A Divorce He Regrets

Chapter 16:

I took a steadying breath, willing myself to remain calm.noveldrama

“Yes,” I said curtly, not sure of the explanation to give her.

Her face crumpled, and for a fleeting second, guilt prickled through me. Eliza had been nothing but patient, loyal even, in her own way. But this wasn’t about her. It never was.

“This is about her, isn’t it?” she spat, her eyes narrowing, voice thick with accusation. “Raina. It always goes back to her.”

I stayed silent, knowing any response would only dig the knife deeper.

A bitter, mirthless laugh escaped her.

“You’re pathetic, Alexander. She left you. She left your son. And yet you still—”

“Eliza, enough,” I cut her off, my voice low and unyielding. “This isn’t about us. It’s about Liam.”

“Then go to her,” she snapped, barely able to look at me. “Throw everything away for the woman who walked out on you. I hope you regret it.”

She left before I could say anything else, her heels echoing down the hallway, the heavy thud of the door marking her departure. Alone, the only thing I could do was get ready and head to the office, dreading what the day held.

The last person I expected to see sitting in my office was Raina. She was there, standing by my desk, flipping through documents with the same composure that had taunted me yesterday. My space—one I’d gone to great lengths to keep entirely separate from her—felt invaded, marred by her mere presence. And yet, there was a certainty in her gaze that made me feel like the intruder.

“What are you doing here?” I snapped, unwilling to mask the hostility in my voice.

She looked up briefly, her eyes meeting mine with that maddeningly cool indifference. “Dominic wanted me to personally deliver these to you.” She handed me a stack of documents, and I flipped through them as she stood silently. Detailed funding projections, partnerships outlined, the backing of powerful companies. It was all there, confirming that the Grahams were as committed as I’d hoped. For a moment, I felt a sense of relief, but Raina’s presence overshadowed it.

I set the papers down. The question burned on my tongue, one I tried to swallow but couldn’t. “Are you really going to refuse to help him?” I asked, surprising even myself with the softness of my tone.

She straightened, her shoulders tense. “You know what I want,” she said, her voice cold and firm. “That’s the only way I’ll do it.”

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Her conditions—custody, access, all the rights I’d stripped from her in one swift motion. I didn’t want to give in, to let her see that she still held that power over me. But damn it, she was serious. She wasn’t bluffing.

“Custody, Raina?” I scoffed, more to keep myself grounded than to taunt her.

“You think I’ll just let you walk back in and take him? After everything?”

“You stripped me of my rights to him, Alexander. You, and your family, you made sure I couldn’t even be there for him when he needed me. And now, you want me to just roll over and agree to your terms?”

Her words felt like ice, each one stabbing deeper. But I wouldn’t let her win.

“You’re saying this is my fault?” I shot back. “After you left, you never looked back. Do you even really care about Liam?” I had to do all I could to make her feel guilty, to make her save Liam. Hoping her conscience still remained.

Her expression softened slightly, though the anger didn’t leave her eyes. “You don’t know anything about me,” she replied.

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