The Return Of His Ex Wife
Chapter 20: Honest Conversation.

Chapter 20: Honest Conversation.

Derek’s POV

I was still so disappointed by my foolishness. How could I allow Tara speak to me like that! But somehow I wondered if she had been right. Could my pride be that much that I would not even admit to be in this much danger? The Hernandez were very influential family, and I had been trying everything to speak with them!

"Sir, still to no avail. But we want to leave things to miss Tara. She is handling things just well. She has managed to schedule a meeting with the second son of the Hernandez, Mr. Arlo." Dominic, a good staff of mine , said to me.

It had been just around an hour since Tara walked out on me like that, but suddenly she was already making progress with one of the Hernandez household??

But something else caught my attention from what Dominic said. "Wait, isn’t it disrespectful for you to call her miss? She is a married woman with a child. I thought you would address her as Mrs."

He looked at me like I was on some strange weed. Dominic was a huge fan of Tara for some reason. That woman attracted a lot of men at work, and they all worshiped her like she was some sort of idol.

"What? Have I said something insulting??" I frowned at Dominic. "If you don’t wanna talk, then that’d fine--"

"--no, no. It’s just that almost everyone knows her story." Dominic said. He was a decent staff not up to a year now, but he acted all cool like he was some big boss.

"And what is her story then?" I urged him to push further. Not many people must had known that Tara and I were married! And that was such a shame the more I thought about it now.

"She was married before to a shitty man. I don’t know who he was but he was surely a dick! She has a lovely son, but we don’t know if he’s the son of the ex husband. We don’t even know if he’s dead, damn it I wish he was dead. Good riddance. But she’s famous for being a downright strong woman who survived an abusive marriage."

My body was boiling with rage as I thought about everything he was saying. Shitty husband??? I was a good man to Tara!

Tara’s POV

"And why are we still going back and forth on this?" I asked. We were seated in a fancy restaurant that I had recommended because I had wanted to see him.

"Because you know you ought to say you’re sorry. Oh for the love of God, how hard is that to say, Sunflower? I was right about Richard, wasn’t I?"

I rolled my eyes. "I’ve warned you to stop calling me that. My name is Tara."

"Sure. But Sunflower just runs smoothly on my lips, you know? And by the way, I was right, wasn’t I?" He pressed on. Did this man not have any shame at all?

His posture was relaxing, broad shoulders revealing from the fine shirt he wore. His dark shades were on the table now so I can be tortured into staring into those piercing eyes.

"Fine. You were right about Richard. Now can we move on?" I said at last, even though I knew I still hadn’t apologized.

"I have something to give to Richard. I know it’s only been a few days since I’ve last seen him, but when you get home, let me talk to him." Arlo said, then he placed a box of wrapped present on the table.

I eyed him suspiciously, and he nudged me to open the box with a quick alternating glance on the table and back to me. I reached forward to open it and saw it was a new camera carton inside.

"It’s a waterproof kids camera. Richard loves a few things about photography and always has new stories to tell. He even confesses he might learn a little on real and advanced photography just for a new hobby, and--"

I had to cut him off right there. "Here you go again, acting like you’re his father. Like you know more than I do, and you’ve just known him for what? Four days now?." Well he wasn’t Richard’s dad! Why was he being this caring? It was awkward and annoying. Why couldn’t Derek be half as caring as he was? Why couldn’t I have stayed, and rejected Derek’s divorce, begging him to chase Melissa away!...maybe Richard would have been happy with a real dad now? Maybe...

"Just give it to him, will you? And why have you demanded we meet here so urgently? I was in the middle of an important business meeting." He said, looking all serious.

I wondered why I never pictured him to be someone like that. Heck, I just thought he was the kind to spend half his life at the bar getting laid and drinking always.

I had to be professional now. Arlo would literally be saving my life by speaking to his step mother to drop the case.

"You know I always wondered," Arlo said. "Why are you so mean to me? I keep saying with time you’ll get to realize my motives with Richard are pure, but you’re not even giving me a chance to prove myself."

I leaned back, thinking of a comeback at such a question. I didn’t know the right answer. I disliked him for a lot of reasons but it all boiled down to the shameless comparison I did with him and Derek. He was everything I wanted in a man. Everything I would never get in a man...as it seems now.

"Fine. I want you to help me out and then I can let you speak to Richard. Another date with him if you’d like." I proposed.

Arlo smirked, leaning back on his seat. "You’re really cute, you know that, right?"

Cute? What was he going on about now??

"But I’ve forgiven you. Honestly, I’ll help you out."

"Why? What exactly is your goal, Arlo?" I asked, suspicious of his strange kindness.

"Tara, not everyone is like people you’ve known from your past. Some genuinely care about you and want to just treat you right because you deserve it. I’m not a monster, geez. You need to cool down sometimes. This isn’t a business proposal where I demand a price, it’s just me helping because I can. I’m not some dark magic demanding a sacrifice from you." He chuckled like he’d just made some joke only he understood.

I tried to let that make any sense. All men always want something in return, so this was bullshit coming from him. Nothing was for free.

"My step mom is a witch. I’m glad I’ll be of help. Here," he dropped some files on the table. Damn, this dude came prepared. How did he even know what I needed his help for? "That’s all the dirt on my step mom. You’re very smart. Figure the rest out."

"Are you telling me to double cross your step mother in dropping the case?" I asked because he was already getting up, ready to leave.

He smiled again, an alluring sexy type. Then he turned and walked away.

My eyes went back to the table, where the files stayed right next to Richard’s gift. So Richard was interested in photography? How did I not know this!