My Coldhearted Husband'S Regret novel Chapter 91

91 Permission in the Quiet Night

Elara’s POV

“You and Damien work too hard,” she said with a hint of disapproval. “No wonder two barely see each other these days.”

A muscle twitched in Damien’s jaw. “Alistair can be… difficult.”

“Eleanor doesn’t know about the divorce, does she?” I asked.

“You noticed.”

you

“That’s deliberate,” Julian continued. “It’s a power move. They’re trying to make us feel insignificant.”

I slid in, placing my laptop bag at my feet. The car smelled like him – expensive cologne with undertones of leather and sandalwood. No trace of Vivienne’s perfume remained.

I tore my gaze away from their table. “I’m sorry. I’m not being good company.”

The small gesture surprised me. In the morning, I’d been relegated to the back, like a business associate being chauffeured. Now he was offering me Vivienne’s usual place.

I gathered my things quickly, hoping to escape before he arrived, but as I stepped out of the elevator into the lobby, I saw his Bentley already parked at the curb.

The afternoon passed in a blur of coding and strategy meetings. By seven in the evening, the office had emptied except for me and the cleaning staff. I was deep in concentration when my phone rang. Eleanor Thorne’s name flashed on the screen.

“We’re both busy people,” I said carefully.

“And my mother can be cruel,” I added quietly. “They make quite a team.”

I turned to look at him. “You did?”

“Just finishing up some work.” I rubbed my tired eyes.

“We should go in,” he said, breaking the moment. “It’s getting late.”

I sighed. “It’s working.”

12:18

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91 Permission in the Quiet Night

“You may,” he said finally, his voice quiet.

“Grandmother insisted.” He opened the passenger door. “Front seat this time.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “That means more to me than you know.”

It was true. They had positioned themselves to face away from our table, as if we didn’t

exist.

I bit my lip. Eleanor still didn’t know about our impending divorce. Neither Damien nor I had found the courage to break her heart.

“What about it?”

“We need to tell her soon, Damien. Before the papers are finalized.”

“I spoke with Alistair Dubois,” Damien said suddenly.

“You don’t need to explain your finances to me.”

As Damien parked in the circular driveway, I gathered my courage. “Can I ask you something?”

We fell silent again as he turned onto the tree–lined street leading to the Thorne estate. The massive house loomed ahead, windows glowing warmly in the darkness. It had never felt like my home, despite the years I’d lived there.

Damien studied me silently, his expression inscrutable in the dim light. I waited, bracing myself for refusal. The villa was valuable coastal property, and my asking for it was bold.

He turned off the engine and looked at me, waiting.

“Only if you let it.” Julian’s voice was firm. “Remember who you are, Elara. You’re not just Damien Thorne’s soon–to–be ex–wife. You’re a brilliant mind who’s rebuilding one of the most innovative AI companies in the country.”

“You didn’t need to come,” I said, approaching reluctantly. “I could have called a car.”

“Hard to miss the cold shoulder from her entire table.”

Damien didn’t respond, but I noticed his grip tighten on the steering wheel.

12:18

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91 Permission in the Quiet Night

The lunch at Blue Water crawled by painfully. From our table across the restaurant, I could see Vivienne laughing, her hand casually resting on Damien’s arm. Alistair and my mother flanked them like proud sentinels guarding royalty.

“The YodaVision partnership. He was blocking it because of a personal grudge against Julian Croft.” Damien’s eyes remained on the road. “It’s been resolved.”

Relief washed over me so intensely that I almost reached for his hand. I caught myself just in time.

“Eleanor, that’s not necessary—”

“Let’s get back to the office,” I said. “We have the Henderson proposal to finish.”

The waiter arrived with our check. As Julian reached for it, I caught Damien looking in our direction, his expression unreadable. Our eyes met for a brief moment before he turned back to Vivienne.

“How was your afternoon?” he asked as he pulled away from the curb.

“Don’t apologize.” Julian leaned forward. “But I do want to point something out. Notice how Vivienne and Alistair haven’t acknowledged us once? Not even a glance in our direction.”

“Eleanor, hello,” I answered, leaning back in my chair.

Damien stood beside it, phone in hand, looking as immaculate as he had at lunch. He glanced up as I pushed through the revolving door.

As we walked toward the house, I felt lighter than I had in months. The villa would be mine – a sanctuary away from the Thornes, away from Vivienne, away from the constant reminders of everything I’d failed to be.

“Not yet.”

“I imagine not.” I gazed out the window again. “She made that clear at lunch.”

Surprise flickered across his face. “Buy it?”

Julian finished his salmon and set down his fork. “They’re putting on quite a show, aren’t they?”

“Elara, dear,” her warm voice came through. “Are you still at the office? It’s getting late”

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91 Permission in the Quiet Night

Yes. I’d pay market value, of course. My share from YodaVision is growing, and-”

Silence fell between us. I watched the city lights blur by, wondering how we had become such strangers after seven years of marriage.

He nodded. “I will. After her birthday next month.”

For the first time since I’d decided to divorce Damien, I could see my future taking shape- not as Mrs. Thorne, but as Elara Vance, standing on her own.

“L… what?” I wasn’t sure I’d heard correctly.

“The same.”

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