Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

ATHENA

I stare down at the document again, still in disbelief. "This whole island?"

Alex just shrugs, like it's no big deal.

"Yes baby, all of it."

"Alex, this is insane. This is like... billionaire-movie-level romance."

"You married me, baby," he says with a wink. "I don't do average."

I shake my head, half-laughing, half-speechless. The idea that this breathtaking paradise is mine now feels surreal.

Other girls would be like no this is too much, but not me. I'll take it as an apology for the pain he put me through for three years. So yes, I'm taking the island. Thank you very much.

Twenty minutes later, I'm slipping into a deep green bikini I found tucked neatly into one of the villa's drawers, brand new and clearly pre-planned by my over- prepared husband.

It hugs my curves perfectly, the top held up by thin gold straps and the bottoms high-cut enough to make walking in front of him dangerous.

Alex stands near the open glass doors, already shirtless, again. He's wearing black swim trunks that hang low on his hips. He turns when he hears me approach and freezes.

His eyes trail down my body slowly, then rise again to meet my gaze with an expression so intense it sends heat flooding through me.

"You sure you want to go outside?" he rasps, stepping forward. "Because if I take one more look at you, I might forget what sunlight feels like and take you right back to that bed."

I smile, grabbing his hand and dragging him toward the beach. "Then don't look, just run."

We dash barefoot across the wooden deck, my laugh echoing into the salty breeze as the sand greets our feet like warm silk.

The beach stretches wide and empty with no other person in sight.

"Why didn't we go to a public beach like normal people?" I ask, trying to catch my breath from all the running.

"Unless you want me to go on a murder spree." He says nonchalantly.

"Why would you murder people?"

"If any man saw you like this, Athena. I'd blind them. If they touched you," He shakes his head, "Let's just think of this private island as you saving humanity from extinction. Especially the male population."

"Now I'm very sure that you're crazy." I laugh even though the back of my head knows he would do exactly just that.

The ocean sparkles in every shade of blue, the waves rolling in gentle and rhythmic as the sun kisses our skin.

"I bet you can't catch me," I tease, bolting into the surf.

"Oh, you're really trying me today," Alex growls behind me.

his arms wrapping tight around my waist as he lifts me off the ground, spinning us both into the shallow water. I'm laughing so hard

me down!" I gasp

then drops me gently into the sea. The cool water

point, he pulls me under for a

soaked and breathless, we collapse onto the sand under a palm tree. I lie back on the towel we

his side, propped up on an elbow, his fingers tracing lazy patterns across

like it's the most important observation he's made in

turn to face him, smiling so wide

of my nose. "Because we're not leaving until you've made a thousand memories on

when I hit a thousand?"

we can make new ones." he

laugh, rolling onto

"I'm crazy about you."

chest as I rest my chin

drug so

lie there for a while, tangled in each other

into that dreamy, sun-kissed

for his phone,

Rayen's bedtime," he murmurs, swiping to open

heart jumps. I sit up immediately, brushing the sand from my

fixing my damp hair, as

almost

t four year old

notice

what I look

screen rings for a

his curls slightly messy, his cheeks flushed, and a wide grin spreads across his face when he

"Mummy! Daddy!!"

god, baby!" I breathe, smiling from ear

shifts the phone, so we're both in view, and I

jungle?" Rayen asks,

at the beach," Alex answers, "but technically, this whole island is your mums. So you're

eyes widen.

"Of course,

friend with math, got picked to lead the morning pledge, and

expect. My eyes sting a little as I watch him

animated, his dittle hands waving everywhere.

growing up too

you sleeping well?" I

nods quickly.

Sloane, and Aunt Isabelle

turns to make warm