Too Late to Beg, Ex-Husband Chapter 06

Too Late to Beg, Ex-Husband Chapter 06 Their Wedding Anniversary

The next morning, Ethan dressed and glanced at Stella, who was still asleep in bed.

He had still demanded her several times last night. She resisted at first, then softened, and finally cried for him to stop before falling into a deep sleep.

Ethan looked at the tear tracks on her face. He felt guilty.

He had missed her all week. After returning to divorce talk and another fight, he was angry and had wanted to wear her py He had not expected to push her so hard.

After watching her for a long moment, Ethan bent and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Stella did not react and remained fast asleep.

His phone vibrated. Ethan checked his watch and left the bedroom.

Lucas was waiting outside. He opened the rear door for Ethan, then circled the car, settled behind the wheel, and fastened his seat belt.

They had barely left when Ethan asked from the back seat, “Why does the car smell like roses?”

Lucas paused and sniffed the air but smelled nothing.

Ethan had always possessed an unusually sharp sense of smell. Even the faintest unfamiliar scent caught his attention.

Lucas looked embarrassed. “Sorry, Mr. Hawthorne. I drove my girlfriend home after her company event two nights ago. She had roses from work, so the scent must have lingered,” he said.

The back seat remained silent.

Lucas knew he had made a mistake. He had forgotten that Stella hated the smell of roses.

That explained why she lowered the window on their way to the estate. When Lucas mentioned the heat, she simply told him to keep driving.

His chronic congestion meant he rarely noticed fragrances, but that excuse did little to ease his guilt.

Lucas offered, “Mr. Hawthorne, I can explain it to your wife.”

After a long pause, Ethan replied in a low voice, “Forget it. It doesn’t matter now.”

He knew Stella did not truly hate roses. What she hated was the woman who loved them and everything that fragrance represented.

The car was quiet. In the rearview mirror, Lucas caught a trace of worry on Ethan’s otherwise composed face.

Lucas hesitated, then said, “Mr. Hawthorne, Mrs. Hawthorne seems a little unhappy lately.”

Ethan’s gaze shifted toward the mirror. Though seemingly casual, it placed immediate pressure on Lucas.

Lucas forced himself to continue. “Your anniversary is approaching. You missed it last year. Perhaps you should plan something early this time.”

Ethan looked out the window and rubbed his brow.

“I know what I am doing.” Ethan said.

Lucas said nothing more.

the office, Lucas reviewed the day’s schedule from his tablet while walking beside Ethan.

Then Ethan asked, “What is tomorrow’s date?”

“The seventeenth,” Lucas said.

On the seventeenth of every month, Ethan went with Stella to visit her father.

Leon Sutton, Stella’s father, had worked for the Hawthornes for over twenty years. A car accident two years earlier severely damaged his brain, leaving him with the mental ability of an eight-year-old. He now lived in residential care.

Ethan said nothing. He entered his office and closed the door.

*****

Stella woke at noon feeling sore and exhausted. Silently cursing Ethan, she left the bedroom and caught the warm aroma of lunch.

The housekeeper Ava had finished cooking and was about to leave.

When she saw Stella, Ava smiled stiffly and started a conversation.

Ava said, “Ma’am, I’ll be leaving at the end of this month.”

Stella paused, not quite understanding.

They had hired Ava after the wedding. She did not live there, but cooked daily, and Stella genuinely loved everything she prepared.

During past arguments, Stella had joked that if she divorced Ethan, she wanted neither money nor property, only custody of their housekeeper.

Ava had been doing well, so her sudden departure made no sense.

Stella remembered Cynthia once praising the food, asking about wages, and joking that she would double the salary if Ava worked for the Evans.

That was Cynthia’s habit. Whenever Stella had something, Cynthia jokingly asked for an identical version.

Ava had found an excuse to refuse at the time.

After a long pause, Stella asked, “Is it about your salary.?”

Ava shook her head. “Ma’am, you’ve treated me well, but my daughter’s having her first baby next month. She’ll need help recovering and with meals. I’ve cared for others’ daughters for years, Now it’s time I cared for mine.”

At that, Stella knew she had no reason to ask Ava to stay.

She nodded quickly. “Of course. Having a baby is important. She’ll feel much safer with her mother beside her,” she said.

Ava watched tears slowly gather in Stella’s eyes.

She had already noticed that the seemingly pampered Mrs. Hawthorne cried far more often than anyone would expect.

Sometimes Stella lowered her face over her bowl during meals, pretending to eat while quietly hiding her tears.

As an employee, Ava could not ask why Stella was crying, but she felt sorry for the young woman.

In more than three years, she had rarely seen anyone visit Stella or simply stay and talk with her.

ram. I’ve written down the recipes for your favorite dishes,” Ava said. “You can give them to whoever comes next.

This time, Stella could not hold back and began to cry.

She quickly turned away to hide her face. “Please wait here for a minute.” Then she hurried back toward the bedroom.

Stella searched through drawers for cash and a gift envelope while wiping her face with tissues.

At last, she found an envelope Ethan had given her during the previous holiday season.

She opened it and found about six thousand in cash.

After drying her eyes, Stella returned and pressed the envelope into Ava’s hands.

Ava tried to refuse it.

Stella insisted. “It’s for your grandchild. A new baby deserves a generous welcome and every possible blessing,” she said.

Ava accepted it, her voice thickening. Thank you, ma’am. I hope you are right.”

Before leaving, she looked back, and said to Stella. “Ma’am, you’re young and have so much life ahead. Please find reasons to be happy. I truly hope everything becomes better for you.”