His Ex-Wife Returned... Powerful!

13

My feet paused on their own, but I didn't turn.

The words however popped a question in my head. What did he mean?

“Letting you go is the one mistake I can't fix.” He spoke in a voice so low, I found myself drawing in a breath.

My eyes closed as I exhaled, then walked away, straight to the hall where the bride and groom were now saying their vows.

“You took so long, I was sure you'd already ran away.” He took a sip of his wine, before raising a brow. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“It doesn't sound like nothing,” he stared over me, “And Drex's not in his seat anymore. Come on, spill it.”

“Not here.” I said, voice barely above a whisper since the place had gone silent, the bride's own echoing through the speakers.

Leo's lips pursed, before he nodded. “But you're telling me everything the second we're in the car.”

I didn't bother to reply as Drex's words echoed in my head once again.

The meaning might be unclear, but one thing was a certain. His regrets didn't change anything.

It couldn't.

And it wouldn't.

••

After the event, Leo drove me back and I explained as much as I cared to.

He didn't really say much after, so the ride was silent till we both stopped by Rachel's place to pick up Imogen, who then brightened our moods by talking all about her experience at Disneyland.

It was nice. At least it made me forget about Drex for the moment.

Leo said his goodbye when he dropped me home, so I showered for my daughter, and we both changed into our matching nightgowns, before going to bed.

The next morning was Sunday, which meant I didn't have anywhere to be, so I spent most of my morning cooking with Imogen (a hobby of ours), then we watched her favorite show together.

By afternoon, my phone started to ring.

“Go get it for me, dear.” I said to Imogen and she jumped off my leg, running to where the phone was on the table.

She returned with it. “It's a number, mummy. I think someone new.”

“Thanks, dear.” Truly it was an unknown number, so I answered it, placing the phone close to my ear. “Hello?”

“Hi. Am I speaking to Miss Red?” A male voice asked. A familiar voice, but I couldn't place where I knew it.

“Yeah? Who am I talking to?”

“It’s Henry Grain.”

I frowned at the name.

Henry Grain.

My father's lawyer. He had been the family's lawyer for as long as I remembered.

But why would he be calling? “What do you want?”

He cleared his throat. “I was hoping if you would be open for a physical meeting, so I can explain my purpose of calling very well.”

“The last thing I'm going to do is have anything to do with that family, so don't even think a meeting is possible.”

He sighed loudly. “Alright then, I just thought it might be more convincing in explaining in person, but since you insist on not wanting that, I will just explain it here.”

I rolled my eyes. “I'm listening.”

“So, the thing is… Your father's company has been going through a rough path these past years. And it's had a lot of effect on the partnering companies.

“Losses are increasing. It's been very hard to sustain a good deal, let alone execute it. It's also been losing a large amount of customers.”

“Get to the point.” I had a feeling that I already knew where he was heading, but it would be better to hear it from him.

“Your dad is getting older, Miss Red, and the stress of the company is getting to him. So he's considering retirement.”

“Oh?”

“You have a great sense of business,” he continued, treading more carefully now, “you're also his daughter, which makes you the next of kin. You're the next in line to take over.

“We want you to be the CEO.”