Dear Ex-Husband, Watch Me Love Again

Happy anniversary.” Those were the first words Katherine heard when her lashes fluttered open. A smile graced her lips when she saw who was a few inches away from her, his body heat reminding her of the steamy night they shared. Her husband, Lucas, hovered over her with a warm smile, staring at her like she was the best thing that had happened to him. Katherine shifted closer, wanting to feel more of him and as soon as she raised her head to look at him, his lips came down, lightly brushing hers before capturing it in a full-blown kiss. Her insides tingled and her toes curls. She could never get enough of this man. Just as she settled into the kiss, he suddenly pulled away, causing a whine to leave her lips. "More." She pouted but he only chuckled and rolled to his side of the bed. "Where are you going?" She asked softly but her question was answered as he rolled back to her side, kissed her again, and showed her his hand which was now holding a small delicate box. Without warning, he opened it to reveal the most beautiful gold necklace she had seen. Katherine's breath caught as she started at the shiny jewelry. For a second, she couldn't even find her voice. "Do you like it?" He asked but her eyes were already watery. What did she do to deserve this man? It was moments like this that made her conclude she had made the right decision by marrying him despite her parents' refusal. "You didn't have to." She finally managed, looking up at him with a mixture of surprise and deep love. "I wanted to. You deserve this and more." Lucas said calmly, making sure she heard. Her smile widened as she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips, holding it for a moment longer than she intended. "Thank you." She murmured against his lips before she pulled away. Lucas's phone buzzed on the nightstand just then, almost breaking the romantic moment between them. he glanced at it briefly, then turned it away without answering, returning his attention to her as if it had never happened. When the kiss broke, he stayed close enough for her to feel his breath against her skin. “There’s something else,” he said with a large grin. Katherine tilted her head slightly, curiosity already sparking in her eyes. “Another gift?” He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached for a small envelope and placed it in her hand. When she opened it, she froze for a moment before her face lit up completely. “A cruise?” she asked, almost laughing in disbelief. Lucas watched her reaction closely. “For our anniversary,” he said. “I thought you might like it. Try something different, you know” Katherine sat up fully now, excitement slipping into her voice as she looked at him. “Like it? Lucas, this is perfect.” “It’s just a trip,” he said lightly, as if it wasn’t much, but his eyes stayed on her as she reacted. She shook her head quickly. “You’re acting like it’s nothing, but this is more than enough.” He smiled faintly at that. “It’s to make up for how busy I’ve been lately. The office hasn’t exactly been kind.” Katherine immediately reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. “I understand,” she said without hesitation. “Being a lawyer isn’t easy, especially with divorce cases. I know how much pressure you’re under.” And she meant it. Sure, he had gotten really busy these past few months; working late hours, emergency meetings and sudden work trips. But, she knew and trusted her husband. He would never be away from her if it were in his power. Her heart broke for him every time he called to tell her that he would be away for a while. Lucas looked at her for a moment longer than usual before speaking. “That’s exactly why I love you,” he said quietly. “You never make it harder for me.” Katherine’s expression softened at that, and she leaned into him slightly, resting her head against his shoulder for a brief moment. “I shouldn't make it harder,” she said. “I just want you to be happy.” --- By the time they arrived at the cruise ship, Katherine could barely contain the excitement she had been holding in since the morning. The sight of the ship alone was enough to take her breath away, but what made it feel different was that Lucas was standing right beside her, holding her hand as they looked at it together. “I know you’ve been on ships like this before,” Lucas said as they walked toward the entrance, his tone casual. “Your father owns a few, right?” Katherine smiled slightly, tightening her hold on his hand. “Yes, but none of those times felt like this.” He glanced at her. “Like what?” “Like this. Being here with you trumps it all,” she replied simply. That made him pause for a second before he nodded and guided her forward. Inside, everything was brighter, louder, more luxurious than she expected, and Katherine found herself smiling more than she realized. Lucas stayed close, introducing her to a few of his colleagues who were also on board for the event, his hand occasionally resting at the small of her back as they moved through the space. At one point, one of his friends smiled at her. “So this is the famous Katherine,” he said jokingly. “Lucas cannot go a minute before mentioning your name.” Katherine laughed softly, glancing at Lucas. “Does he now?” Lucas shrugged, his cheeks reddening with embarrassment as he looked the other way. They were soon interrupted by the arrival of a woman. She was elegant in a way that immediately drew attention, her presence confident, almost deliberately so. Her gaze landed on Lucas as if she had known exactly where he would be. “Mr Carter.” she greeted smoothly, before turning to greet the others. Katherine felt something shift inside her at the way she said his name, though she couldn’t explain why. She knew Lucas was quite the catch which would make any woman with eyes what him but something about this woman made her want to put her arms around her husband and assert dominance. Lucas, however, remained calm. “Mrs Ashford,” he said simply, as if this was normal. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” The woman smiled faintly, tilting her head. “I heard you’d be here. Thought I’d stop by and say hello.” Katherine cleared her throat, reminding them of her presence. Lucas turned slightly toward Katherine. “This is Erica Laurent,” he said. “She’s a client.” Erica laughed softly at that, as if amused. “Ex-client,” she corrected. “Lucas is very good at what he does. He convinced me to stay in a marriage I no longer wanted, and now I’m finally enjoying life the way I should have been.” Katherine smiled politely, finally relaxing after hearing that she was married. “That sounds… like an interesting situation,” she said. Erica’s smile widened slightly, but she didn’t respond further. Instead, her attention lingered for a moment longer before she excused herself, allowing them to enjoy the trip. Later in the day, Katherine found herself stepping away quietly, telling Lucas she needed to find the restroom. The ship was larger than she expected, and after wandering for what felt like too long, she realized she had taken a wrong turn. "Oh, dear." She sighed, realizing she had spent nearly twenty minutes trying to find her way back. She continued to walk along the quiet hallway until she approached what looked like an open balcony. As she neared the area, she heard voices drifting from inside, and less than a second later, moans followed. Katherine rolled her eyes. "Horny couples." She shook her head, her lips curling into a small smile as she imagined her and Lucas doing something exciting like that. Just as she was about to leave, she heard a familiar voice that made her stop dead in her tracks. "f**k, baby. You have no idea how much I've missed you." That voice. She recognized it even in her sleep. It was the same voice she woke up to every morning. Believing she was only imagining things, she held her breath and took a few steps closer, wanting to confirm her suspicion. She pushed the curtains to the side and as soon as she did, she felt her soul leave her body. Nothing could have prepared her for the sight that was before her. Her Lucas was locked in a heated kiss with... Erica?!!