CHASING MY EX-WIFE

CHAPTER 56

Richard's POV

The light from the lobby illuminates her features, casting deep shadows down her exposed thighs and making me take a gulp.

How long has she been here?

Staring at the distance between us, I let out a deep sigh of relief, knowing she wouldn't have heard all I said to my mother over the phone.

Maybe she just came. Perhaps she left without realizing my presence.

Even after calling her name, she doesn't move. She seems to have frozen in one spot. She doesn't respond to my call or look in my direction.

When she finally turns in slow motion, displacing her beautiful face and her silk dress, I want to move closer and ask if everything is fine.

I halt.

The sight takes my breath away. She looks sexy and makes my legs unsteady.

She slowly makes her way towards her, moving in a slow-motion manner that makes me question if this is real or if I'm just imagining it.

As she draws nearer, my breath catches. It's hard to believe that just a short while ago, I was upset with this woman for ignoring me.

"Ashley mentioned that you went out angrily leaving everyone at the party puzzled about what could be wrong. Then, she assigned me the responsibility of finding you and bringing you back to the party.” She informs me in a manner similar to how a secretary would inform a boss about their daily schedules.

My smile falters, but I am relieved she didn't hear any of my conversation with my mother.

“I’m just out here.” I turn back to face the beach. It was working its magic, calming my nerves, until my mother's phone call triggered an argument between us. We never seem to stop arguing with each other.

We always find one thing or another to argue about.

“Because you are mad?" she asks, moving to stand beside me.

I don't look at her or reply. I don't want her to know how upset I am with her. And merely meeting her gaze at her will sell me out.

“At me? ”She demands again carefully.

Against my will, I feel a sudden flare of anger. “Yes, you ignored me. That hurts.”

Instead of apologizing, she smiles sadly before sitting down on the fine sand, spreading her long, flawless legs on them.

I do the same.

Silence ensues. Not awkward, but comforting. The sound of the waves soothes me, and my anger disappears once more.

She seems to be enjoying it too, because she has her eyes tightly closed as she breathes in.

When she flicks them open, our eyes connect. “We are divorced.”

She is acting as if I am a stranger and not her ex-husband.

“How do you expect me to tell them I know you and you are my ex? The whole party will be in uproar.”

“Ashley knows we are business partners…”

“But she doesn't know I am your ex-wife and my child is yours,” she cuts me short, a flicker of anger flashing across her expression.

I nod.

She is right. But I insist. We could easily lie about knowing each other somewhere else, rather than pretending not to know each other at all.

Silence falls again, except for the sounds of the wave and the nightbird chirping over the sky. The sky is blue and beautiful, casting a glowing color on the waters.

“Arabel…”

“I think it is better we stick to you calling me Bella so the mistake back there won't repeat itself again.” She cuts me short quickly, as if expecting me to call her that.

“Are you still mad at me?”

She doesn't reply.

“Each time I stare at you, I always see anger in your eyes, and it makes me feel like you haven't forgiven me yet. If you have, then every bit of anger will be gone, and we don't have to argue about anything anymore.”

I breathe out. I said all of that in anger.

But she only smiles, making regret tug at me.

“I see you haven't changed one bit. You are still that ill-tempered man I know you to be…”

“What? Of course not, Bella. I am just frustrated. I don't know what else to do or how else to ask for your forgiveness. It drives me crazy and gives me sleepless nights…”

"Even after I informed Daisy that you were her father? Even after I admit to everything? You think I haven't forgiven you yet? Do you think I will even be here, sitting next to you on nothing but sand, when I am holding grudges against you? Think about it, Richard. Stop with these insecurities, unless there is more to them. You have your life, and I have mine. You should focus on your own life, unless it involves our child. I won't do the same with you either, unless it concerns Daisy. If you see me with another man, must you react? We are separated, remember? You were the cause of that separation. You asked for a divorce; I didn't!” Her voice reverberates with incredulity.

A dark dread creeps over my heart, and pain tugs in. My mouth becomes dry with fear.

Fear that I will never have a second chance with this woman who has my heart.

Fear that we will never be more than this.

For a moment, I think of telling her how I feel, but apparently, this isn't the right time. She is not in the right frame of mind, and confessing my feelings for her now will anger her more. She might never want to talk to me again.

Isn't it better that I leave that for another day?

Tonight and tomorrow are Ashley and Caleb's days. I don't want to ruin that for them. I don't want to be selfish by ruining their day.

“Sorry… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so harsh and aggressive…” she pauses, making my heart gallop. “I'm just not myself. Well, I haven't been my usual self since the divorce. I know I have changed tremendously, but one obvious change is my short temper.”

She lets out a chuckle. But I can't smile. Not when my heart is bleeding. Not when I can feel the pain she must have felt when I asked her for a divorce.

Asking her for a divorce meant rejection.

I can feel that pain as well now, and it is very bad, hurtful, and cruel.

Change is indeed constant.

People change us. Circumstances do too. Time does too.

Just as my divorce and longing for Arabel have changed me from that cold man, they have also changed her from that lovely, sweet, loyal-to-a-fault woman to a short-tempered one.

The fault is all mine.

“What are you thinking?” She breaks the moment of silence between us, peering down at me with a genuine smile.

A smile to show that indeed she has forgiven me. But a second chance might never be possible.

“Nothing. I just can't help but blame myself for everything happening to you.”

“It is fate, not you. Everything that is happening to me, to you, and to us has been written down. This is our fate. Both marriage and divorce were part of our destiny. Perhaps if we were still in that marriage, something bad would have happened, don't you think?”

I nod. “But I don't believe in fate.”

“Well, I do, because that is the only thing that has kept me going all these years. It is the sole thought that comes to mind when I gaze upon Daisy.”

I remain silent. I find myself at a loss for words, unsure of how to continue the conversation.

“I doubt if I can ever forgive myself for what happened. Even if my mother doesn't blame me anymore, I know she thinks about how it is my fault every single day that you are no longer her daughter-in-law.” I express what's on my mind.

“I doubt that. Mothers are the most forgiving. She forgave you long before I did, and you shouldn't blame yourself anymore. Remember what I just said?”

“It is fate.”

“It is fate.”

We both chorus and laugh.

That laughter stirs something in me. Something dead. Giving me a tiny bit of hope again that we can be given our second chances.

But how can that start?

I can't get a second chance with Arabel if we don't start from scratch this time. When we got married, we barely knew each other. I only knew her as my mother's daughter. I didn't know what she liked or disliked. I didn't know what school she attended. I didn't know who her best friend was.

I knew absolutely nothing about her.

But this time, I can start fresh. In a different way. By getting to know almost everything about her if possible.

What makes her sad and happy? What gives her joy and the right butterflies. What's her favorite meal? What are her interests? And what motivates her to keep going amidst any obstacles?

It takes my mind back to my father. If he were here, I am sure he would advise me to do this too.

Friendship.

The only way I can get close to her, aside from using Daisy as an excuse, is to be friends with her.

True love is built on friendship.

I must have read that somewhere. Because it keeps ringing in my head.

Friendship.
Arabel and I will become friends. As friends, we can become something else when the time is right.

Being married for the second time might also be our fate.

At that point, I smile widely, a thrill shooting up my spine. We have been silent for more than five minutes, but it has been so comforting. It's no longer awkward as it once was.

This is a good start. The right start.

I stare at her. She has a smile on her face. Her face is relaxed and devoid of anger.

Suddenly, I demand with a stretch of my hand. “Friends?”

She looks puzzled for a minute, and I rephrase. “Can we be friends? Not only co-parents, but true friends?”

She hesitates, the smile vanishing from her face and her mouth looking small, like she will blurt out a loud no.

My pulse pounds in anticipation.

She shakes her head instantly, and I almost think she is rejecting my friendship when she suddenly takes my hand and a cold shiver runs through me.

“Friends!”

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Do you think they would be friends? Does Richard want only friendship from her? Is Arabel serious about being his friend despite their past?

Comment your thoughts and don't forget to vote❤

Two more chapters coming in soon.