Ex-Husband’s Regret by Evelyn M.M

103. His side of the story103.

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Calvin

I wait. I wait patiently for her to come back. I didn’t know where she went, but I can take a pretty

damn good guess. She was mad; I understand that more than anything. If anyone is pissed off and

hurt at what Emma has been doing, then it’s me. She has caused me and Gunner more hurt than

I’m ever willing to admit.

I hear the door unlock, but I don’t move. I’m not even sure what the hell I am doing here. The boys

are at my house with the nanny. For some reason, I feel like I should be here.

Ava stops dead in her tracks. “Cal, I didn’t expect you to still be here.”

Her eyes were red and puffy. She has been crying; that much is clear. Words honestly fail me. I

have no fucking idea what the hell to tell her.

“I thought I would wait for you,” I say as she takes a seat. “Where have you been?”

I knew where she went after she realized that Emma was Gunner’s mom. That was hours ago. I

don’t know where she went after. I’m sure confronting Emma didn’t take almost three hours.

“I needed to think, so I just drove around,” she whispers. “Gosh! This is so hard for me. Not only

because I love Gunner like my own and it kills me to watch him hurt, but

also because I see

myself in him.”

I don’t know much about Ava. I was about two years ahead of her in school. We weren’t friends

back then, and I didn’t pa ention to any girl that wasn’t Emma.

Even now, I don’t know much about her. I kept myself closed off. I felt it would be unfair to dig

deep into her life when I barely told her anything deep about mine. All I know is that Rowan hurt

her pretty badly. Just like Emma destroyed.

“Why?” I ask curiously.

Because I suffered the same fate as him when I was younger. I was unwanted. For me, it was

nuch harder because I was unwanted by both my family and Rowan’s family. I didn’t understand

why they didn’t like me. I tried so hard to get them to love me, but they never did. In fact, it got

Jorse as I got older.”

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I didn’t know that about het. Unlike other boys who tried getting close to her so they could get

close to Emma, I didn’t I thought their tactic was downright cruel Using one sister to get another

was utterly disgusting

“I’m soony, Ava.”

There was nothing else I could say to comfort her. I don’t even know how to comfort Gunner when

was

asks about Emma, so how

ago, and I’m slowly starting to heal,” she pauses. “In any

me. I want to know the truth.

this question. Not because I don’t want to

I don’t want to

her from high

knew it, just like everyone

somehow ended up with the people we wanted,

out to be a nightmare. Both of us got hurt

It seems like Rowan and Emma were meant to be. It’s like Ava and

getting in the

her to notice me, but she never did. It wasn’t

to compete against was Rowan. Like you said when we met again, I

me,” I

you seen yourself in glasses? You’re like a woman’s nerdy fantasy. You probably star

either a hot professor or a

laugh at that

probably disgusted with me.

to admit I looked terrible back then. I wouldn’t have wanted to date

finished high school, and in the summer before college, I decided to

of effort, but I got to the point where I was actually proud of how I looked.

appreciative glances from girls.”

that age. It felt good

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continued working further on

girls all over me. I had my pick from a large

I could have someone

head in understanding. I know she didn’t enjoy college life. Not after

mother and wife. She

or responsibilities. At least

back

great until my grandfather had

parents died in an accident. He was all that I

other family member alive. I changed schools so that I could

to take care of him

she swings her finger

Emma and Rowan were”

“I saw them around campus, but unlike before, I

I had a lot going on. I

totally fine with me. I had locked my heart

constant rejection. I wasn’t willing

her and Rowan almost every day, but I

was nothing I could

grandfather passed away, and it was the most challenging time of

school only to come back to the news that the

I learned that

honestly unbelievable.”

their love. Sure that they would stay together

No one ever thought that Rowan would sleep with someone

person. It was like

you saw her outside her dorm, she looked like

me near

out to be her best friend and

didn’t want to be involved with anyone in Emma’s life. When Molly was assigned as my

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captivated Like she couldn’t

a nuisance like I had been back in high school ! realized you couldn’t force love and Emma definitely didn’t love

had been a sad

only I’d realized that earlier, like you did. It would’ve probably saved

Emma showed up at my dorm room and kissed me. It was unexpected,

still remember that day like it was yesterday. She had been a virgin, and even though I’d slept with countless girls, she had been by far the best. Probably because I

been wrong. We woke up the next morning, and she was disgusted with herself. I tried talking to her. I tried telling her that I

time I found out that the girl Rowan slept with

can’t imagine the pain that hit me. I felt crushed. I loved her with my body, only to find out that she didn’t feel a thing. That she was only using me. The betrayal I felt nearly destroyed me.

been scared, to say the least. I didn’t know how to be a father. For heaven’s sake, I’d never even been

close tightly against the bubbling emotions. “I took her to my grandfather’s house. I’d hoped things would get better. That she would learn to