No Second Chances Ex-husband novel Chapter 53

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LAUREN'S POV

I was having a very nice dream — one of those rare peaceful ones where nothing hurts, and for a moment I could almost believe life was the way it used to be when my bedroom door suddenly swung open without warning. The loud creak and slam startled me so much that I flinched under the covers.

Before I could even protest, Tessa appeared in the doorway, balancing a tray in both hands. The aroma hit me instantly — freshly baked bread and scrambled eggs, still warm, drifting into my nose and pulling me out of my dream like a hook pulling a fish from water.

“Wake up, sleepy head! I made you breakfast,” Tessa announced with that stubborn cheerfulness she uses whenever she’s trying to lift my mood whether I like it or not. She walked straight over to my bed like she owned the place, set the tray down in front of me, and sat herself on the edge of the mattress.

I groaned softly and tried, halfheartedly, to roll back under the blanket. But there was no escaping the smell now, it was everywhere, filling the room, tempting my empty stomach. Any trace of sleep I had left was gone, evaporated like morning mist.

With a defeated sigh, I pushed myself upright, my back pressing against the wooden frame of the bed. My hair was a mess, and my eyes still felt heavy, but I wasn’t about to ignore warm food.

“Since when did you start making me breakfast?” I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes with one hand and giving her a suspicious look.

“I just decided to do something nice for my friend today. Is that a crime?” she replied with a little shrug, pretending to be casual, though I could hear the softness in her tone.

I glanced at the clock on my nightstand, and it was only 8:30 in the morning. Too early for surprises, at least for me.

Today marked exactly five days since we buried my sweet Elena. The ceremony wasn’t as grand or as perfect as I had dreamed, but at least she had been laid to rest. I tell myself she’s resting in peace now, wherever she is. I cling to that thought, because if I let myself think too long about the way things happened, about how it should have been… I’ll break all over again.

My heart is still in pieces. Every beat feels heavy, like it’s dragging the weight of her absence through my chest. I don’t think I’ll ever truly recover. But I know I have to try not for my sake, but for hers. Elena wouldn’t want me to collapse under the grief, not completely. If she were still here, she would hate seeing me constantly crying. She would tell me to be strong, to keep going.

So I’ve been trying. Over the past few days, I’ve forced myself to cry less. The pain doesn’t go away, but I’ve been keeping it under control, even if only on the surface.

And Ethan? Well… I haven’t heard a single word from that bastard since I sent him the divorce papers three days ago. Not a call, not a text, not even a pathetic attempt at an apology. I suppose I should be glad. There’s no reason for us to continue communicating.

My memories of him, of the man I thought I knew died with Elena. I don’t want to see his face again. I don’t even want to hear his name spoken. In my mind, he’s already a ghost, except ghosts don’t deserve the satisfaction of being remembered.

Well… not until I’m ready.

Not until I get back on my feet.

Because the truth is, I’m not done with him. Not yet.

I made my daughter a promise — a promise I whispered through tears as I stood over her casket. I told her I was going to make him pay. And when I make a promise to my child, I keep it.

But right now… I can’t.

Not when my finances are hanging by a thread. Not when I’m still barely holding myself together. For now, Ethan gets to walk away untouched. For now, he gets to breathe easy, thinking he’s escaped the consequences.