Well, he’d recovered from a broken heart before, he could do it again. There was no point waiting. He needed to know now. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he sent her a text:
I’m so sorry for how we ended things on the weekend. I feel like a jerk for upsetting you. We need to talk. I’ll see you at your apartment soon. If that works for you.
A moment later a text pinged his phone.
It’s okay.I’m sorry for leaving without saying a word. I’ll be waiting.
His heart pounded. This was it. Time to get everything off his chest.
The intercom buzzed on his phone. Annoyed at the interruption, he pressed the button. “What is it, Annabelle? I’m on my way out.”
“I’m sorry to disturb you, sir, but Layla’s in reception wanting to see you. Should I ask her to leave? She says it’s urgent.”
What the hell was his ex-wife doing here? He hadn’t seen her since they’d finalized the divorce. His gut reaction was to tell Annabelle he didn’t have time for her. All he wanted to do was get to Chloe, but he was trying to be a better person. He took a deep breath and said, “Send her in.”
He took a seat and waited for the door to his office to open. When it did, Layla sauntered in. Perfectly styled auburn waves bounced around her shoulders. Her creamy skin looked flawless, her makeup meticulously applied. Tall and slim and wearing designer clothes, she had once graced the cover of various fashion magazines. Even now at thirty-nine, she still could. He rose to greet her.
“Theo, darling. It’s so good to see you.” She placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed each cheek.
“Layla, how are you?” He gestured for her to take a seat while he sat on the edge of his desk.
“I’m great. Busy with work. I’ve signed up a bunch of new models for the agency, and we’re booking them for practically everything.”
“Good for you.” After retiring from modeling, Layla had started a modeling agency and built it into a successful, well-sought-after agency.
“How’s the family? Are Blake and Logan still getting up to mischief?”
Surely, she wasn’t here to catch up? He glanced at her hands, and they slid up and down the tops of her thighs, betraying her excitement. “Why are you here, Layla?” Better to get straight to the point so he could get to Chloe.
To stop the fidgeting, Layla linked her hands together. “I wanted to tell you how sorry I am for the way things ended between us. I could have handled it better.”
Was that it? She was here to apologize? But he didn’t want her apology. Theo clutched the edge of the desk. “You didn’t look too sorry,” he said, anger seeping into his voice. “You looked more like disgusted because I was infertile, and then relieved when I left.” They’d been over this before. Why was she bringing it up again? He’d thought he’d healed, and now she was ripping open the wound.
She dipped her head and glanced at her clasped hands. “I did love you. Truly I did,” she rushed to say when he lifted a doubtful eyebrow. “You have every right to be angry. I’m sorry I didn’t handle the situation very well.”
“You didn’t love me enough to want to stay,” he snapped. When he told Chloe the truth, would she look at him with disappointment and disgust? Or would she love him enough to stay?
She tilted her face up to look at him. “I wanted a baby.”
“We had options, but it wasn’t good enough for you.” There was no point rehashing the past. “I’m on my way out, if that’s all—”
“I’m pregnant,” she blurted.
He froze, his gaze falling to her stomach.
She rubbed a hand over her still-flat belly. “I’m fourteen weeks along. It’s too early to show.”
“Congratulations,” he said somewhat woodenly. She’d gotten what she wanted.
She gave a small smile. “Thank you.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “You came here just to apologize and tell me you’re pregnant?”
“Yes… No.” She sprang from the chair. “Two months after we broke up, I met Jeremy. We fell in love, and after our divorce was finalized, we got married.” She lifted her hand and wiggled a flashy big diamond on her ring finger. “Without even trying, I became pregnant.”
“So now you have the life you always wanted. Great.” It stung a little that her future was set while he didn’t know what his looked like.
“Yes, I did, and I’m so happy. I never thought I could ever feel so fulfilled.” She placed a loving hand on her stomach. “I came here to apologize, and also to thank you for letting me go.”