My Coldhearted Husband'S Regret novel Chapter 8

8 A Bitter Truth, A New Resolve

Elara Vance pulled away from the restaurant, watching Chloe wave goodbye in ber rearview mirror. The encounter with Lucas Sterling in the elevator had left her feeding exposed. The way he’d looked at her–with that hint of pity–made her stomach turn.

“He didn’t even recognize me, she muttered to herself. The realization stung more

than it should have.

Her phone buzzed on the passenger seat. A text from Chloe: “Call me when you get home. We need to talk more about this.”

Elara sighed. There was so much to unpack, so many decisions to make. The divorce papers were already drawn up, waiting to be served, Yet part of her still hesitated, still wondered if there was anything left to salvage,

An hour later, Elara opened the door to her apartment. While technically she still lived at the penthouse with Damien, she’d been staying at this smaller place more frequently. It felt more like home than anywhere she’d lived in the past seven years,

“Make yourself comfortable,” she told Chloe, gesturing toward the couch. “I’ll make us

some tea”

“Forget the tea,” Chloe replied, following her into the kitchen. “I need details. What exactly did you mean when you said you called your lawyer?”

Elara busied herself filling the kettle. “I meant exactly what I said:

“And?”

“And I’ve made my decision.” Elara turned to face her friend. “I asked Damien for a divorce three days ago”

Chloe’s jaw dropped, “You WHAT? And you’re just telling me NOW?”

“I needed time to process it myself first,” Elara explained, keeping her voice steady,

“Process what? That you finally grew a backbone after seven years of him treating you like you don’t exist?” Chloe’s eyes were wide with shock.

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8 A Bitter Truth, A New Resolve

“It wasn’t an easy decision.”

“The hell it wasn’t! It should have been the easiest decision of your life!” Chloe threw her hands up. “That man has been emotionally absent since day one. He married you because his grandfather pressured him, and he’s spent every day since making it clear you were never what he wanted.”

The kettle whistled, giving Elara a moment to compose herself. She poured the hot water over the tea bags, her hands trembling slightly.

“I know how it looks,” she said quietly.

“Do you? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you wasted seven years loving a man who couldn’t be bothered to remember your birthday, while he’s out there celebrating your half–sister’s like she’s royalty.”

Elara handed Chloe a mug. “You don’t have to remind me.”

“Apparently I do! Because-” Chloe’s phone chimed with a notification, cutting her off. She glanced down at the screen, and her expression darkened. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

“What?”

Wordlessly, Chloe handed over her phone. It was open to Lucas Sterling’s Instagram page. The most recent post featured several photos of Damien and Vivienne at lunch, looking intimate. One showed Damien handing Vivienne a small jewelry box. Another captured Vivienne beaming at a gift card. The caption read: “When the boss cuts his vacation short to celebrate a special birthday. #PowerCouple #BirthdayGirl”

Elara stared at the images, her chest tightening. There were several more photos showing Damien with his arm around Vivienne, whispering in her ear, both of them laughing. Cora appeared in a few shots, happily sandwiched between them like they were her parents.

“El, I’m so sorry,” Chloe said softly. “That insensitive jerk posted these knowing you’d

see them.”

“It’s fine,” Elara replied mechanically, handing the phone back. “This is exactly why I

asked for the divorce.”

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8 A Bitter Truth, A New Resolve

“He could have at least waited until they were official before flaunting his mistress all

over social media.”

“She’s not his mistress anymore,” Elara said, her voice hollow. “She’s his partner. The woman he loves. The mother figure he wants for Cora.”

Chloe’s expression softened. “You’ve put up with so much, El. I know how much you

loved him.”

“I did,” Elara agreed. “Maybe I still do, in some broken way. But I’m done letting that love destroy me.”

“What was the final straw?” Chloe asked gently.

Elara took a sip of her tea. “There wasn’t one specific moment. It was… everything. The forgotten birthday. Coming home to an empty house because they were vacationing with Vivienne. Watching my own daughter make a seashell necklace for another woman with such care when she can barely look at me anymore.”

She paused, her throat tightening.

“It was looking in the mirror and not recognizing myself. I used to be ambitious. Confident. When Julian and I founded YodaVision, everyone said we were geniuses. I had patents in AI technology before I was twenty–five. And then…”

“And then Damien Thorne happened,” Chloe finished.

Elara nodded. “I gave up everything to be the perfect wife, to support his career, to raise Cora. And what did I get in return? A man who looks through me like I’m made of glass.”

“So what’s next?”

“Now I take back my life.” Elara’s voice grew stronger. “Julian’s been calling for years, asking me to return to YodaVision. They’re on the brink of a major breakthrough in AI integration. He wants me to lead the project.”

“Are you going to do it?”

“Yes. I start next month.”

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8 A Bitter Truth, A New Resolve

A smile spread across Chloe’s face. “That’s my girl.”

The rest of the morning passed with Elara explaining her divorce strategy, the settlement she hoped to achieve, and her plans for the future. By the time Chloe left, Elara felt lighter than she had in months.

At work later that day, Elara kept her head down, focusing on the quarterly reports. She hadn’t seen Damien yet, though she knew he was in the building. Part of her hoped to avoid him entirely.

That hope was dashed around noon when the elevator doors opened and Damien stepped out, his imposing figure commanding attention as always. He walked past her desk without acknowledgment, then paused and backtracked.

“Elara.”

She looked up, keeping her expression neutral. “Damien.”

“I need the Henderson file before the three o’clock meeting,” he said without preamble.

“It’s already on your desk. I put it there this morning.”

He nodded curtly. “And the quarterly projections?”

“Those too.”

“Good.” He hesitated briefly. “Cora is back from Andoria. She’ll be staying at the penthouse tonight.”

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