Dear ex-Wife please be mine again

Chapter 69 Christiana's POV It was early evening, and the kids were finally settled in their playroom, but I could feel the weight of their curious eyes on me, Emma was sitting cross-legged on the floor, fiddling with a stuffed bunny, while Ethan was sprawled on the couch with a tablet in his hands. They'd been strangely quiet all afternoon, but I knew them better than that. The questions were coming: it was only a matter of time.

I sighed softly, sipping my tea, trying to mentally prepare for the inevitable conversation. They were five, but they were sharp..too sharp sometimes.

"Mommy." Emma finally piped up, her big brown eyes wide as she looked up at me. "Are you and Daddy going to be together again?" And there it was.

I nearly choked on my tea. I set the cup down carefully, forcing a smile onto my face. "No, sweetheart. Daddy and I aren't going to be together like that again." Emma's face scrunched up, and she dropped her stuffed bunny to her lap. "But whyyyy not?" Her voice was whiny, her bottom lip jutting out in the most tic pout I'd ever seen.

Ethan, not to be left out, sat up straight and joined the conversation. "Yeah, why not?" His expression was much more serious than Emma's, but there was a curious light in his eyes. "You were together before. You could just..... do it again, right?" I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, trying to find the right words to explain this in a way they'd understand. "Well, it's not that simple. Sometimes grown-ups realize that they're better apart than together." "But you were together last night! Emma protested, bouncing up to her feet. “You slept in the sroom!" Her eyes were full of accusation, like she'd caughtin selaborate scheme.

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to suppress a laugh. "That was because Mommy wasn't feeling well, and Daddy wanted to make sure I was okay. It doesn't mean we're getting back together, Em Emma wasn't convinced. She folded her arms across her chest, pouting even harder. "But I want you to be together!" she whined, stamping her foot for extra emphasis.

I sighed softly, standing up and walking over to where she stood. I knelt in front of her, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. "I know, baby. I know it's hard to understand. But Mommy and Daddy... we work better as friends. We're happier that way, and that's important, don't you think?" Emma's pout deepened. "But... I don't get it. If you love Daddy and Daddy loves you, why can't you just be together?" Her innocent question hitlike a punch in the gut. I glanced at Ethan, who was watching us both closely, waiting for my answer. He wasn't whining like Emma, but I could see the squestion in his eyes. He just wanted things to make sense.

I took a deep breath. "It's not just about love, Em. Sometimes, even when two people care about each other, they realize that they're better at being parents together than being married.

Emma scrunched her nose in confusion. "But I'll like it when you're married. It will be fun." A small laugh escapeddespite the seriousness of the conversation. "I know, sweetheart. But Mommy and Daddy are still going to be here for you. We'll always love you and your brother no matter what. That will never change." Ethian finally spoke up, his voice quiet but firm. "But you looked happy this morning.” I blinked, my heart tightening. "What do you mean?" מים Chapter 69 Ethan shrugged, his expression thoughtful. "When I saw you with Dad... you were smiling. And Daddy was smiling too. That hasn't happened in a long time." I felt my throat tighten. I hadn't realized they noticed things like that-how long it had been since Alex and I had shared a smile. "Sometimes, people can have good moments together, Ethan. That doesn't mean we should be together all the time." "But I want more good monients" Ethan said, his voice full of childlike logic.

Emma stomped her foot again, her little face determined. "I want you and Daddy to be together forever! Like in the movies! I knelt down again, hugging her tight. "Oh, Em. Life isn't always like the movies. Sometimes it's a little more complicated." She huffed, pulling away to glare at me. "But it shouldn't be! I want you to be happy. You and Daddy both." I smiled softly at her, my heart aching in ways I couldn't describe "We are happy, Em. Just... in different ways. And we'll always be here for you and Ethan. That's what matters, okay?".

Emma didn't look convinced, but she sighed heavily and sat back down, picking up her stuffed bunny again. I still think you should be together, she muttered under her breath.

Ethan just stared at me, his eyes deep and thoughtful, as if he was trying to understand something far beyond his years. Finally, he nodded. "Okay, Mom. But if you change your mind. we'll be okay with that too." I smiled, ruffling his hair. I'll keep that in mind, buddy." As they went back to their toys, I couldn't help but feel a tug in my chest. The kids had always been smart, far more perceptive than I gave them credit for. And even though they didn't fully understand everything, their questions lingered in my mind long after they'd stopped asking.

Maybe they were right. Maybe things were more complicated than I was willing to admit. But for now, I had to stay strong for them and for myself.

Just as I settled into the quiet after our conversation, my phone rang, pullingfrom my thoughts. The screen lit up with Grace's name, my efficient and always reliable P.A. I answered quickly, stepping away from the kids to have a moment of privacy "Grace, hi. What's going on?" "Ma'am Christiana, she began, her tone unusually hesitant, "I think you need to hear this... It's about Roger Wilkes," I stiffened immediately, my mind flashing back to last night's debacle at the exhibition. "What about him?" There was a pause before she continued, and I could hear the tension in her voice. "It seems... something happened. Word is that his business was hit hard, like, really hard. Several major investors have pulled out, and a few of his deals collapsed. overnight. He's in a very bad place financially, and... well, it's spreading fast." I blinked, processing the information, a sense of unease creeping into my chest. "What do you mean? How did this happen so suddenly?" very

Grace hesitated again. "1... I don't have all the details, but people are saying someone powerful had a hand in it. It's all sudden, and honestly, Christiana, I think this was a calculated move. Whoever did this, they wanted to make sure Wilkes Jearned a lesson" My stomach dropped, and instinctively, my thoughts went straight to Alex. Could he have...? "Grace," I said slowly, "are you suggesting that Alex-?" I'm not suggesting anything, but.. let's just say it feels personal. And given what happened at the exhibition last night, it 18:09 Fri, Oct 18 Chapter 69 690 П doesn't seem like a coincidence." I leaned against the kitchen counter, my mind racing. Alex had always been protective, but this? Was this his way of dealing with the mess Roger had caused? TII look into it more, Grace said, her voice softer now. "I just thought you should know." "Thanks, Grace, I managed, though my thoughts were far from clear. "I appreciate you telling me."

When I hung up, I couldn't help but stare blankly at the phone in my hand. Alex had left that morning without saying a word about this, but now... now I couldn't shake the feeling that this had his fingerprints all over it.

My heart raced, emotions swirling. Protecting me-protecting my reputation and my business-was one thing. But this? This felt like a warning, and not just to Roger Wilkes. m SEND GIFT