The Secret Life Of My Billionaire Ex-Wife

be home early tonight, something about needing to "make up" for how much he had been working lately. She had tried to convince herself that was all it

had gone over what she would say and how she would say it, a thousand times

king at him with disappointment in her eyes and said "No! you told me you would be back early, I stayed up all night, I haven't had dinner because I was waiting for my husband to come home so I could

for another time?" She swallowed, feeling that familiar ache in her chest. They had been together for

est, maybe I do need someone else, Maybe someone who isn't constantly questioning me every time I come home late. Lexi felt like the ground had ripped open

, Veronica Tanner, her face twisted into a scowl when she saw Lexi as she asked "What's goi

and said to her "My son goes to work every day working so hard to try and provide you a good life and when he gets h

rateful my son even chose you, you come from...well, nothing. Look around you", she gestured at the elegant room, the family portrait on the wall, the luxury that Ryder's fam

lways leaves her in tears. Ryder's family had welcomed her into their lives with polite smiles and silent judgment bu

e turned and saw Lexi standing there with her head down as she said to her leaning on the counter "You know, I always wondered how

, fighting the urge to lash out, to let them know exactly how much their sneering

er. She had heard this all before, endured it day after day, hoping that one day, Ryder woul

sters took full advantage of his silence, treating Lexi as though she were an intruder rather

r sneered one evening at dinner, eyeing Lexi's simple dress with a

ced a polite smile. "I wasn't awar

ded, slicing into her meal with a pointed look at Lexi's outfit. "One would

ter what she did, she would never be good enough for them. She was an ou

get all they would need for the house and the kitchen. When she got back home, she saw Ryder's car parked in the gar

's favorite meal as she planned to use her cooking as a way to make her way back into his heart, but as she stepped insid

n she looked at the beautiful lady seated by her husband, Sophia, her long hair perfectl

, then she looked at Ryder and his expression explained it all, her heart pounded and the bags in her hand slipped. She turned to Sophia as she

e out. Her mouth opened, but no words came. Instead, she looked to Ryder, hoping-pra

ed uncomfortably, and he look

soften the blow. "I... I think it's time for us to move on.

ought out a perfectly folded document and handed it over to her. Her vision blurred but she saw it a

o him "I thought we could fix this, I want to fix this, please Ryder, don't throw three years of our lives aw

her eyes wondering where the man she once loved is, the man who promised her forever, she tolerate

is this how it is going to end for us?". Sophia stood up as she walked up to them and pulled her hand away from Ryder's holding it instead and then she said to Lexi with a smile on her face in a very condescending manner, "Oh! sweet heart, I know t

didn't have to dirty their hands, the

isters, who smirked, their expressions openly mocking, reveling in her pain. And finally, she saw Ryder's face-his d

into a cold, steely calm. She straightened, feeling a sudden clarity, a reminder of who

ting through the smug silence around her. "I sacrificed everything for you, Ryde

e anymore. She wasn't speaking for

ing the weight of every sleepless night, every tear, every betrayal. She slipped off her wedding ring, hold

omentarily flickering with

r gaze flicked to Sophia, who was watching with an amused smile. "And Sophia," Lexi continued, a wry smil

a surge of pity. The only daughter of the Hart family... it was a title that belonged to her, a birthright she'd walked a

no m