The CEO's Regret: His Lost Wife's Secret Twins novel Chapter 64

Chapter 64

ARIA

I held my ground, refusing to step back even though every instinct screamed at me to run. Jacob Williams stood three feet away, his suit and polished shoes at odds with the raw fury in his eyes.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “Whatever happened to your father-

“Don’t.” He moved closer, backing me against the cafe’s brick wall. “Don’t pretend you don’t know. Blake Morgan destroyed my father to impress you. Sent him to the feds. Stripped our family of everything.”

“Blake and I have a contract marriage,” I said quickly. “Nothing more. He loves Emma Grant. Whatever happened to your father, it wasn! about me.”

God, the irony. Blake probably arrested Williams for legitimate crimes, not because of me. The man barely tolerates my existence.

“Liar!” Jacob’s hand slammed against the wall beside my head. I flinched. “You think I’m stupid? You rejected me for this-to become Blake Morgan’s trophy wife.”

My breath caught. “What?”

“College. His laugh was bitter, hollow. “Junior year. Outside the library. Remember now?”

Oh God. I do remember.

‘I told you I’d been watching you since freshman year. His voice dropped, became almost soft. Almost dangerous. ‘Said I wanted to take

you to dinner. Asked you to give me a chance.”

‘I told you I loved you, Aria. His face twisted with something between pain and rage. “And you know what you said? I’m sorry, Jacob, I

don’t feel that way about you.”

“That was years ago-

‘Years?’ Spit flew from his mouth. You rejected me because you were waiting for something better, weren’t you? Holding out for a bigger

fish. And you found him-Blake fucking Morgan.”

“That’s not true. I didn’t even know Blake then-

“You broke my heart. His voice cracked. “I loved you. Really loved you. Not like Blake Morgan, who treats you like garbage. I would have

cherished you. Protected you. Given you everything.”

This is insane. He’s completely rewritten history in his head.

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Chapter 64

“Jacob, please-

“But you wanted the Morgan name more than you wanted someone who actually gave a damn about you. He straightened his jacket,

composing himself. The sudden calmness was more terrifying than his rage. “Well, congratulations, Mrs. Morgan. You got what you

wanted.”

“I need to go-

“You and Blake will regret the day you destroyed my family.” He leaned in close, his breath hot against my ear. I loved you once. Now?

Now I’m going to make you suffer. Both of you. That’s a promise.”

He turned on his heel, climbing into the deep grey Bentley parked at the curb. The car peeled away, leaving me shaking against the café

wall.

My legs felt weak. I slid down to a crouch, arms wrapped around myself.

This is bad. Really bad.

Jacob wasn’t just angry about his father’s arrest. He was a rejected lover turned vengeful psychopath. The worst kind of threat.

I’m pregnant. Vulnerable. And now I have a man who thinks he loved me planning revenge.

My phone buzzed. Blake again. I declined the call without looking.

Dad. God, Dad’s at Redwood Medical Center. Defenseless in his hospital bed.

What if Jacob decided to hurt him to get to me?

Europe. After the divorce, we’ll go to Europe. Take my baby and Dad somewhere safe, somewhere Jacob can’t find us.

I forced myself to stand, legs still trembling. Flagged down a taxi with shaking hands.

The ride back to Hampton estate took forever. Every red light felt deliberate, every slow driver a personal attack. I kept checking over my shoulder through the rear window, half-expecting to see that grey Bentley following me.

My hands still shook as I paid the driver. The estate looked peaceful in the afternoon sun, all manicured lawns and perfect hedges. No sign of danger. No hint that anything was wrong.

But danger doesn’t always announce itself.

I pushed through the front door, exhausted beyond words. My back ached. My wrists throbbed where the bandages pressed against healing cuts. My entire body screamed for rest.

But the moment I stepped into the foyer, I felt it.

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Chapter 64

A gaze. Sharp and cold, cutting through me. Someone was watching me, studying me with an intensity that made my skin crawl.

I turned slowly, searching for the source of that stare. The living room stretched out before me, afternoon light streaming through tall

windows. Everything looked normal. Expensive furniture. Fresh flowers. Spotless surfaces.

But that feeling persisted. Eyes on me. Calculating. Waiting.

My breath caught in my throat as I scanned the shadows.

The baby kicked hard against my ribs.

BLAKE

She walked through the door and froze. Those green eyes widened, clearly shocked to find me home three hours early. Good. Let her

wonder why I’d left the office in the middle of the afternoon.

Aria looked worse than this morning. Dark circles under her eyes, face pale, shoulders slumped. She moved with the careful precision of

someone barely holding themselves together.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

She started toward the stairs without a word. Just planning to walk past me? Pretend I wasn’t there?

“Lost your voice?” My words cut through the silence. “Can’t answer your phone, can’t speak when you see me?”

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She stopped, turning slowly. “I’m sorry, Mr. Morgan. I was hoping to rest for a bit. It’s been a long day.”

A long day? She had no idea what a long day was. Try sitting through meetings while your executives whispered about the mystery caller

who’d dared to hang up on Blake Morgan. Twice.

“We need to talk. I kept my voice cold. “Now.”

She sighed but moved toward the living room. I caught her wrist as she passed, feeling her pulse jump under my fingers.

Too fast. Her heartbeat was too fast.

“You got nothing to say about me taking care of you last night?”

Her face stayed blank. “What about yesterday?”

Was she serious? I’d carried her bleeding body home. Cleaned her wounds. Applied medication to injuries she’d gotten because of my

orders. And she had nothing to say?

‘Why I made you clean the debris. Why I didn’t retaliate when you slapped me. Whether I was the one who treated your injuries.” The

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Chapter 64

words came out sharper than intended.

She pulled her wrist free. “Mr. Morgan, about yesterday-I don’t want to discuss any of it.”

“Excuse me?”

“You were worried I’d bleed all over Emma’s new dance studio. Can’t have the help making a mess in her perfect space.

The accusation hit me square in the chest. She thought I’d taken her home to protect Emma’s property? Not because she’d been injured?

“You think I brought you home early to protect a dance studio?”

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“Wasn’t that the reason?” She tilted her head, studying me with those unnervingly calm eyes. “Look, I was wrong yesterday. I shouldn’t have made a scene. You have every right to tear down that warehouse for Emma. It’s Grant property. You love her. Of course you’d want to

make her happy.”

Something was off. This wasn’t my Aria. Where was the fire? The defiance? The woman who’d slapped me in front of everyone?

‘I won’t fight you anymore,” she continued. “Actually, you should consider tearing down the Grant estate storage room too. Emma could use a bigger dressing room. I used to play hide and seek there as a kid, but I’m sure she’d make better use of the space.”

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