No Second Chances Ex-husband novel Chapter 45

ETHAN'S POV

I stared hard at the woman standing beside Lauren, my eyes narrowing slightly as recognition struck me like a slap. “You again?” I muttered under my breath, my tone sharp with disbelief. Of all people, it had to be her.

Tessa. Lauren’s so-called best friend. The same woman I’d never liked from the beginning.

She always had this strange aura about her, always trying too hard to fit into our lives, like a puzzle piece that didn’t belong. She latched on to Elena like her life depended on it, forcing herself into moments that didn’t concern her, attaching herself to our family just because she didn’t have one of her own. And now, here she was again, stepping into a conversation that wasn’t hers.

“And why,” I asked, my voice thick with contempt, “should I believe a single word that comes out of your mouth?”

Tessa crossed her arms and held her ground. She didn’t flinch, didn’t back down. Instead, she looked at me with this fiery glare that made my jaw tighten.

“I know my friend better than anyone else,” she said firmly. “And honestly, I’m disappointed in you, Ethan. You’ve been with Lauren longer than any of us here. You’ve seen her at her lowest, her strongest, her most vulnerable, and yet you doubt her? You stand here, right beside another woman, taking her side instead of your wife’s? That’s low, even for you.”

Her words were like ice. Sharp, biting. But I wasn’t going to let her get under my skin.

“You don’t get to lecture me,” I snapped. “You have no right to meddle in the affairs of my life. Stay out of it.”

“Stop it!” Lauren’s voice suddenly cut through the tension, her tone strained and tired. “Can we all just stop already?” Her eyes darted from me to Tessa, filled with frustration and pain. “This… this isn’t why we’re here. The day is slipping by, and instead of mourning Elena, we’re standing here throwing insults.”

I clenched my jaw, prepared to shut her down, but… she had a point. As much as I hated to admit it, she was right.

Lauren took a breath, her voice steadier now. “There will be time to argue, to drag each other through the mud if we must, but not today. Tessa, come with me. And for the sake of keeping this day from becoming even worse, tell your lover to stay far away from me. I mean it. Things will get messy.”

She didn’t wait for a response. She didn’t want one. Lauren turned her back on me, Tessa following close behind, and together they walked toward the area where Elena’s framed picture rested among the white lilies and pale roses.

I stood there, fists clenched at my sides, my body rigid with frustration. A thousand words clawed their way to my throat, but I couldn’t say a single one of them. I hated the way Lauren dismissed me, like I was the villain in a story I didn’t even write.

But then I felt it, her touch. Soft, gentle, and calming.

Sofia.

Her hand slid lightly across my chest, a motion so tender that it instantly softened my muscles and steadied my breathing. My heartbeat slowed, and for a moment, everything around me dulled. She always had that effect on me.

“Just let them be,” she whispered soothingly. “I don’t want to add to the chaos either. I actually wanted to talk to you about something.”

I nodded slightly, still frustrated but curious. “Sure,” I said, my voice low. She reached up and adjusted my collar, though it was already perfectly fine. Still, I let her. It was sweet. Intimate, even.

Without a word, I gestured toward the small garden off to the side of the cemetery. It was quiet there, away from the crowd and peaceful.

As we walked, I couldn’t help but glance over my shoulder. Lauren and Tessa were still by the picture, heads bowed.

I loved Sofia, God knows I did. But sometimes love alone wasn’t enough to quiet the noise around us. With Elena gone and Lauren still legally my wife, I couldn’t afford any scandal, any whispers. The media would chew me up and spit me out. Already, people were watching, some with sympathy, others with judgment.

I had told Sofia countless times: until I officially divorced Lauren, we had to keep things quiet. Private. Hidden. I couldn’t risk Elena’s death being overshadowed by rumors of an affair or betrayal.

We walked over to the quiet garden, away from the murmur of the mourners and the distant hum of the soft music playing for Elena. As soon as we were out of earshot, I turned slightly toward her and asked, “I hope she didn’t hurt you?”

Sofia gave me a warm smile, the kind that softened her face instantly. “For the second time, she didn’t,” she replied, brushing it off lightly.

I sighed. “Alright, so… what did you want to talk to me about?”

She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, her hand reached up to my collar again adjusting it gently, just like she did earlier. It was odd. The collar was already fine, and this was the second time in less than five minutes. I frowned a little, not out of anger, but curiosity.

“I’m sure they’re fine, Sof,” I said, giving her a slightly amused look. “My collars, I mean.”

“Sorry about that,” she replied, chuckling awkwardly and stepping back just a little. “I didn’t get to thank you properly.”

I waited, curious now.

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