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16. Second Choice
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2026-06-23 15:14:28
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The Wife He Chose Too Late 52. Home
Claire's POV The elevator climbed in complete silence. I watched the glowing numbers above the doors change one by one, each soft chime reminding me that I was getting closer to a place that was supposed to feel familiar. Instead it felt like I was about to visit a stranger.Beside me, Damien stood with one hand tucked into the pocket of his trousers while the other loosely held his keys. He hadn't tried to fill the silence and somehow, I appreciated that.The elevator slowed before coming to a gentle stop as the doors slid open. There was only one apartment on the floor.I looked from the polished hallway to Damien. "You have the whole floor?"A hint of embarrassment crossed his face. "Yes."I blinked. "I think I'm starting to understand just how rich you are."A quiet laugh escaped him. "I was hoping that part of my life wouldn't be the first thing you rediscovered.""I don't think I rediscovered it." I looked down the elegant hallway. "I think the hallway gave it away."He smiled.
The Wife He Chose Too Late 51. Coming Home
Claire's POVDamien reached the car before I did and opened the passenger door, resting one hand against the roof while stepping aside to give me room.It was a sleek black sedan, elegant enough to look as though it belonged outside a luxury hotel rather than in a hospital parking lot. I studied it for a moment, searching for even the smallest spark of recognition, but nothing came. It was just another object from a life that belonged to someone I couldn't remember."Take your time," Damien said gently.I looked from the car to him. "I've ridden in this before?"A small smile touched his lips. "Almost every day."I looked back inside, hoping that sitting in it might stir something. "It doesn't feel familiar.""I didn't expect it to."There wasn't disappointment in his voice, only quiet acceptance. He wasn't waiting for miracles anymore. He seemed content to let me discover things at my own pace, and somehow that made climbing into the unfamiliar car a little easier.I lowered myself c
The Wife He Chose Too Late 50. A Blank Page
Claire's POVLeaving my hospital room turned out to be far more emotional than I'd expected.Before we even reached the elevators, two nurses stopped to wish me well, each one smiling as though they genuinely hoped everything would work out for me. A porter held the elevator doors open with an encouraging nod, and as we passed reception, one of the women behind the desk looked up from her computer and waved enthusiastically."Take care of yourself, Claire!"I smiled back automatically. "Thank you."The elevator doors slid shut, shutting out the bustle of the hospital corridor. Only then did I let out a slow breath I'd barely realized I'd been holding. "They all know me."Damien looked across at me, his expression gentle. "They do."I glanced down at my hands. "And I don't know any of them.""I know."There wasn't anything he could say to make that easier, so neither of us tried to fill the silence that followed. Instead, I watched the numbers above the doors light up one after another
The Wife He Chose Too Late 49. Two Hearts Leaving Together
Claire's POVAfter the doctors left, the room suddenly felt much quieter. The cheerful chatter disappeared with them, leaving only the soft hum of the air conditioner and the distant sounds of hospital life drifting through the corridor.Olivia placed the sunflowers on the windowsill before turning back to me. "They're your favorite."I looked at the bright yellow petals catching the morning sunlight. "They are?"She smiled. "They've always made you happy."I walked over to them slowly. "They're beautiful."She beamed. "I knew you'd say that."I laughed softly. "I'm beginning to think I was a very predictable person.""Oh, no." Olivia grinned. "You were impossible to predict.""Except with flowers.""Apparently."We shared another small laugh before I looked toward Damien. He hadn't interrupted us once he simply stood near the door, quietly watching and not impatient and not uncomfortable just waiting almost as if he'd learned long ago that letting me finish a conversation mattered.I
The Wife He Chose Too Late 48. The First Step Forward
Claire's POVThe following morning arrived far too quickly I barely remembered falling asleep because my mind had spent most of the night wandering through fragments of conversations that belonged to someone else's life.A contract marriage, a divorce, a baby and a husband who had realized he loved me only after it was too late but none of it felt like my story, and yet somehow it was.A gentle knock sounded against the hospital room door. "Good morning, Claire."I looked up as Dr. Reynolds walked in, followed by a nurse carrying a tablet and behind them came Dr. Carter, his usual warm smile already in place."Good morning," I replied."How are you feeling today?" Dr. Reynolds asked as she opened my chart.I thought about the question. "I think..." I smiled sheepishly. "...that's becoming the hardest question anyone can ask me."Both doctors laughed softly. "I'll take that as a good sign," Dr. Carter said. "It means you're thinking before you answer instead of simply saying 'fine.'""
The Wife He Chose Too Late 47. How It All Began
Claire's POVI couldn't stop looking at him.Only a few minutes earlier, Damien had confessed that he'd realized he loved me when it was already too late to save our marriage. Now I found myself wanting to understand how two people who had signed divorce papers had somehow ended up expecting a baby together.Nothing about our story sounded ordinary."So..." I began, curling my fingers a little tighter around the blanket. "You promised you'd tell me about us."A faint smile touched his lips. "I did.""Then start at the beginning."He leaned back in his chair, letting out a slow breath as though he was travelling back through memories he'd visited a thousand times before. "Alright."For a moment his gaze drifted toward the window, but I could tell he wasn't really looking outside. He was somewhere else entirely."You already know Tiffany left me at the altar."I nodded. "You told me that yesterday.""What I didn't tell you..." His eyes found mine again. "...was that you were there."I s
The Wife He Chose Too Late 10. The First Attack
Claire's POVThe problem with Tiffany Morgan was that she never did anything obvious because if she had openly flirted with Damien, I could have been angry if she had insulted me in front of other people, I could have defended myself and if she had behaved like the villain I wanted her to be, at le
The Wife He Chose Too Late 9. The First Encounter
Claire's POVBy noon, I had accomplished almost nothing. On paper, my morning had been productive. I had answered emails, approved schedules, finalized travel arrangements for three executives, and reorganized next week's board meeting agenda.In reality, I couldn't have told anyone what half of th
The Wife He Chose Too Late 2. A Wife By Contract
Claire's POVDamien's words settled over the room with all the force of a collapsing building. "We will need to discuss the divorce arrangements this week."For a moment, I wasn't sure I had heard him correctly. The candles flickered softly between us. The meal I had spent hours preparing filled th
The Wife He Chose Too Late 1. Fourteen days
Claire's POVThe receptionist smiled as she handed me a small envelope. "Don't lose that," she said. "Most mothers end up keeping the first ultrasound forever."I looked down at the photograph tucked inside the envelope and felt something tighten in my chest.Forever.It was such a simple word, suc
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