Reclaimed By My Ex-husband

Jaxon stayed silent, but his body betrayed him. His fists trembled on his knees, the tendons pulling tight against his skin. He didn't need to say a word. His whole frame proved that he wanted nothing but revenge.

Riya saw it, a glimmer of satisfaction flickering in her eyes. She knew her words had hit him perfectly. Jaxon was teetering at the edge; all he needed was the smallest nudge, and he'd fall exactly where she wanted.

"Think about your mother," she said with feigned sympathy. "Imagine the kind of misery she is enduring. Alone. Away from her husband. Away from her only son. Do you think she is safe? Do you think she is even living decently?"

Jaxon's throat tightened at the thought of his mother suffering somewhere alone.

"And all of it is because of Zara." She paused, watching him, waiting for the reaction she knew would come. "Do you want to just let her go? After everything?"

The dam inside him broke.

"No." A hiss escaped through his teeth. "She will pay for every misery we have endured." His head lifted, eyes blazing, and for the first time, there wasn't hesitation but raw fury on his face.

Riya smiled, satisfied. Finally, she had successfully persuaded him. All her tension seemed to have vanished at that point.

But Jaxon was far from ease. Anger smoldered beneath his eyes, his mind racing back to the incident of the kidnapping.

He and his father had made it out of the gunfire somehow, stumbling through the chaos. The police were everywhere. His injured legs had slowed them both down. He had asked his father to leave him alone, but Isaac had refused to let him fall behind.

Jaxon had known his body. He had known he couldn't run anymore and that they'd be caught together if they kept going like that. But he hadn't been ready to be caught. So he had made the choice no son should ever make.

He had struck Isaac from behind and slipped away into the shadows. While the cops had been busy dragging Isaac away, he had found the time to sneak into the hideout. He had stayed hidden until the noise ebbed, until the cops left. But his father had been taken.

The guilt of that incident had burrowed into him ever since. It never let him sleep easily, never let him breathe without ache. And every time it surfaced, he thought of Zara. He held her responsible for every misery he and his parents had suffered, and he longed to see her punished.

His fists unclenched slowly. "I'll do the job," he said resolutely. "But you have to promise me—you'll keep your word."

"Kill her and get your freedom."

He gave a single, sharp nod. "I'll do it." Then, after a beat, he added, "But I need money. I can't move without it. Help me."

Riya tilted her head, watching him with that same sly glint. She had expected it.

A flicker of contempt twisted in her chest. 'Such a fool,' she thought. 'He really believes I'll help him escape. Yes, he'll disappear soon enough—but not to any haven. He'll vanish from the face of the earth.'

The thought sent a quiet thrill down her spine. Once Zara was out of the picture, Jaxon would be erased without a trace. A win-win for her. And all it cost her was just a few thousand dollars.

"Wait here." She crossed the room gracefully. Opening the cupboard, she reached into her bag and pulled out a thick roll of bills.

She returned to him. "Here," she said, holding the wad of cash out. "Fifty thousand. That should be enough for now."

Jaxon's eyes glistened with greed as he thumbed the bills.

Riya folded her arms across her chest, chin lifting with quiet authority. "I want you to do the job as soon as possible. Don't disappoint me if you expect me to keep my promise. And there is no need to contact me when it's done. I'll hear the news one way or another."

Jaxon froze, blinking at her, stunned. "But… how will you take me out of here if I don't contact you?"

"Don't worry about that," she returned coolly. "Someone will reach you. Just make sure you carry out the plan without mistakes. That's all you should concern yourself with."

He nodded, his smile returning. "I understand. Wait for the good news."

Tucking the cash away, he rose to his feet. "Thank you for the money." With that, he slipped out of the room.

"You fool," she muttered under her breath. "Once my work is finished, you are finished too. Why would I waste more money keeping you safe? I couldn't care less if you live… or die."

Riya flicked her hair back and sank into the sofa. She unlocked her phone and dialed her manager.

"Did you set the meeting with the client?"

"Yes," came the manager's crisp voice. "The client wants you to dine with him. I set the meeting for tonight's dinner."

"Okay, I get it," she replied coolly.

"And don't forget," her manager added, "your shoot is in an hour."

At that, Riya's expression soured. Her mind flicked instantly to the last night's violence. The angry red marks stretched across her skin. How was she supposed to face a camera like that?

She sighed sharply, lips twisting with irritation. She was about to tell her to cancel the shoot when the screen on her phone flashed with another incoming call.

One glance at the caller ID, and her breath stalled.

Zachary.

The name alone squeezed like a fist around her chest.

"Talk to you later," she muttered quickly into the phone before cutting off the manager's voice.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she switched lines. She pressed the phone back to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Who were you speaking with?" Zachary barked from the other end. Just the tone was enough to make her shudder. "What are you doing? Are you still in the hotel?"

"I—I was about to leave," she stammered. "The manager just called to remind me of the shoot, but… with the marks all over my body, you know I can't do it. It's because of you. Why are you tormenting me like this?"

"Stop blaming me," he snapped. "This is your fault. Who told you to call for a male escort?"

Riya's mouth parted, but no sound came out as if he had slapped the air out of her.

"I'm calling to remind you of the task I gave you last night."