My Ex Regrets Dumping Me For His Ex

Audrey could hardly believe it. After all of it, he still expected her to smooth things over for him, days before the divorce was final.

"Reid. See him out." Her voice was flat.

Reid, hovering three steps back, blinked. Why was he being dragged into this? Still, he stepped forward. "Mr. Ramos. If you would."

Jaw tight, Diego let go of the door. "If you're walking into my mother's house, you're arriving with me." It wasn't a request.

Audrey nodded, unbothered. The threat didn't land.

At the Ramos house, Aurelia was in the living room with a cup of coffee, back straight, expression severe. Beneath it, she had always struck Audrey as more warm than hard.

Audrey hadn't spent much time with her during the marriage, but Aurelia and Diego's grandfather had never treated her as anything but family.

"Hello, Mrs. Ramos," Audrey said. With the divorce going through, she'd decided to change how she addressed her. A clean slate needed clean lines.

Aurelia nodded, apparently unbothered by it. As far as she was concerned, Audrey belonged to this family, divorce or no divorce. She held out a velvet box. "Happy birthday, Audrey."

Then her eyes cut to her son. "You're getting divorced, and you thought you didn't owe me a conversation?"

Diego rubbed his temple. "Mom, you don't get involved in this."

"Because Audrey turned out to be a better daughter-in-law than I had any right to expect. Let me be clear with you. Nobody else is welcome in this house. Not Lila. Not ever." Aurelia knew a great deal more than either of them had told her.

She turned back to Audrey and her face softened. She took Audrey's hand. "Whatever happens between the two of you, you're still family to me and to his grandfather. Come and see us."

Something in Audrey's chest eased. "Thank you, Mrs. Ramos."

Watching them, Diego felt a strange discomfort settle under his ribs. Lila alone at the hospital surfaced in his mind, and the irritation came with it.

"If there's nothing else, I'll go."

Aurelia's disappointment was open. "Go, then. But you know where this family stands."

"Audrey. Coming?" He gave her a look that meant they weren't finished.

She hesitated, then tucked the velvet box into her bag and smiled at Aurelia. "It's late. I'll come back soon."

"Take care of yourself," Aurelia said, walking them to the door.

Outside, the tension found them again.

"Audrey," Diego said, "since my family knows, we stop dragging this out. Tomorrow, eight o'clock, my attorney's office. We sign the final agreement and file."

Something heavy settled in her chest. "Fine."

"One more thing. I'd rather you didn't come here so often. I don't want Lila getting the wrong idea, or my mother deciding against her before she's met her."

Audrey glanced back at the house, then gave him a thin, ironic smile. "Do you get to decide who your mother sees? My relationship with Mrs. Ramos is mine. It has nothing to do with you. And whatever happens between you and your beloved is none of my business."

She walked off without looking back, heels striking a steady rhythm on the drive.

In the car, she told the driver, "Home."

As they pulled away, she opened the velvet box. Inside was a brooch, old and unmistakably fine. She recognized it at once—a piece the family kept, not the kind of thing you handed a woman on her way out. Exhaustion crashed over her. She leaned back and closed her eyes while three years of her life flickered past.

A strange, unplaceable sadness settled over her. Once, she'd cared about nothing but money and done exactly as she pleased. Loving Diego had changed her, and not for the better.

Time to go back to being herself.

The car stopped at her house. Nancy was waiting at the door, beaming. "Ms. Griffin. You're home."

Nancy's eyes flicked meaningfully toward the second floor, her grin widening. Audrey followed it and found a tall figure leaning on the stair rail.

Crisp white shirt, tailored black trousers, a smile like he'd never had a bad week in his life. "Welcome home, Audrey," he said, and opened his arms.

"What are you doing here, Omar?" Reid's voice came from behind her as he went forward to shake his hand.

Omar Bell gave him a look. "I heard Ramos Enterprises was coming apart at the seams and figured Audrey was finally getting divorced. So here I am. She's back, so we're celebrating. This calls for a night out."

He waved Reid off, linked his arm through Audrey's, and steered her toward the dressing room. "Surprise."

The wardrobe, empty two weeks ago, was full—clothes, shoes, accessories, every piece chosen for her. Half of it custom.

Omar pulled out a black strapless top and a leather skirt and pushed them at her. "We have to look like we belong, don't we?"

Audrey took them. "Give me five minutes."

"Take ten." He shooed her toward the door, then added, "Oh—Audrey. There's something you should probably know."