HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 163

**Shadows of the Past – By Emma Clarke**

**Chapter 163**

Althea stood there, a whirlwind of confusion swirling within her. Her gaze flickered to him, searching for clarity, but all she found was a reflection of her own turmoil. Gradually, she pushed herself off the ground, her heart a tempest of questions, each one darker than the last. With every pulse, anger bubbled up inside her, especially because once again, Daven’s name was being linked to hers in a way that felt like a noose tightening around her throat.

How could something so ludicrous, so recklessly fabricated, spread like wildfire in a matter of hours?

Was this all part of Daven’s insidious plan? What was his endgame? Had he always intended to toss her life into disarray? Or was he simply not satisfied with the chaos he’d already wreaked upon her years ago?

“I wish you didn’t have to keep looking at your phone,” Chase said softly, pulling her attention back to him. His voice was a gentle anchor amidst her storm. He began to guide her out of the lounge, acutely aware of the curious glances and the hushed murmurs that trailed behind them like shadows.

“So, you traveled all the way to the school, set aside your responsibilities—just to deliver a warning that’s already too late?” Althea’s voice was tinged with disbelief, frustration bubbling just beneath the surface.

Chase managed a faint smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He longed to reach out, to take her trembling hand and offer her some semblance of comfort, but a sense of restraint held him back. The uproar caused by the news had already reached a fever pitch, and though he had received a heads-up, it did little to ease the tension of the morning. His day had been derailed by an urgent call to the TnC building—Cale Miller had alerted him to complications in their agreement that required immediate attention.

Had it not been for that unexpected detour, Chase would have gone about his day as he always did—driving Josh and Althea to school, then heading to work with a clear mind. But life had a way of throwing curveballs, just like now.

Upon reaching the principal’s office, Chase gestured for Althea to sit. The atmosphere was thick with unspoken words, and he took a moment to gather his thoughts.

“Althea,” he began, his tone deliberate and careful. “I know this all feels… sudden, overwhelming.”

“Don’t tell me you believe it too,” she interjected sharply, her voice quivering with emotion. “Chase, it isn’t true. I don’t understand how those photos even came to exist or how that story made its way into the world. I never—”

“I’m not accusing you,” Chase interrupted gently, his voice steady and calm. “Just take a deep breath.”

Althea pressed her hands to her face, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. “How can I be calm? Everyone out there is looking at me as if I’m—like I’m some cheap woman sneaking around behind people’s backs.”

Chase exhaled slowly, then settled into the chair across from her, his expression serious. “Listen. Last night, I received a direct call from Mr. Callister.”

Althea’s head whipped up, her eyes wide with shock. “Daven?”

He nodded, the name hanging heavily in the air. “He asked me not to jump to conclusions or condemn you based on what’s being reported. He insisted he would handle everything.”

Althea sat frozen, her chest rising and falling with barely contained emotions, a storm brewing just beneath the surface.

“He didn’t provide many details,” Chase continued, his voice steady. “He merely admitted that his marriage is in trouble. And he promised that within three days, he would come here himself. To explain everything. To us. But especially to you.”

“I don’t understand,” Althea whispered, her voice breaking with vulnerability. “Why me? Why drag my name into this mess?”

Chase’s gaze met hers, unwavering and sincere, as if trying to ground her amidst the chaos.

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