Too Late to Beg, Mr. Billionaire: Your Ex-Wife Has Moved On

Victoria sat quietly beside the hospital bed, eyes fixed on Bertha's face beneath the oxygen mask. The wrinkles on that familiar face stung her heart a little. She couldn't help but think of her lost family-the ones she hadn't heard from in so long. Her eyes welled up without warning. The man on the couch suddenly stood and walked up behind her. "I'll stay here with Grandma. You should get some rest," Theodore said. Victoria didn't even glance at him. "Don't bother. I'll stay. Don't you have to look after Miss Waters tomorrow? You'd better get some sleep yourself." She couldn't do much for Bertha now, but at least she could stay close. Something about hearing another woman's name out of her mouth made Theodore feel oddly suffocated. Like a toy he thought was his suddenly got up and decided to be someone else's. "We're divorced. You really don't have to hang around," he said. Especially when Victoria's not in the best shape herself-should she really be looking after other people? She lowered her gaze, long lashes casting soft shadows over her eyes. Of course she remembered. She didn't need him to remind her. Still staring at Bertha's worn-in face, Victoria quietly curved her lips into a faint smile. She prayed their exchange hadn't reached the old lady's ears. If she could help it, she never wanted Bertha to feel sad about the divorce. "This has nothing to do with you. Grandma's always treated me like her own. I just see her as real family, that's all." Because she cared. That's why she stayed. Theodore's hand curled inside his pocket. His chest tightened for a second. So Bertha was family to her. But what was he now? Without thinking, a wave of irritation surged in him. He opened the door and walked out. Standing in the hallway, he lit a cigarette. The wind had picked up that early morning. As he tilted his head to light up, a figure darted away at the hallway's corner. He froze, then walked toward it. It was just an emergency stairwell. No one in sight. The motion sensor light blinked on for a second, then went dark again. Someone's watching. He could feel it in his gut. But who sent them? The Chambers family... or someone else? Just then, a sharp crash rang from Bertha's room. The sudden sound of shattering glass tore through the night's silence. Victoria. His heart jolted as he rushed back to the room and pushed the door open. She was bent over, just about to pick up shards from a broken glass on the floor. Startled by the door swinging open, she flinched, and a jagged edge cut into her finger. "Ugh-" She hissed as blood oozed out of the fresh wound. Theodore strode over and grabbed her hand, clearly agitated. "Seriously? Can't even hold a glass steady?" Victoria blinked, stunned. She tried pulling her hand back, but he wouldn't let go. She'd been sitting too long and just wanted to get some water. But as soon as she stood, the dizziness hit and before she knew it, the glass had slipped. She hadn't expected his annoyance to show this openly. "Leave the mess. The cleaners'll handle it in the morning. It's late. Go lie down on the spare bed. I'll drive you back in the morning."Theodore's face was still a bit stiff. He'd meant to show concern for Victoria, but somehow, the words came out all wrong. Explaining things wasn't really his strong suit, and right now, he didn't even bother trying. Victoria gave the bandage on her finger a squeeze, then quietly laid down on the empty bed beside her. Morning light crept in. When Victoria woke up, she noticed a black suit jacket over her-it was Theodore's. She sat up gently, not making a sound. Lifting her eyes, she saw him slouched on the couch, arms crossed and head bowed slightly. His eyes were closed. It looked like he hadn't woken up yet. Sleeping like this, without the usual distance between them, Theodore looked almost... approachable. Calm, even. Not wanting to disturb him, Victoria picked up the jacket carefully and stepped closer. She bent down, trying to drape it over his shoulders. Just as the fabric touched him, Theodore's eyes snapped open. He looked wide awake, totally alert. Their eyes met. Her hands trembled, and she froze. "What're you doing?" His voice was low, rough, but surprisingly magnetic. His deep eyes were like black pools, pulling her in without trying. When his hand wrapped around her wrist, she instantly pulled herself together. She turned her gaze away and stood up fast. "If you catch a cold, and grandma catches it from you, that wouldn't be good." Her cheeks flushed-not even sure what exactly she was embarrassed about. Theodore didn't call her out on it. He just shook out the jacket and got to his feet. At that moment, someone came to take the next shift, so he headed for the door. "I'll drive you back." Technically, they were divorced. But on the surface, at least, they managed to stay civil. Still, for Victoria... Being around someone she still had feelings for, it wasn't easy to act like they were just friends. "I'm heading to the division. Not your direction. I'll just call a ride." She kept her tone distant-no mistaking the refusal there. But Theodore didn't budge. "I've got something to do near there. I'll give you a lift." It was true-getting a ride at this hour could be a struggle. Victoria hesitated a second, then got in his car. There was still some time before she'd arrive at work. She leaned back and looked out the window. Before she knew it, she'd fallen asleep. In her dream, she was taken back to their school days-before any of the heartbreak. Back when they were basically the campus couple everyone admired. Holding hands, walking together after class... But then- Right after Theodore had laid out their future, she pulled away. Cold, final. Even when he pleaded, she never once looked back. Sweat dotted her forehead. She jolted awake to find the car stopped neatly outside the restoration center. Just as she was about to get out, Theodore spoke. "What were you dreaming about?" Her hand froze on the door handle. Lips pressed tight, she didn't look at him. Her breathing was shaky. She had no idea how to explain. "You were calling my name. Over and over." Victoria bit her lip. No matter what excuse she made, she knew-he'd see right through her. He always did. "You heard wrong. I didn't." Her tone turned cold right away. But before anything else could be said, someone knocked on the window. She looked up to see Henry standing right outside.