My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 123

Chapter 123: What should I do to make her happy?

Just as Ava turned her gaze back to her laptop, the persistent buzz of her phone sliced through her focus yet again. Dylan’s name on the screen acted as salt on her fresh wounds.

Ava hesitated but answered the call.

“Hello?” she said curtly.

“I hope you got the ointment,” Dylan said in a calm and gentle voice. “It’ll help with the pain. And if you have trouble applying it yourself, let me know. I can help you.”

Ava’s hand instinctively brushed against her waist where the pain lingered, her cheeks flushing at the thought. “I am fine,” she replied stiffly.

“Are you sure?”

Ava’s patience snapped. “Why do you care? Stop worrying about me!” Without waiting for a reply, she ended the call, slamming the phone down. She couldn’t stop her tears from blurring her vision. Her chest heaved as her emotions surged uncontrollably, anger and longing wrestling within her.

She had no strength left in her to endure another betrayal. “Dylan don’t give me hope. I can’t survive another heartbreak. I just can’t.”

On the other end, Dylan stared at his blank phone screen, disappointment tugging at his heart. “You are my wife,” he mumbled. “I care about you more than you know. I know I’ve hurt you, but I’m not giving up. I’ll fix this—no matter what it takes.”

Back to Ava’s office…

Ava’s frown deepened as she continued checking the file in front of her. “What the hell is this?” she muttered circling a series of suspicious cash flows to a single account. “Why is there so much cash flow to this particular account?”

Her fingers danced over the keyboard, pulling up old data to compare. The more she searched, the deeper her frown etched into her face. There were a few more accounts where the fund was transferred. The transactions were recurring, their patterns too consistent to be coincidental.

“How did these even get approved?”

Just as she was trying to understand what was happening, the door knocked, breaking her concentration.

With an annoyed sigh, she called out, “Come in.”

Jodie stepped inside, holding a neatly arranged file. Her smile was overly sweet, but her eyes held a glint of something less pleasant. “I’ve arranged the file, ma’am,” she said, placing it gently on Ava’s desk. “Here it is. Please have a look.”

Ava barely acknowledged her. With a curt nod, she gestured to the pile of files Jodie had delivered earlier. “Just put it with the others. I’ll get to it later.” Her eyes were glued to the laptop screen.

Jodie’s smile faltered a bit, her insides twisting in resentment. ‘Why is she so arrogant?’

She forced a smile. “Sure, ma’am.” She stacked the file on top of the pile. She stepped back but didn’t leave.

Ava looked up at her with a scowl. “Is there something else you need?”

“Uh… I was wondering if you’d like my help with the port development project. Mr. Brooks seems quite enthusiastic about it, and I’d be happy to assist.”

“I’ll let you know if I need your help.” Ava’s tone was as cold as her expression. “You can leave now.” She dismissed her with a wave, her attention already drifting back to her laptop.

Jodie turned on her heel and walked out, her cheerful facade crumbling into a scowl the moment she closed the door. ‘So full of herself,’ she fumed internally.

Later that day…

Justin entered Dylan’s office, balancing a hefty stack of files in his arms. He placed them carefully on the desk and straightened up. “Ava Madam asked me to give these to you for review.”

Dylan barely glanced at the files. His mind was elsewhere, preoccupied with thoughts of Ava. “How is she doing?” he asked. “Did you notice anything—any discomfort?”

Justin paused, considering the question before answering. “She seemed fine. I didn’t notice anything unusual.”

Dylan exhaled softly, a hint of relief washing over him. “That’s good to hear.”

“But…” Justin hesitated, his expression betraying a trace of unease. He thought back to Ava’s office and the sight of the flowers he had delivered earlier, now discarded in the trash bin.

Dylan caught the subtle shift in Justin’s demeanor, his brows furrowing. “What is it? You’re holding something back,” he pressed.

Justin shifted uncomfortably. “It’s about the flowers, sir,” he said reluctantly. “She… she threw them away.”

Dylan’s shoulders sagged as he brought a hand to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had been trying really hard to make up for her, but nothing seemed enough to make her happy.

“Did I mess things up so badly?” he muttered.

“Don’t lose heart, sir,” Justin said encouragingly. “These things take time. If you keep trying, I’m sure she’ll see your sincerity one day.” He offered a reassuring smile.

Justin’s words ignited a faint glimmer of hope within him. Dylan straightened his posture and asked enthusiastically, “What should I do to make her happy? Should I get her something special? A gift? Or maybe take her out somewhere?”

“Not a bad idea. A thoughtful gift or a nice outing could make an impression.”

Dylan’s face brightened with a hopeful smile. He hadn’t taken Ava anywhere, and the idea of a vacation began to take root in his mind. But before making any plans, he wanted to know what Justin would have done if he wanted to make his girlfriend happy.

He turned his attention to Justin. “How – how do you often make your woman happy?”

Justin shot him a look, his expression teetering between disbelief and irritation. “My woman? Are you serious right now?”

“Well, yes,” Dylan insisted. “I want to know.”

Justin’s face darkened slightly as he crossed his arms. “This is rich,” he muttered. “It’s the second time my girlfriend broke up with me – all thanks to you.”

“Me?” Dylan raised an eyebrow, pointing a finger toward himself. “What did I do? I don’t even know who your girlfriend is.”

Justin smiled, which was not a smile. “Exactly. You don’t know. But you’re the reason I’ve been neglecting her—running around carrying out your endless orders. She got tired of it and left. The first time, I managed to patch things up. But this time…” He sighed heavily. “Nothing is working.”

Dylan rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling a pang of guilt. “I… I didn’t realize…”

“Whatever!” Justin waved a hand dismissively, brushing off Dylan’s awkward apology. “Whenever she was upset with me, I’d cook for her. It always made her happy. Maybe you should try that. Though…” He cast Dylan a skeptical glance. “I can’t promise it’ll work for you.”

Dylan’s eyes lit up, the idea sparking a flicker of excitement. “I’d like to try that.”

Justin shrugged and glanced at his watch. “Just so you know, the department heads’ meeting is in an hour.”

“Postpone it,” Dylan said, already rising to his feet and grabbing his coat. “I’m taking Ava out.”

Justin blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “Uh… alright. I’ll reschedule.”

Dylan nodded briskly, a sense of purpose driving his steps as he strode out.