Ex-Husband's Regret

Chapter 0389

Harper.

It's been almost a week since Gabriel left us with his driver and drove off. I haven't heard a thing from him, nor have I laid my eyes on him. He also hasn't been here, which makes me believe that he's staying at one of his many other properties.

It's been difficult trying to settle, especially for Lilly. She's the type of person who doesn't sleep well in a foreign bed. Sure, the bed is awesome, and the mattress is more comfortable than the one she has at home, but the problem is that it's not her bed.

At this point, I'm tempted to ask Gabriel to have her bed shipped here if things continue the way they are. She's barely sleeping, and the few hours she gets, I have to be there with her in order for her to sleep comfortably.

I've also not been at peace. I keep wondering if I made the right decision by agreeing to get married again. Life with Gabriel was a living hell... Should I have tried to fight him for Lilly's custody? I love my daughter with every fiber of my body, but am I ready to be Gabriel's wife again, despite what I already know about him?

I've battled with those questions, but the answer has remained the same. Yes, I would do anything for my daughter, including sacrificing my own happiness.

Slowly getting out of bed, I'm careful not to wake her up. I pushed the hair out of her face before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. She smiles in her sleep. That beautiful smile reinforces my decision to go through with the fake marriage.

I pad across the soft carpet before opening the door and leaving the room assigned to me. It was six thirty, so I wanted to make breakfast before Lilly woke up. For a kid, she's an early riser and rarely sleeps past eight o'clock.

I stumbled to a stop when I found Gabriel comfortably seated at the breakfast counter.

"What are you doing here?" I squealed, trying to calm my erratic, beating heart.

"I live here," he scoffed, but I don't miss the once-over he gave me.

It's when I saw his eyes flashing with something I can't describe that I realized that I was in my very short, red nightie. If there is something I've maintained from my past life, it's my love for silky, expensive nighties. I can never buy enough of them, and I have like a dozen.

I'm self-conscious at first given that I'm standing before him in a gown that leaves nothing to the imagination, but I remember that this is Gabriel we are talking about. I'm the last woman he would ever find attractive, let alone fuck.

Squaring my shoulders, I rounded the counter and began taking out the ingredients for making pancakes. Once they are all laid out, I turn on the coffee machine and brew myself my morning nectar. "Are you going to keep ignoring me?" he asked, pulling my eyes towards his gray ones.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Shrugging, I replied, "I assumed you'd speak once you worked out the courage to."

Gabriel glares at me, and I give him a sickly sweet smile, just to piss him off.

"Give me a cup," he commanded after a while.

Sizing him, I snickered, "Do you see a housemaid here?"

"No"

"Exactly, so if you want coffee, make it yourself."

Those gray eyes turn stormy, and I have a vague idea why. I smile internally, knowing that this is going to be so much fun. I may have to marry, but I wasn't going to make it easy for him. I was slowly going to pay back every shit he put me through.

"You're my wife, Harper. You should do this for me," he growled, his eyebrows pinched.

"First of all, I'm not yet your wife, and second of all, even after we do get married, it'll only be on paper. I haven't signed up to be your slave, just your pretend wife."

"Harper!" he warned, his voice taking a dangerous tone.

Sighing, I rub my face. "Do you have anything important to discuss or are you just here to waste my time?"

He doesn't say anything at first. He seemed lost. Like he was staring at a stranger, he didn't know what to do with or handle.

That's it, Gabriel. I'm totally a stranger, because the girl you knew died a very horrible death at your fucking hands.

Clearing his throat, he schools his features. "I wanted to discuss the contract. Here is a copy. You can go through it before signing it."