A Divorce He Regrets

Chapter 194:

“And you don’t think it’s too much?” she asked suddenly, her voice soft.

I frowned. “What’s too much?”

“Everything you’ve been doing.” She gestured vaguely with her fork. “Driving me to work, getting me coffee, showing up for lunch… I just—I don’t want you to feel like you have to.”

“I don’t feel like I have to,” I said firmly, leaning forward slightly. “I want to. There’s a difference.”

Her eyes met mine, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw something flicker there—something hopeful. But she quickly looked away, returning her focus to her plate.

Every evening, I brought her back home, and in between, I tried to create moments that mattered. Like grabbing her coffee during her break, knowing exactly how she liked it now: one sugar, no cream. Or surprising her with lunch when I noticed she was too busy to think about eating.

They were small gestures, but they didn’t feel so small anymore.

“You’re thinking again,” she teased, breaking the silence. “You’ve got that look.”

“What look?” I asked, feigning innocence.

“The one that says you’re about to do something I won’t be able to argue with.”

I grinned, leaning back in my chair. “Maybe I am.”

The Vince project had also taken shape, with its completion just weeks away. It felt like everything was finally falling into place—not just at work, but in my life.

I glanced down at the plane tickets in my hand, the smile tugging at the corners of my mouth growing wider. “She’s going to love this,” I murmured under my breath.

The phone calls to the kids weren’t enough anymore. I missed them terribly, and I knew she did too. These tickets—they were more than just a trip. They were a step forward, a chance to reconnect as a family. Today, after lunch, I’d tell her. And I couldn’t wait to see the way her eyes would light up when I handed them to her.

When I got to Raina’s office, I found her waiting by the lobby doors, her bag slung over one shoulder and her phone in hand. She glanced up at me and smiled—a small, brief smile that made my heart race.

“Ready for lunch?” I asked as she walked toward me.

𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 ⧼gⱥ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⧽𝖈𝗈𝗆

She nodded, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah, let’s go.”

We exited the building together, the midday sun warm on our faces. As we made our way toward the car, we passed a group of janitors cleaning up a section of the tiled floor near the entrance. One of them glanced up apologetically.

“Sorry, sir. There was a leak earlier—just finished mopping.”

I was about to warn Raina to be careful when it happened. Her heel slipped on the damp surface, and before I could fully process what was happening, I lunged forward, catching her by the waist.

“Whoa, I’ve got you,” I said, my voice steady despite the rush of adrenaline.

Raina’s hands instinctively gripped my shoulders as she steadied herself. For a moment, neither of us moved. Her wide eyes locked with mine, and it felt like the world around us faded away. My gaze drifted down to her lips, and I gulped. My pulse pounded in my ears. Should I? Would she hate me if I did?

Before I could second-guess myself, I leaned in and kissed her. Her body stiffened at first, and for a split second, I thought I had made a terrible mistake. But then, her lips softened against mine, responding briefly before she pushed me away. Too brief for me to savor, but enough to leave me reeling.

“What the hell, Alex?” she muttered, her hand flying to her mouth.noveldrama

“I’m sorry,” I blurted, stepping back. “I didn’t mean—”

“Maybe you should just go,” she cut me off, her voice shaky. “I’ll have lunch alone.”

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