HIS REGRET (Ex-Husband wants Me Back) novel Chapter 376

**Shadows of the Past – By Emma Clarke**

**Chapter 376**

As Selena stepped into the familiar confines of her apartment, she instinctively peeled off her coat, the fabric slipping from her shoulders like the burdens of the day. Her eyes flickered toward her small work desk, a sanctuary of sorts amid the chaos of her life. Silvia, with her ever-cheerful demeanor, greeted them with a wide smile, her voice bright as she began to rattle off the dishes she had prepared, eager to entice them into a meal.

“Thank you,” Eli chimed in, his enthusiasm palpable. “I’d love to try the soup. I haven’t eaten yet. Mom, do you want some chicken broth too?” His eyes sparkled with a childlike excitement that made Selena’s heart ache just a little.

Selena barely turned her head in Eli’s direction, her fatigue weighing heavily on her. “I’m tired. You eat, Eli. And Silvia—make sure my daughter is taken care of properly,” she instructed, her voice firm yet tinged with an underlying softness.

“Yes, Mrs. Selena,” Silvia replied, her tone respectful and accommodating.

“I’ll rest,” Selena declared, her mind already drifting away from the bustling kitchen.

With that, she made her way to her room, the door clicking shut behind her. She sank onto the neatly made bed, the soft linens enveloping her like a warm embrace. The gentle glow of the lamp cast a soothing light, and the faint scent of lavender lingered in the air, creating a cocoon of comfort around her.

“Ah… this is lovely,” she sighed, allowing herself a moment of vulnerability as she covered her eyes with the back of her hand. “But I won’t be satisfied with just this, Miller,” she whispered to the silence, her resolve hardening.

In the drawer of her nightstand, she kept a collection of documents she deemed crucial, each paper a piece of her intricate plan. Among them lay old photographs, memories of happier times spent with the Miller family, their smiles frozen in time. She sifted through them once more, her heart racing as she reaffirmed her intentions.

“I’ll make sure Riana sees Eli,” she murmured, lifting a photo of Riana Miller, her expression a mix of determination and longing. “Get ready, Mrs. Miller. I won’t hesitate to do whatever it takes to reach my goals.”

With a quick movement, she reached into her bag and retrieved her phone. The name that mattered most flickered on the screen: Erick.

“Erick,” she said as soon as the line connected, her tone brisk and businesslike. “I already instructed Smith to pick us up this afternoon, but apparently, he can’t? Are you telling me there’s no driver or car available for us? What am I supposed to do if I want to go somewhere?” Her questions tumbled out in a rapid-fire sequence, each one laced with urgency.

Erick exhaled softly, the sound barely audible. “Madam, I can only provide drivers and vehicles under Mr. Nathan’s instructions. I can’t act without his approval.”

“Is that so?” Selena let out a delicate laugh, though it held an edge of frustration. “Then… what if I want to visit Mrs. Riana? Eli misses her.” Her voice turned soft, almost fragile, as if she were testing the waters.

A heavy silence filled the air on the other end of the line.

“Should I go on my own, then? With Eli? Using an online taxi?” she continued, her tone dripping with a feigned sadness that masked her true intent. “All right. But if something happens to us, it won’t be your fault, Erick.”

His panic was immediate, the urgency in his voice palpable. “Madam, please—don’t say it like that. I’m only—”

“Just tell Mr. Nathan,” Selena interrupted smoothly, her voice taking on a pleading lilt that concealed her underlying command. “I only want Eli to receive the same treatment. You understand, don’t you?”

After a brief pause that felt like an eternity, Erick finally relented. “All right, Madam. I… I’ll try to arrange it.”

“Thank you,” she replied, a satisfied smile gracing her lips as she ended the call. Turning her attention back to Eli, she found him happily engrossed in his lunch, blissfully unaware of the undercurrents swirling around them.

“Sweetheart, get ready. We’re going to GrandMa’s house later this afternoon,” she announced, her voice light, as if nothing else mattered.

“They didn’t say anything,” the maid replied, her eyes darting away.

“That’s fine,” Selena said, her tone clipped. Without waiting for an invitation, she stepped into the living room, her posture poised and unyielding. “We’ll wait.”

The staff exchanged puzzled glances, while Eli stood awkwardly, observing his mother’s outward calmness that belied the tension crackling in the air around them.

Minutes trickled by like molasses until another maid returned, her expression hesitant.

“Miss Selena, Mrs. Riana contacted us. She said… she can meet you tomorrow evening. She has a family event tonight,” she relayed, her voice wavering slightly.

Selena turned slowly, her smile sweet and polite, but her eyes—sharp, cold, and offended—told a different story altogether.

“A family event?” she repeated softly, each word laced with an undercurrent of disbelief.

“Y-yes,” the maid stammered, taken aback by the intensity of Selena’s gaze.

Selena nodded, leaning back against the sofa in an elegant, unhurried motion that belied the storm brewing within her.

“So… does that mean we aren’t part of Mrs. Riana’s family?” she asked, her voice gentle yet dangerously so. “Or… is there a new understanding now about who qualifies as ‘family’ in Mrs. Riana’s eyes?”