CHASING MY EX-WIFE

CHAPTER 95

Richard's POV

I figured coming to see things for myself was best. I would be able to check in with maintenance and have Arabel's lock changed.

Caleb's sharp intake makes me snap my head to him as I think over my decision to tell him.

My secret.

I haven't told my mother yet, and I don't intend to. I know she would persuade me to tell Arabel, and I am not ready for that yet.

When I have Alex and Eve safely locked up in jail and no longer a threat to our relationship, I will tell her.

For now, I can't.

But I want to tell Caleb.

“Here we are,” he says, driving straight into the garage and stopping. He comes out of the car, and I do the same.

He visited right after Leo left, and I suggested we come to the penthouse together.

Unlike Arabel's description, the entire place isn't completely dark. I figured it was probably Alex's doing.

The maintenance of the house continues regardless of my presence.

I take long strides towards the maintenance office, knocking slightly on the door before venturing in.

“Mathew?”

“Boss.” He shoots up instantly, the sleepiness in his eyes gone within a twinkle of an eye.

“How are you?”

“I'm fine, thank you. Is there anything I can help you with?”

I nod. “Did you notice any unusual activity on the premises yesterday?” He looks confused, uncertain of what exactly I meant. “Any blackouts or intruders?”

“No sir. There was no blackout at all,” he replies quickly, and I nod again.

It is Alex's doing.

“I need you to help me change the locks upstairs. Could you change the locks for the two apartments tonight?”

“Sure,” he responds, and he turns around to grab his tools while I move out to meet Caleb.

“He's coming,” I say to Caleb, and he nods before following me behind to take the elevator upstairs.

Caleb and I rode here in silence. Until recently, we were never at a loss for conversation. If he didn't talk to me about his interest in my secretary, Ashley, we talked about work. If we don't talk about work, he tells me about the women he wants to match me with.

But now, while riding up in the elevator, the silence is killing me. Making me wonder if this is because he still thinks I haven't recovered my memory.

More reason why I want to tell him.

“Caleb?” I call as we stand next to each other in the elevator. Matthew will join us soon.

Caleb looks up at me, and I say, “There is something I need to tell you.”

A frown settles on his forehead. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes.” I smile, nodding at him in the affirmative. Everyone asks me that question on a daily basis. “I just need to tell you something.”

“Okay?”

“Actually, I think I have recovered my memory,” I announce slowly, watching his eyes go wide in surprise before he laughs with joy.

“Really? That's good, man!” He extends his right hand for a shake, and I reciprocate before he forces my body into a half hug.

A smile tugs on my lips at the gesture. The Caleb I know is back.

The elevator dings open.

“Wow, finally!” He mutters. “You have no idea how long I have been waiting for that piece of news. Welcome back, man!”

“I haven't told anyone but you,” I reveal, making him come to an abrupt stop.

His face furrows in confusion and curiosity before he asks. “Even Arabel?” I nod quickly. “Why?”

“I just feel now is not the time. First off, I need those two culprits behind bars, and second, I enjoy having her treat me this way, with so much…”

“You should tell her, Richard,” he advises, disapproval etched on his forehead and he walks forward. When the elevator dings open again, Matthew steps out, just in time for us to get to Arabel's door.

With my hands in my pants pockets, Caleb and I stand a distance away to let him do his job. When Caleb signals to me to remind me about our unfinished conversation, I walk to my apartment, and he follows.

Seeing my apartment again after two months of being away, leaves me with a nostalgic feeling inside of me.

The last night I spent here was when I kissed Arabel and sent Eve out. Who would have thought something as bad as what happened would occur?

“Why haven't you told her?” Caleb's questions, looking at me suspiciously. “Don't tell me you have been pretending all along to have lost your memory?”

“Of course not.” I reply and walk further into the living room. “I just recovered my memory a few days ago. I'm holding off on telling her until we have resolved everything.” I tell him, despite my deep-seated fear that Arabel will turn against me the moment she recognizes me as the Richard she once knew.

For now, she treats me like I am not the man who betrayed her. She treats me like a newborn, and I wish things will stay this way forever.

Regarding the topic of marriage, she didn't give me a reply like I thought she would. Not a positive or negative reply. She only stared hard at me, surprise floating across her beautiful face, before she looked away.

I didn't push it.

I didn't want us to end up fighting. But it bothers me.

Perhaps she doesn't want to marry me because of what happened between us. She feels the past will repeat itself again.

As much as I want to vow and promise her nothing of the sort will ever happen, even with the last drop of my blood, I want to give her time. Time to accept reality. To accept me back.

Marrying her is the right decision.

As much as I would love to date her this time, get to know her better, and court her with so much love and respect, I couldn't help but blurt out the word marriage.

“You should tell her, man,” he insists, sitting next to me and watching me strangely, probably to see if I truly have my memories back.

"She'll never know. I will eventually, but not now,” I mutter indifferently.

“What if she knows or gets to know before you make a decision to tell her?”

“Are you going to be the one to tell her?” He does not reply. “If you don't tell her, how would she know?”

I know Arabel will be mad at me if she finds out, but I don't intend to let her find out. More reason why I have to find a solution to the problem of Alex and Eve.

I won't let those two get to us again. Not when I am almost on the verge of getting our lives back in place again.

Arabel. Me and our child, Daisy.

I love her. So much that it hurts.

It hurts to remember the past and the thought of her never accepting to be my wife again.

I have come to terms with everything, and I am willing to wait till she is ready again to walk down the aisle with me.

What if she doesn't believe in marriage anymore and doesn't intend to remarry? Something stirs in me.

Arabel was very clear with her decision to not venture into another relationship or get married again.

“Richard…” The sound of a knock on the door cuts him short. I stare at him hard, enough to warn him never to spill the beans before strolling to the door.

“Boss, I'm done fixing it,” Matthew informs me, dropping his tool as he flashes me a smile. “Is there anything else you want me to do for you?”

“No, Mathew,” I say, just in time for something else to jump into my head. “Yes, there is Mathew.”

Cameras.

Changing the locks won't do it.

I also need to install cameras in places where they won't be obvious to anyone coming in.

Alex must have known there were no cameras around, which gave him enough confidence to barge in the way he did.

And we will use that to our advantage.

There are no cameras in here, and he wouldn't bother to check next time unless he noticed a change in the lock. That will prompt him to check to see if cameras are around, but they won't be in places he would see easily.

That way, we can have evidence of him stalking, intruding, and threatening Arabel.

It won't be enough, but it's something.

“Wait here,” I say to him and move back in, strolling towards the bedroom where I have unique cameras, almost chip-like, which I got from one of my trips overseas.

I bought them without the intention of having them fixed here, but using them when I eventually have Arabel back in my life and possibly go back to the mansion or another place if she wants us to.

I never saw the need for cameras here, but now it will be useful.

When I get to the bedroom, I walk to the drawer and drag it open to grab the dark brown envelope containing the chip cameras.

Matthew is an expert. I'm sure he would know how to do it.

When I stroll out, Caleb is already standing and moving to the door. I throw the door open to see Matthew still standing, so I extend the envelope to him.

"I want these to be installed in hidden locations. There was an intruder here last night, but you failed to notice anything strange.” I say, and guilt settles heavily on his face.

“I'm sorry, boss.” He apologized quickly, and I nod, giving him the envelope. He takes and opens it, revealing the first, second, and third cameras. Just as I am about to turn so we can head out with Caleb, something catches my attention.

There is a fourth item in the envelope.

A recorder.

While Matthew was staring at it strangely, probably wondering what this is for, I grab it from him.

“What's that?” Caleb's voice jerks me out of my reverie.

Digging it into my coat pocket, I reply. “It's nothing. Just a recorder.” Back to Matthew, I wave him away to get to work. “Can we go now?”

“Sure.”

“What are you doing with a recorder?” He asks, his tone laced with curiosity and worry, as I lock the door and make my way towards the elevator.

“Nothing important,” I answer. "I should probably give this to Arabel in case she meets with Alex next.  He might want to reveal why he is doing all of this. That will help.”

“True,” he agrees, but I don't intend to do as I say.

This recorder has the record of Arabel revealing her identity about being married and divorced and having a child for her ex-husband.

The same one I paid Leo to get for me when I was in search of evidence to reveal to her that I know she was my ex-wife, no matter how she tried to hide or pretend not to be.

It's no longer useful, but I would love to keep it.

When we get outside, to the garage where our cars are parked, Caleb grabs my shoulder, stopping me from getting into the passenger's seat.

“Richard, please tell Arabel!” He pleads with me, his tone laced with worry and concern again.

I growl in frustration. Instead of replying to him, I open the car door myself and slump in. As soon as he sits next to me, I say, “I promise I will.”

****
Will Richard tell Arabel before she finds out?

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