My Ex-Mr. Is Back and Wants Me Back

Genevieve's POV

My breath caught, and I froze at the sight of him, my blood running cold. He was seated in one of the chairs, accompanied by a woman. His black crisp suit accentuated his every feature. His eyes, still as captivating as I remembered, were a piercing gray. But this time, looking into them didn't evoke warmth; instead, I felt a bitter sensation towards him. His brown hair, once messy, was now slicked back, with a few stray strands escaping.

In conclusion, he was still the most handsome man I had ever met, but I would never admit that to him. My trance was broken when I heard the woman next to him clear her throat. My gaze shifted from him to her. She was stunning, with long black hair elegantly tied up in a bun, enhancing her beautiful face shape. Her deep green eyes, adorned with light green eyeshadow and bright red lipstick, were captivating. A slight pang in my heart reminded me that such a gorgeous woman was sitting beside him, but I had to remind myself that he was no longer mine, and he treated me worse than I deserved. I no longer loved him; he didn't matter.

Realizing I had been staring, I refocused my attention. Both the woman and Wesley were here for business. "Mr. Adamson," I said, maintaining composure in my voice. Internally, I commended myself for not stuttering and sounding perfectly professional.

"Aless—" he began, his voice desperate as he leaned forward towards me.

"You must have mistaken me for someone else. I am Natasha Chadwick. I apologize for my absence. We have a few more clients on the way, but once they arrive, we can proceed with the meeting regarding the investments," I stated, making my way to the other end of the table and taking a seat at the head.

"Um, we are here to meet the owner of the company. We specifically requested to meet with the CEO, not the secretary," the woman seated next to Wesley remarked.

I observed Wesley's fists clench and his jaw tense in response to her comment. Sighing, I hoped she was merely confused about why I was seated at the head of the table. "I am the CEO, Ms.," I replied, looking away from Wesley and directing my attention to the woman.

"Of course you are," she mumbled under her breath. She likely believed that no one else would hear, but unfortunately for her, she was unsuccessful.

"I will not tolerate people undermining me or questioning my leadership skills. If you can't keep your comments to yourself, I will withdraw my proposition. Not only will that cost you millions of dollars, but it will also encourage other companies to follow suit, as many look up to mine," I calmly asserted, growing tired of the sexism I faced not only from men but also from envious women.

Wesley clenched his fists even tighter, shutting his eyes as he attempted to calm himself. "I apologize on Ingrid's behalf, and she will refrain from speaking for the remainder of the meeting," he said, turning to Ingrid. His tone came across more as a threat than an order.

Ingrid's eyes widened, and she pouted, reaching out to touch Wesley's arm like a child. "But Wesleyyyyyy," she whined.

A small pang reverberated in my heart when she called him that, but I frowned, questioning why I felt emotional and physical pain. I had moved on from Wesley; I shouldn't care if he had found someone new. Perhaps I was on the verge of a heart attack. Huh.

"Don't," he threatened, forcefully removing her hands from his arms. She seemed to understand that he was angry and didn't push him further.

As he looked back at me, his eyes softened, but my body reacted differently. Even with his gaze upon me, my entire body tensed, and my chest tightened to the point where breathing felt difficult. Despite my attempts to pretend he was nothing more than a businessman, the reality remained: he was my husband, someone I used to love.

And on top of that, he betrayed me, accused me, and left me with nothing. I felt, and still feel, unloved, burdened with trust issues and numerous other problems caused by him. I felt suffocated in his presence, longing to leave the room and escape the memories and emotions I had suppressed. But I knew I would eventually have to face him, and now was the perfect opportunity to prove to both him and myself that I was okay without him.

"Ale—" he started, but halted when five other businessmen entered the room. I knew he wouldn't attempt to talk to me again because whatever he wanted to say, he wouldn't say in front of others. I calmed myself by taking a few breaths and waited for the remaining participants to settle in. Once everyone was ready to start the meeting, I began discussing my propositions for the companies.

Throughout the meeting, I could feel Wesley's eyes on me, but I never once looked at him. Instead, I focused on the other businessmen when he spoke. As much as I despised admitting it, he was excellent at his job. He spoke with determination and authority, leaving no room for questioning his intentions.

At the conclusion of the meeting, I felt a sense of pride. All the companies became my clients, investing in my company, and I left them with mutually beneficial agreements. The men stood up and bid me farewell with a small bow before exiting the room, except for one.

I could still sense his presence, his gaze, as I stood up and gathered my files from the table. "Ingrid, wait for me in the car," his low, husky voice commanded, sending shivers down my spine.

"I'll be waiting," she responded, raising her voice on pitch, a sound that made me cringe.

I continued organizing the papers into the files, focusing on the task at hand, until I could no longer hear their footsteps. Holding my breath, I collected the organized files in my hands and finally looked up to where Wesley was still standing. He gazed at me with his deep gray eyes, and I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

Collecting myself, I offered him a small, insincere smile out of courtesy, even though he didn't deserve it. I began walking towards him, as he stood by the door, needing to escape his presence as quickly as possible—for his sake.

Holding my head high, I averted my gaze from him to the door, silently praying that he wouldn't speak to me, not wanting him to accuse me of false things, yet again.