From His Ex-Wife to the World's Most Sought-After Restorer (Jade and Hudson) novel Chapter 274

Once his eyes adjusted, he scanned the room.

In his mind, there should have been a woman here. She should have been greeting him, making him tea, or fussing over his health.

He missed the gentle, nagging voice that used to follow him from room to room.

The food, the warmth, the soft conversation... he realized now those were the things that made a house a home.

He'd taken it all for granted until it was gone. Now, the emptiness was a physical ache.

It was unbearable.

Hudson leaned back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. He pulled out his phone, his thumb hovering over a contact he knew by heart.

But he didn't call.

He remembered the look on her face when he'd agreed to the divorce. She'd been so happy.

If he called now, he'd just be bringing the darkness back into her life.

He stared at the screen for an eternity, then clicked it off and went to his study.

He lit a cigarette and opened his laptop.

He clicked on a live feed. On his screen, Amara and Cortney were moving around their new villa.

Meanwhile, in the other house.

Amara felt a sudden chill, as if she were being watched. She shivered and rubbed her arms.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

She checked her phone and answered.

Whatever the caller said made her face twist in annoyance.

"I'll be there," she snapped.

She headed downstairs, walking past Cortney, who was playing with her dolls on the rug. She didn't even look at the girl.

Cortney saw her and jumped up, grabbing her mother's leg.

"Mommy? Where are you going?"

Amara stopped and looked down. The mask she wore for Hudson was gone.

She shoved the girl away. Seeing Lyndon's features in the child's face only made her angrier.

"Stay out of my way! You're just a weight around my neck!"

Cortney hit the floor, her eyes wide with shock. She scrambled back up, sobbing and trying to reach for Amara again.

"Mommy, please! Don't leave me! I'll be good! I promise!"

She should have put all her effort into trapping Hudson when he still wanted her.

But she hadn't seen this coming. She'd made one mistake after another.

At least she was back in Hudson's good graces. There was still time.

Lyndon looked through the smoke and let out a jagged laugh.

"What? Realizing I'm a loser compared to your golden boy?"

Amara didn't answer. She sat opposite him, her expression full of contempt.

Everyone could see the difference. Why even talk about it?

She looked around the filthy room and felt sick. She didn't want to be here. She felt like the grime was rubbing off on her.

"You have the money. Why aren't you gone?" she demanded.

Lyndon took a slow drag. "I changed my mind."

Amara froze. She stood up, her eyes wide with panic.

"What? You said you'd leave the second the cash hit! Why the hell are you still here?"

Lyndon laughed again. "I realized... I can't leave my favorite girl and my daughter behind."