My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 117

Chapter 117: Don’t force her.

Dylan pressed Ava against the side of his car, his hands gripping her arms firmly as he captured her lips in a fierce, almost punishing kiss.

“Mmm!” Ava protested, her hands pushing against his chest as she struggled to break free. But Dylan only deepened the kiss, undeterred by her resistance. Her struggles seemed to ignite something darker in him, and his kisses grew rougher, his frustration pouring into every motion.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he growled against her lips. “But you didn’t come to me. Instead, you were with that man. Are you that desperate?”

Before she could respond, he kissed her again, harder this time. Ava’s mind spun, her lips stinging and numb from the intensity. She turned her head, gasping for breath, but Dylan wasn’t done.

“Seems like I haven’t touched you for too long,” he rasped. “That’s why you’re looking for another man. But I’m still your husband. I can satisfy you.”

He yanked the back door of the car open and shoved her inside. Ava stumbled backward, landing on her back. She was still trying to process what was happening when Dylan pushed himself on her, closing the door behind him.

“Get away from me, Dylan. I’ll hate you if you do this to me.”

Dylan paused, a hurt look crossing his face. “You…really don’t want me anymore?” His anger spiked even more as he thought it was because of Nicholas. “Is it because of that man? Have you fallen for him already?”

Ava pressed her hands against his chest, trying to push him away. “What I do in my personal life shouldn’t matter to you,” she spat. “Don’t forget—we signed the divorce papers. I’m not bound to answer to you anymore.”

Dylan grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head, his grip trembling with restrained emotion. His dark green eyes bore into hers, both hurt and anger swirling within them.

“But you promised,” he hissed through gritted teeth. “You agreed to give this marriage a chance. You said you’d stay with me during this cooling-off period.”

“Yes, I agreed,” Ava shot back, her own fury rising. “But you can’t forbid me from meeting my friends. You can’t force me. Have you forgotten the conditions?”

Dylan fell silent, his mind recalling the conditions she had demanded. His hold faltered slightly as he stared down at her, his emotions a chaotic storm. He couldn’t make her angry. Or else, she would leave. He had been too furious to see that his actions were hurting her.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, though frustration lingered in his tone. “I shouldn’t have lost my temper. But it’s your fault this time. You shouldn’t have been with him. I was at the hospital, waiting for you. I thought you’d come to see me after work. But instead… you were having dinner with him.”

“How did you know I was here?” she demanded with exasperation. The realization dawned on her. “Are you following me?”

“I…”

“Dylan, you’re impossible,” she snapped, shoving him away with more force than he expected. Before he could respond, she yanked open the car door and jumped out.

“Ava, wait,” Dylan called after her, scrambling out of the car himself. He hurried after her. “Justin saw you leaving with Nicholas,” he blurted out. “I was furious, and I told him to follow you.”

Catching up to her, he grabbed her arm, turning her toward him. “We are not divorced yet. You can’t be with another man.”

“Stop it, for God’s sake.” Ava wrenched her arm free. “We were only talking about business. It wasn’t a date.”

“Business?” he scoffed. “In such a romantic setting, you were talking business. Do you think I’ll buy that?”

Ava gawked at him. This man hadn’t changed at all. His suspicion, his refusal to trust her, and his relentless accusations were all too familiar. A bitter smile twisted her lips.

“Why am I even bothering to explain? You won’t believe me no matter what I say. In your eyes, I’m just a cunning and manipulative woman.”

‘Cunning and manipulative woman!’ Dylan stiffened, the words reminding him of some disturbing events. The scenes were blurry and fragmented, but the echo of his own cold voice taunting her with those very words rang vividly in his ears.

Dylan felt his heart stopped beating at that moment. He had said those things to her in his past life. How did she know about it? Could be that she also had nightmares just like him?

“When did I say those things to you? Where did you hear them?” He grabbed her shoulders firmly, his gaze searching hers.

Ava froze under his intense grip, the memory she wished she could bury resurfaced. If he hadn’t uttered those hurtful words and hadn’t broken her spirit, maybe she wouldn’t have made that impulsive decision to end her life.

Her eyes darkened as she shook off his hands. “I’m too tired of answering your endless questions. I’m leaving, and don’t follow me.”

She flagged down a passing taxi and hopped in.

Dylan stood rooted to the spot, his chest rising and falling heavily as the taxi disappeared into the distance. His thoughts churned, gnawing at him like a relentless tide. ‘Has she also been reborn too?’

If it were the case, she would never forgive him. A sinking dread pulled his heart into the pit. ‘I can’t let the same thing happen again,’ he resolved. ‘I have to uncover this conspiracy and stop it before it destroys us again.’

He spun around and hurried back toward his car, but his steps faltered as his eyes landed on Nicholas, standing in his path. The smug look on his face made his stomach churn with frustration, and the temptation to wipe that look off Nicholas’s face with a single punch grew unbearable.

“What’s the matter, Mr. Brooks?” Nicholas taunted. “Did she leave you all alone?” He took a slow step forward, his smile widening. “You can’t hold onto sand, you know. The tighter you grip it, the faster it slips through your fingers.”

Dylan’s jaw tightened, the muscles in his face twitching.

“Don’t force her,” Nicholas added condescendingly. “It’ll only make her want to leave you more.” His smirk widened. “You are a wise man. I don’t have to tell you again and again to leave her alone.”

Dylan seethed with barely restrained fury. “Don’t think you have a chance with her just because we’re going through some issues,” he hissed. “As long as I’m alive, you’ll never get close to her.”

With that, he jumped into his car and drove off.