My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 116

Chapter 116: I’ll protect you.

Ava parted her lips to respond, but Nicholas’s voice cut through the tension first. “She is no longer your wife.” Rising from his chair, he stepped toward them. “Your matters are not her concern anymore. She can go wherever she wants and meet whoever she likes. You can’t stop her.”

Dylan’s grip on Ava tightened as he pulled her closer to him. “Our divorce is not finalized yet.” His tone was icy and laced with warning. “She is still my wife. Stay away from her.” His fierce eyes locked onto Nicholas.

Nicholas’s gaze flickered to Dylan’s hand resting possessively on Ava’s waist, and a spark of anger flared in his chest. He fought to keep his composure. Sliding his hands into his pockets, he clenched them into fists, silently containing the bubbling rage within him.

“What’s the point of keeping her with you forcefully?” he started slowly, his tone betraying his undercurrent resentment. “It’ll only bring both of you more pain. Your marriage is already broken. Accept it. Let her go.”

“I don’t need your suggestion,” Dylan hissed. His jaw tightened, his nostrils flaring. “We’ll resolve our issues on our own.”

He turned and walked away, pulling Ava along. Ava stumbled slightly, wincing at the pressure on her arm.

“She is here with me.” Nicholas’s voice rose as he stepped forward, blocking Dylan’s path. His calm exterior cracked. “You can’t take her away.”

“And who are you to stop me from taking my wife?” Dylan snapped back, his anger rising.

Ava’s heart sank as she glanced at Dylan’s face. The grip on her arm grew tighter, making her wince in pain. She could feel the heat of his anger radiating off him, and her stomach twisted in fear.

Dylan was on the verge of losing control. Any moment, he might explode, and Ava was afraid he would hurt Nicholas. She wanted to intervene, but before that, Nicholas took another step closer.

“As her friend and well-wisher, I’ll stop you.” Nicholas straightened, his eyes fierce with determination. His posture radiated defiance, his demeanor making it clear that he would do whatever it took to protect Ava.

This was it. Dylan’s temper snapped like a taut wire. “She doesn’t need a friend like you,” he roared.

His fist swung through the air, aiming directly at Nicholas’s face. But before it could connect, Ava acted swiftly, grabbing Dylan’s arm and pulling it down.

Dylan froze momentarily, his furious gaze snapping to Ava. “You! Are you worried for him?”

“I don’t want you to fight,” Ava replied, hoping he would understand her. But her words only fueled Dylan’s rage further.

“You did that to protect him!” Dylan’s voice rose, his face twisting with anger. “Every time, you intervene. Is he that important to you?”

“Yes,” Nicholas interjected sharply before Ava could respond. “She cares about me because I care about her.”

Dylan’s icy glare turned to Nicholas, his entire body bristling with menace.

“When she was your wife, you neglected her,” Nicholas continued. “You didn’t cherish her. But there are people who value her, who prioritize her happiness in ways you never could.”

“What I do with my woman is none of your business,” Dylan hissed. “If I upset her, I’ll make her laugh too. She doesn’t need comfort from anyone else. I’m enough for her.” He pulled Ava to his chest firmly, glaring at Nicholas with a warning in his eyes. “Step aside or else you will regret it.”

Nicholas didn’t flinch. His jaw was set, his body stiff, ready to stand his ground.

Ava felt the tension in Dylan’s body, his barely contained fury radiating from him in waves. She knew his anger was dangerously close to boiling over.

‘I have to stop this.’

Gathering her courage, she pushed Dylan back, creating a gap between him and Nicholas. She faced Nicholas. “Please, Nicholas, step aside. Don’t drag this matter.”

“Ava!” Nicholas’s expression shifted, a pang of sadness crossing his features. He was ready to fight for her, to help her get out of Dylan’s possessive control. Shouldn’t she choose to stay with him, the one who truly valued her? Why was she still fixated with that control freak man?

“You can’t go with him,” he added restlessly. “He doesn’t care about you, Ava. You know it. Don’t be afraid—I can protect you.”

“What do you mean by that?” Dylan snapped. “Are you saying she’s unprotected with me?”

“You are the one who hurt her the most,” Nicholas snapped back. “But I won’t let you hurt her anymore. Leave her.”

“I’ll kill you tonight.” Dylan scrunched up his face and stormed toward him.

“Dylan, stop,” Ava shouted desperately.

The plea froze Dylan mid-step, his body rigid as he turned to look at her. ‘She again stopped me!’ he muttered to himself, his frustration mounting.

Ava hurried toward Dylan, her eyes full of pleading. “I am coming with you. Don’t fight here, please.”

Her pleading words only made Dylan even more frustrated. Her worry, fear, and care should be his, but she was showing those emotions to protect Nicholas.

How could she value another man over her own husband? The thought infuriated him, the betrayal cutting deep. His anger simmered right beneath the surface, but he somehow managed to tamp it down. For now, he would let it go.

“Nicholas, I appreciate that you speak up for me,” Ava said, meeting his gaze head-on. “But don’t cross the line. I am still his wife.” She interlaced her fingers with Dylan’s. “Whatever issues we have, we’ll deal with them together. You shouldn’t interfere.”

Nicholas couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You’re saying this because you’re scared of him,” he argued. “Don’t be afraid, Ava. I’m here for you. I’ll protect you. I can do anything for you.”

“This man is so annoying,” Dylan muttered.

Ava tightened her grip on Dylan’s hand as if she was afraid he would beat Nicholas if she let him go. “As long as I am his wife, I don’t need you…I don’t need anyone.” Without waiting for a reply, she pulled Dylan with her.

Nicholas stood rooted to the spot, his chest heaving as he watched them leave. His mind whirled, torn between frustration and longing. But then, as Ava’s final words echoed in his mind, a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Her declaration gave him a sliver of hope. “You won’t be his wife for long,” he mumbled. “Once your divorce is finalized, no one can stop you from being with me.”