Cold Husband Burning Regret: The Divorce He Couldn't Handle novel Chapter 305

She stood there, frozen, acutely aware of how much Judd’s father disapproved of her.

She was about to say something when Evander pushed the door open and walked in, his voice low and cold. “She is my wife. President Carstairs, maybe you should worry about your own son and stop letting him hang around someone else’s wife.”

Teague’s face darkened further, seeing Evander and—unable to help himself—superimposing Jacques Howard’s face over his. “I know exactly what kind of person my son is. Maybe you should be worrying about your own wife instead.”

“Dad, can’t you just drop it?” Judd interjected, exasperated.

“And what if I won’t?” Teague shot back.

“Oh, Teague, do you really have to make things harder for the kids?” Daphne said, unable to hide her distress.

Teague’s knuckles went white as he clenched his fist, veins standing out. “And who exactly am I making things difficult for? The Howards?”

“That’s enough!” Daphne snapped, her anger finally boiling over. She stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

The room fell instantly, suffocatingly silent.

Charlotte inhaled deeply and decided she’d had enough. “I’ll leave you all to it.”

She walked out.

Evander glanced at the father and son, then turned and left at his own unhurried pace.

Charlotte was waiting for the elevator when Evander stopped behind her. “There’s bad blood between Teague and my father. Don’t take his words to heart.”

She didn’t bother looking at him. “I’m not.”

If she took every harsh word to heart, wouldn’t life be unbearable?

They stepped into the elevator together. After a moment, Evander spoke quietly. “Do you really care about him that much?”

She blinked, then replied matter-of-factly, “Can’t I care about a friend?” She turned to look at him, her voice cool. “Maybe you should stop trying to control everything.”

When the elevator reached their floor, she strode out.

Evander caught up with her in two long strides, gripping her arm to turn her back toward him. “You might see him as a friend, but is that what he thinks?”

She walked away without looking back.

Evander watched her go, a silent, rueful smile tugging at his lips.

If only she really were trying to punish him.

…

After Loretta Donovan wired a hundred thousand to Tricia, she didn’t come home until nearly dusk, clutching the card all the way.

Seeing her mother in the living room, she panicked, shoving the card behind her back. “Why didn’t you say you’d be home?”

Candida stood, voice sharp with worry. “Where have you been? Your father’s in the hospital, you know that?”

Loretta stared at her, stunned. “…What happened?”

“He had a brain hemorrhage!” Candida’s voice was trembling with anger and fear. “He just collapsed out of nowhere today. If I hadn’t come home early, he might not even be alive right now! It was just you and him at home, and you didn’t even notice he was sick?”