Ex-Husband’s Regret by Evelyn M.M

Chapter 0492 Harper.

It's been close to two weeks since Gabriel made me promises that shattered every reservation, | had about giving him a second chance.

I swear, | never thought | could be this happy.

My life with Liam was good, but with Gabriel, it's better. Maybe because Gabriel is the man | loved. The man my heart held on to for almost a decade. | | I would be lying if | said that | wasn't scared.

There was still the small part of me that expected the other shoe to drop. After all, it wouldn't be the first time in my life that a loved one has been taken away from me.

There is also the fear that this is all too easy, you know. Like shouldn't it be a bit harder? A bit more difficult. A bit more challenging... or is that just my self-sabotaging tendencies talking?

Maybe | am so used to not having things going my way, which just makes me question things when they do.

“What are you working on?” Gabriel pops out of nowhere, scaring the crap out of me.

With my hand on my chest, | try to calm my racing heart. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.” “I didn’t,” he says, his eyes flashing in amusement. “I've been calling you for more than a minute. You were just staring into space.” ; | That night at the gala, right after that first | round, Gabriel continued for two more rounds.

We slept and just when | thought it was over, he woke me up for a few more rounds. | swear, by morning, my legs were like jelly.

I'll forever count it as one of my best nights.

There is just something about your husband whispering sweet nothings to you while buried deep inside you. He would alternate between sweet and straight up dirty talk. My mind could barely keep up, but | loved every single second of it.

“Harper?” | focus on his handsome face. This is a dream come true, but there is a small part of me that keeps insisting that | gave in too quickly. It keeps insisting that | should have given it more time.

“Sorry,” | mumble pulling my eyes away from him to stare at the papers in front of me. “I've just been thinking of how to take Unity Ventures to the next level,” He takes a seat right next to me on the dining table. | “May I?” he motions to the papers that I'd been scribbling on and I nod.

“Any ideas?” he asks after a couple of minutes.

“Not many. The only one | have is to turn it into what its names suggest. Unity Ventures.

Meaning we will be all-rounded. We won't just be focused on buying and selling property. We can also incorporate architecture, building and construction, and interior and landscape design.” |

His flash to mine. My joy swells deep inside me at the look of pride he gives me.

| never really intended to be part of my family’s company. It was never in my dreams to join it and be part of the running team. That was always Andrew's dream. It's just too bad he never got to realize his dream.

Part of me blames my father. If he hadn't run the company down, maybe Andrew wouldn't have been so busy trying to save it to realize that he was sick. By the time he did get diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer, my parents were dead, and we didn't have enough money for his treatment.

| tried begging him to seek help from Gabriel once Gabriel and | were married, but like the proud idiot he was, he refused.

So yes, | do love my father, but | also put the blame on him for Andrew's death.

Unity Venture was his dream. He may not be here today, but I'll make sure it succeeds in honor of him.

“I'm really impressed,” Gabriel says, interrupting my thoughts.

“Thank you.” “Maybe Ava can be your first client,” he says thoughtfully. “She did say she'd like you to do the interior of one of her hope houses.

Working with her will push you to higher heights because her foundation is really big.” “Yeah, but she has never mentioned it again, so that leaves me with nil.” | | don't know about you, but | am not the kind of person who will go bother someone because of something like that. If you need my 3 | services, then you'll come to me.

Gabriel grabs my hand in his warm one. “Love, you are in business now, and you have to understand this is a eat or get eaten kind of world. You want something, you go for it with all you've got. You don’t wait for it to come to you.” “But-"

"No," he silences me assertively. “Working with Ava is a big project, one you can't miss out on. So don't wait for her to reach out; when you meet again for a lunch date, remind her about it. Better yet, you can call her and just ask her about.” The thought of doing that is giving me anxiety.

Gabriel doesn’t understand that | am not made from the same cloth that he is. He's comfortable going after what he wants; | am not. | feel more comfortable just waiting for it to come to me, and if it doesn't, then | count my losses and move on to something else.

By the piercing look he is giving me, | know he's not going to take no for an answer.

“I'll think about it,” | concede and give him the only answer | can.

“That's better than a straight no,” he smiles. “ And if you need anything, any help, let me know. We Woods have a lot of business connections.” | want to do this on my own without his family’s name backing me up. This is my

family’s legacy. As bad as it may sound, | don’t want any other family to take credit for its success.

| know Gabriel has taken care of it these past few years, and | am grateful , but | am now in charge of it. Going forward, | want to succeed by my own merit.

“And by the way, my parents are coming over for dinner tomorrow.” My eyes snap to him. “And you're just telling me now!” | ball a paper and throw it at him. He easily dodges it.

“| forgot,” With that, he gives me a mischievous wink before disappearing into his home office.