My CEO Husband Says I'm Irreplaceable

Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Vesper, I Regret It

Luke Lockwood sat on the sofa, his fingertips suddenly tightening, his knuckles turning white.

Reina Sherman’s gentle and sincere words were like a dull knife, slicing away all his pretenses one by one.

His Adam’s apple bobbed violently. His throat was dry and tight, and even his breathing grew heavy.

The usual coldness and assertiveness in his eyes shattered completely, leaving only panic, guilt, and utter shame.

He didn’t dare to look into Reina Sherman’s eyes.

He dared even less to imagine the hope Vesper must have held as she healed herself, bit by bit, just so she could be close to him without reservation.

She had fought with all her might to climb out of the abyss, running to him full of joy.

And he, at her brightest moment, had personally pushed her back into hell.

His heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible hand, the suffocating pain making it hard to breathe.

His hands, hanging by his sides, trembled slightly. He couldn’t utter a single word, simply sitting there rigidly, letting the overwhelming regret completely drown him.

When he didn’t answer for a long moment, she noticed his bloodshot eyes and his strange mood.

Reina Sherman put down her cup and called out softly, "Mr. Lockwood, what’s wrong? Are you all right?"

Luke Lockwood closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he spoke in a hoarse voice, "I’m fine. She’s doing well too. Thank you for your concern, Dr. Sherman."

Although Reina Sherman was puzzled, she tactfully stood up and nodded slightly. "Then I won’t disturb you. If anything comes up, you can call me anytime. And please take good care of Miss Grayson. I wish you a happy marriage!"

’A happy marriage...’

As soon as Reina Sherman left, a dead silence fell over the office.

Luke Lockwood couldn’t hold it in any longer. He abruptly raised his hands to cover his face, his knuckles pressing hard against his eye sockets.

Tears streamed uncontrollably from the corners of his eyes, seeping silently through the gaps between his fingers.

He regretted it!

Never had he felt more regretful than at this very moment.

Luke Lockwood almost instinctively pulled out his phone, wanting to call Vesper Grayson immediately, but the moment his fingertips touched the screen, he remembered with a jolt that she had long since blocked him.

Harold Warner pushed the door open and walked in.

Luke Lockwood stood up and looked out the window.

"President Lockwood, I’ve spoken to Miss Joyce as you instructed, but it seems she can’t accept your arrangements."

"Don’t worry about her! Leave your phone here."

Harold Warner didn’t dare to ask questions. He took out his phone, placed it on the desk, and turned to leave.

Luke Lockwood picked up Harold Warner’s phone and dialed the number he knew by heart.

...

By the time she finished her game, it was nearly evening.

The sky was filled with magnificent sunset clouds, fiery and vast, dyeing half the firmament a scorching orange-red. It was a breathtaking sight.

Vesper Grayson showered at the clubhouse and changed into clean, comfortable clothes. When she walked to the rest area, Jared Hawthorne was leaning against his car, waiting for her.

"President Hawthorne, thank you for your hospitality today."

She had thought golf would be boring, but once she got the hang of it, she found it more and more addictive. After an afternoon of swinging the club, she felt incredibly refreshed and destressed.

The gloom that had been weighing on her heart recently was swept away completely.

Hearing this, Jared Hawthorne’s handsome brows arched slightly, a flicker of amusement crossing his obsidian eyes.

"Dinner?"

"No, thank you." Vesper Grayson declined, her gaze clear. "President Hawthorne, you should really think about what I said this afternoon."

Jared Hawthorne’s incomparably handsome face showed no excess emotion, his tone indifferent.

"Since Miss Grayson is determined to draw a line between us, there’s no need for me to embarrass myself further."

With that, he pulled open the car door and got in. The black Maybach shot off like an arrow released from a bow, speeding away and gradually disappearing from her sight.

’Does that mean he agrees?’

Vesper Grayson stood rooted to the spot. While she let out a huge sigh of relief, her heart felt as if a piece was missing, leaving a hollow ache.

’This is for the best... We were never supposed to cross paths anyway.’

Back at the Grayson villa, the living room was brightly lit.

Milton Grayson was sitting on the sofa watching TV. Seeing her enter, he beckoned to her.

"Vesper, come sit."

"Dad, is something wrong?" Vesper Grayson changed into a pair of soft slippers and sat down in the armchair beside him.

"Master Hawthorne personally sent word, inviting our entire family to The Hawthorne Estate for dinner this weekend."

"Okay, I understand."

"How are things going with Elias?" Milton Grayson was all smiles, clearly very interested in the progress of this marriage arrangement. "I think he has a good impression of you."

"It’s okay."

’Otherwise, why would he say something like "we’ll be family in the future" right in front of his own nephew?’

Milton Grayson was in high spirits. "I just knew Elias would be pleased with you! When he mentions you to me, his eyes are always smiling, and his tone is unusually gentle."

Everyone said Elias Hawthorne was stern and aloof, but the Elias she had met was refined, elegant, and courteous.

It was clear that the rumors about him were untrue.

Just then, Gwen Grayson walked in from the entryway, humming a popular song and clicking her heels.

"Dad!"

Milton Grayson then told her about the weekend dinner at The Hawthorne Estate.

Gwen Grayson’s eyes darted, glancing quickly at Vesper Grayson, a flicker of undisguised interest in her gaze.

"Really? Does that mean things are settled between you and President Hawthorne, sis?"

"Of course," Milton Grayson beamed, unable to hide his grin. "President Hawthorne is very pleased with your sister."

"Congratulations, sis! You’re marrying into a prestigious family so soon. You’ll be the enviable Mrs. Hawthorne. You’re so lucky, sis, to have so easily grasped such a wonderful opportunity. It’s truly something others can’t hope to emulate."

The sourness in her tone was almost palpable.

Vesper Grayson was already used to her passive-aggressive behavior. She merely shot her a cool glance and didn’t reply.

"Don’t you worry either," Milton Grayson said, not catching the undertone in his daughter’s words, consoling her like a doting father. "Dad will find a fine young man for you too."

Gwen Grayson sneered inwardly.

’No matter how outstanding a "fine young man" is, how could he possibly compare to the Hawthorne family, a centuries-old dynasty with such a profound background?’

A phone suddenly rang.

Vesper Grayson stood up, glanced at the caller ID, and headed upstairs as she swiped to answer.

"Hello?"

"Vesper, it’s me."

Luke Lockwood’s familiar, hoarse voice came from the other end of the line.

’What bad luck!’

Vesper Grayson’s fingers twitched, and just as she was about to hang up, Luke Lockwood’s urgent voice came through.

"Wait, Vesper! Don’t hang up, just listen to me! I regret it, I really regret it! I shouldn’t have betrayed you, and I definitely shouldn’t have deceived you!"

"I’ve already fired Ivy Joyce, and she got rid of the baby. I’ve cut ties with her completely. From now on, no one will ever come between us."

His voice was pleading. "For the sake of the love we once shared, can you forgive me and give me one more chance?"

If he had been this decisive the moment he returned from Varden, she might have felt a flicker of compassion for the sake of their three-year relationship, and perhaps even convinced herself to forgive him.

But it was all too late.

Hearing these words now, Vesper Grayson’s heart was perfectly still, without a single ripple of emotion.

"Luke Lockwood, I already gave you a chance, and you’re the one who didn’t cherish it." Her voice was ice-cold, devoid of its former warmth. "For the sake of you helping me in the past, I left you half of the Zephyr project. Consider it repayment for you stepping in to save me three years ago."

"I know everything!" Luke Lockwood said in a choked voice. "You secretly saw Dr. Sherman for treatment, and you’re all better now..."

Vesper Grayson walked out onto her bedroom balcony, her steps coming to an abrupt halt.

She lowered her gaze slightly, her thick lashes hiding the turbulent emotions in her eyes.

"So, the problem that stood between us doesn’t exist anymore." Luke Lockwood’s voice held a sliver of hope. "Vesper, didn’t you always say you wanted a child of your own? We can..."

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