of things going on with Kai. And then Ethan…”
“You’re not married to Ethan, are you?” he asks.
My eyes widen in surprise. Of course not. Whatever gave you that idea?”
“You were in Vegas. I thought you ran off with Sullivan to get married.”
I shake
my
head in disbelief. “We went to Vegas for Lyn’s wedding. She was the one getting married, not me. How could you jump to such a conclusion?” I let out a small laugh. “I mean, does everyone you know who visits Vegas end up getting married?”
“Because, I…” He stares back at me thoughtfully, as if he’s remembering something. Then he shakes his head. “Never mind. I’m sorry. But for once, can we set the record straight? Are you dating Sullivan?”
I stare back at him in shock. “Do you think I would have slept with you just now if I was? Come on, Kayden, what kind of a woman do you think I am?”
He shrugs. Maybe you just find it impossible to resist my charm.” Annoyed, I give him a playful jab in the stomach. “Ouch!”
“No,” I tell him. “I’m not dating Ethan.”
He gives me a triumphant smile. “Good.”
I shake my head. “But that does not mean I can just go back and date you, Kayden.”
“Why not?”
I sigh. “I’m not… I’m not ready for this. I can’t… have a relationship now. Ethan wanted us to be a family. Me, Kai….. him. He’s! offered me marriage before.” I shake my head. “I’ve been too hurt, too burned in the past to believe in marriage again.”
He sighs exasperatedly. “Yeah, your ex-husband was a real *ss for making you this way.” He cups my face between his palms again. “I promise, it’s going to be different this time. I just need another chance.”
I pull away from him. “And then what? You already said that Megan is making a circus out of your engagement. Do you think she will get you off the hook? And besides, I don’t want to be the reason why your child will not have a complete family. Do you know what it does to a child to grow up without a father?”
I know. Because that’s exactly what happened with Kai. Will I really allow Kayden to abandon another child?
“Besides… I know what Megan is capable of. She will not allow us to live in peace.”
“Let me deal with that!” Kayden insists. “I will protect you from her. I promise. You will be safe from her.”
I shake my head. “I have a son, who’s more precious to me than anyone else.”
“I know.” He nods. “I will protect both of you.”
“No, Kayden. I just can’t risk that. I won’t risk Kai’s safety. Besides…” I want to tell him that my priority is Kai’s health, but I’m not sure it’s time to tell him about Kai’s condition. “I have too many things on my plate. I’m not ready to be in a relationship yet, much more to a man who already hurt me in the past, and now has too much excess baggage that might put me and my son in danger.” Kayden sighs, sadly. “You get that, don’t you?”
He nods. “Sadly… I do.” Kayden’s eyes drop to the ground, a mixture of disappointment and resignation clouds his face. His eyes glisten with unshed tears as he absorbs my words. “I would never hurt you again. That’s why I’m agreeing to this. I promise that I will protect you. I will do that for you and Kai”
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Chapter 59
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A deep ache spreads through my chest, as if my heart is breaking for the second time. But I’ve accepted that there’s no chance for Kayden and I to be together in the future. It would just cause more problems, especially once people found out. They would accuse me of stealing my sister’s fiance while she was pregnant with his child. Women have been punished for crimes way less than that.
Outside, the storm rages with unrestrained fury. Rain pelts against the windows in a frenzied dance, casting distorted shadows across the room.
Kayden pulls me towards him. He kisses my forehead.
“Can I ask you for one thing?”
I look up at him. I see that his eyes are teary, too.
“What is it?”
He takes a deep breath. “Just while we’re here. Can we pretend that there’s a hope for a future for us?”
I draw my brows together. “What do you mean?”
“During the storm, while we’re waiting to be rescued, can you give me that one last chance I needed? It was my greatest regret the past four years. I didn’t get a chance to show you what a good husband I could have been. Now, while we’re here, can you let me show you?”
“Kayden…”
A tear escapes his eyes. He doesn’t even bother to wipe it. “I just want to make it up to you. I know that a couple of days will never be enough to make up for the years of pain that I caused you. But it’s all the days I have. Can you allow me to use it to eliminate the monstrous image you have of me in your mind?”
Kayden’s eyes plead with me, reflecting a mix of regret and longing that tugs at my heartstrings. I find myself staring at his face, feeling a whirlwind of conflicting emotions swirling within me.
His request hangs in the air between us like a fragile thread, tempting me with the possibility of what could have been. But on the other hand, I’ve been hurt by this same man. It took me forever to get over him. What if he hurts me all over again?
“Please, Cassie,” he pleads again. “I don’t want you to remember me as a monster. All I’m asking for is a couple of days. Can you please give it to me?”
His request lingers between us like a fragile thread, tempting me with what could have been. The sound of rain against the windows mirrors my inner conflict.
I close my eyes for a moment. Then I take a deep breath.
Against logic and better judgement, I say, “Okay, yes.”
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