My Coldhearted Husband'S Regret novel Chapter 96

96 The Seductive Red Bikini

“Where are Cora and Eleanor?” I asked, clutching my robe tighter.

“A little something from Damien.” Her eyes twinkled mischievously. “He told me you needed a new swimsuit.”

I quickly wrapped a resort–provided robe around myself, cinching it tightly at the waist. My heart was racing. This was Eleanor’s plan all along – to put me in something revealing and throw me into an intimate setting with Damien.

“Well, perhaps I suggested it first,” Eleanor admitted with a wink. “But he agreed! He even helped choose the color.”

“Yes, but remember the rules – only an hour of screen time per day during our

vacation,” I said, folding a light cardigan.

I laid out my modest navy blue one–piece swimsuit on the bed, along with comfortable lounge clothes for the hot spring retreat. The suitcase beside mine was conspicuously empty – Damien hadn’t even started packing yet. Typical.

Damien watched me, one eyebrow slightly raised. “Are you coming in, or are you just going to stand there?”

–

“Wonderful! Now, I’ve arranged for us all to use the private family spring in an hour. It’s the most secluded one – perfect for reconnecting.” The gleam in her eyes made it clear what kind of “reconnecting” she was hoping for.

“A gift,” I replied softly. “From your grandmother. Though she claimed it was from you.”

“That old navy thing? Darling, you’re still young and beautiful! You should show it off while you can.” She patted my hand. “Trust me, Damien will appreciate the effort.”

“What’s this?” I asked cautiously.

Elara’s POV

Following Eleanor’s directions, I made my way down a stone path lined with lanterns. The private spring was smaller than I’d expected, enclosed by natural rock formations and bamboo screens for privacy. Steam rose from the surface of the naturally heated water, creating a misty, dreamlike atmosphere.

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96. The Seductive Red Bikini

Taking a deep breath, I stepped to the edge of the spring. With nervous fingers, I untied my robe and let it slide from my shoulders.

“I’m sure he does,” I cut her off gently. “Pack your swimsuit too, sweetie.”

After Damien’s footsteps faded, I quickly gathered my things and headed to the changing room near the spring. It wasn’t until I was alone in the small wooden cubicle that I finally pulled out the bottoms of the bikini.

Damien’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly. For the first time in years, I watched his gaze travel slowly down my body, lingering on the curves accentuated by the seductive red bikini. In the steam rising from the hot spring, with the soft lantern light casting shadows across my skin, I knew exactly what he was seeing – a version of his wife he hadn’t bothered to notice in a very long time.

When we arrived at the mountain retreat the next day, Eleanor was already waiting in the lobby, beaming with excitement. The resort was exactly as she’d described elegant Japanese–inspired architecture nestled among pine trees, with steam rising from numerous hot springs dotting the property.

Of course she did. This was a setup – Eleanor’s transparent attempt at forcing intimacy between us.

As the water rose to my waist, I caught Damien’s gaze dropping to where the crimson fabric clung to my skin, and for the first time in longer than I could remember, his expression was anything but indifferent.

Damien’s eyes met mine, dark and suddenly intense. “That’s… new,” he said, his voice rougher than usual.

I frowned. “Damien said that?” It seemed highly unlikely that my estranged husband had given any thought to my swimwear needs.

When Damien knocked on the door forty minutes later, I was still getting ready.

A knock on the changing room door made me jump.

Damien was handling check–in, keeping his distance as usual. Cora had already discovered the koi pond in the garden and was watching the fish with fascination.

I sincerely doubted that. Damien hadn’t “appreciated” anything about me in years. Still, refusing Eleanor’s gift would only create more tension.

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98 The Seductive Red Bikini

“Thank you,” I said quietly, tucking the bikini back into the bag without examining it further. “I’ll consider wearing it.”

“Isn’t it magnificent?” Eleanor gushed, linking her arm through mine. “This place has been in business since Arthur and I were newlyweds.”

“I’ll be ready,” I replied, feeling a flutter of nervousness I hadn’t anticipated.

“Mom, can I bring my new tablet?” Cora bounced into the bedroom, clutching the device Damien had bought her last week.

I hesitated, considering putting on my navy one–piece instead. But I’d left it in our suite, and there wasn’t enough time to go back. With a deep breath, I slipped on the

bikini bottoms.

Seven years of marriage, and we couldn’t be more disconnected. We now lived separate lives under the same roof, with his attention firmly fixed on Vivienne. The only thing keeping us tied together was Cora and, of course, Eleanor’s stubborn refusal to acknowledge our failed marriage.

My eyes widened.

And there, already submerged to his chest in the water, was Damien.

Damien looked up, his expression impossible to read in the dim light. “Eleanor took Cora to the children’s pool. She said they’d join us later.”

Once inside the luxuriously appointed room, Eleanor closed the bedroom door behind us and produced a small gift bag.

“Eleanor, I already packed a swimsuit.”

Cora pouted. “But Dad lets me—”

When I turned to face the full–length mirror, shock rippled through me. The combination of the revealing cut and the vibrant red against my fair skin created an undeniably erotic image. The bottoms rode high on my hips, exposing far more of my backside than I’d ever shown in public, while the top pushed my breasts up in a way that couldn’t be ignored.

“Come, dear. I have something special for you,” Eleanor said, practically dragging me toward our suite while Damien supervised the luggage.

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On The Set boken Mij BRE

With growing suspicion. I peered into the bag and pulled out a bikini top in a deep crimson color. The material was high–quality, but considerably more revealing than anything I would have chosen for myself.

“It’s beautiful. I admitted. The mountain air was crisp and clean, and despite my reservations about this trip. I felt some tension leaving my shoulders.

I looked… desirable. Provocative, even. Nothing like the demure, proper wife Damien had grown accustomed to ignoring.

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