My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 157

Chapter 157: The deal

Rylee flinched, unable to meet Dylan’s piercing glare, feeling a twinge in his heart. Dylan was right. It was indeed him who wanted to leave.

His voice cracked slightly as he confessed, “Yes, I decided to quit. I was tired—tired of living under constant threats, of drowning in my shame. Every time I faced you, I felt guilty. I couldn’t bear it anymore. So I resigned and went far away from there where you couldn’t reach me – at least, that’s what I thought.”

“You ran away like a coward,” Dylan grunted, baring his teeth. “Instead of standing your ground and helping me expose Erica, you chose to hide.”

“Exposing Erica?” Rylee scoffed, his tone full of contempt. “Are you kidding me now? “You adored her! You placed her above everyone, even your wife. I witnessed countless occasions where you scolded Ava, defending Erica without even hearing the full story. She bullied Ava right under your nose, and you never cared to find the truth. Instead, you blamed Ava. Why would I believe you’d take my side against her?”

Dylan opened his mouth to argue, but no words came out. Each word Rylee spoke was a painful truth he couldn’t deny. His chest tightened as memories of his blind trust in Erica flooded back—every time he had dismissed Ava, every time he’d turned a blind eye to Erica’s manipulations.

He realized it was his mistake. He was responsible for all the mess in his life.

“I thought leaving the country was my only option,” Rylee continued regretfully. “I know I failed you, and I won’t make excuses. I’m ready to face whatever punishment you deem fit. Just… please, don’t hurt my family. They had nothing to do with this.”

Dylan silently stared at him, his mind whirling. After some time, he stated solemnly, “I’ll let you leave, but only on one condition.”

Rylee’s face was a mix of hope and apprehension as he looked up at him.

“Help me bring Erica to justice,” Dylan stated sternly. “I want her behind bars for everything she has done. If you cooperate, I’ll make sure your family is safe, and you’ll have a chance to start over.”

Rylee nodded solemnly. “I’ll do it. I’ll help you. It’s the least I can do to make up for my mistakes.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Knock-Knock…

A soft knock echoed through the office, pulling Thomas’s attention from the stack of papers in front of him. He looked up, adjusting his glasses slightly. “Come in,” he called.

The door creaked open, revealing Ethan, who stepped inside with a smile. His smile vanished as he noticed Thomas was still buried in work.

“I knew it,” Ethan said with a shake of his head. “You can’t keep away from those files, can you? Let me guess—you’ve also forgotten to eat.”

He strode over and placed a neatly packed lunch box on the desk. “Here. I brought this for you,” he said with authority. “And before you say anything, remember—you need to take your medicine on time. So eat first. The file can wait.”

Thomas’s lips curled into an appreciative smile. He closed the file and set it aside with a grateful sigh. “You always know exactly when to step in and remind me.”

“Taking care of you is one of my various duties,” Ethan replied with a grin as he opened the lunch box and began arranging the food on the desk. “But seriously, you should let yourself relax more. Delegate the workload to me—I’m here to help.”

Thomas’s chest filled with quiet pride as he observed Ethan bustling about. Who would have thought the shy boy he had once taken under his protection would grow into such a dependable and compassionate young man?

Over the years, Thomas had sponsored countless children, giving them opportunities to thrive, but Ethan was different—special. A fond smile crossed his face. In Ethan, Thomas saw the son he never had.

Knowing Ethan was by his side brought him immense comfort. More than that, it eased his worries about Ava’s future. Even after he was gone, Thomas was certain Ethan would protect and care for her as a guardian.

“Where is your food?” Thomas asked.

Ethan hesitated briefly before replying, “I’ll eat later.”

“Why wait? Go get your food and join me. Let’s eat together,” Thomas insisted warmly.

Ethan smiled with a nod. “Okay. I’ll bring it right away.”

As he walked out of the room, the smile fell from his face, replaced by a grim expression. His hand slipped into his pocket, fingers curling around the small vial Lydia had given him. He had mixed a drop of the poison into Thomas’s food.

Ethan had no idea how it would affect Thomas. He felt guilty but couldn’t back down. To get Ava, he would do anything. “I am sorry, Mr. Williams,” he murmured regretfully. “But I promise to take care of both of you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

At Ava’s office…

Jodie walked in, her smile overly bright. “Hello, ma’am.” She placed a folder on Ava’s desk with practiced ease. These documents need your signature.”

Ava shifted her attention from her laptop to the folder. “What is it?”

“It’s a contract agreement with the Carter Group.” Jodie’s enthusiasm bubbled up. “Remember I mentioned it earlier? Mr. Brooks is really looking forward to this port development project. If we secure it, we’ll need Carter Group as a partner.”

Ava raised an eyebrow, skepticism flickering across her face. Her father had once told her about the Carter Group’s shady practices. Rumors swirled that the company falsified financial reports to lure investors. While she couldn’t confirm the truth, Ava knew better than to rush into any deal without thorough scrutiny.

“Why Carter Group?” she asked curtly. “There are plenty of other construction companies in the market.”

Jodie blinked in surprise before smirking faintly. “Ma’am, surely you know how big the Carter Group is?” she asked condescendingly. “Everyone wants to work with them. It would be a huge win for us if we sign this deal.”

Ava leaned back slightly as she scrutinized Jodie. “Really? I’ve never heard anything particularly good about them.” She casually flipped open the folder to skim through the documents.

“Are you kidding, ma’am? Who doesn’t know about the Carter Group? It’s such a major player in the industry. Only someone clueless wouldn’t recognize that.” Jodie’s lips curled into a sneaky smile, her words laced with a mocking edge.

Ava closed the folder with a thud, her piercing gaze meeting Jodie’s. “If you hold them in such high regard, why are you even working here? Resign and go join Carter Group.”

Jodie’s composure shattered instantly at Ava’s sharp rebuke. The smug confidence she carried only moments ago melted away, replaced by a flicker of panic. “Ma’am, I didn’t mean to offend you,” she stammered. “I was just trying—”

“Get out,” Ava snarled.

“Huh?” Jodie blinked in disbelief, momentarily frozen.

“Leave right now if you still want to work here.”

Without another word, Jodie spun around and hurried out of the office. As the door closed behind her, Jodie’s face darkened. Her clenched fists trembled at her sides, the frustration bubbling beneath her skin.

“So arrogant,” she muttered under her breath. “I just want her to disappear from this place.”