My Ex-wife, My Destination

Daisy’s P. O. V.

“You hated women because Olivia cheated on you, and you did the same with me. Why did you punish me for her mistake, Luke? Why?” I ask, grabbing his shirt collar, warm tears rolling down my cheeks.

“Daisy, I didn’t cheat on you. I have never slept with any woman since I married you, not even after our divorce.”

My eyes widen slightly in shock at his words.

What did he mean by he never cheated on me? He brought a woman to his room that day.

He kneels before me and continues by grasping my hand. “I’m sorry, Daisy.” As he apologizes, his eyes well up with tears. “I wanted you to hate me and leave me forever because I was angry at myself for punishing you for a crime you never committed. I couldn’t face you after realising my mistake, and I thought I didn’t deserve you.”

His words confuse me. I don’t understand what crime he is talking about. “Why did you treat me like a slave? What crime did you think I committed?”

“I thought you cheated on my best friend, Max, that he got drunk and died in a car crash because of you. He was talking to me when he met with the accident, and his last words were, ‘Daisy doesn’t love me. You were right; every woman is the same.’ I assumed wrongly that he died because of you. I’m so sorry.” He sobs, burying his face in my hands, and I’m shaken after hearing this.

I never thought that this would be the reason for his hatred towards me. He just assumed and punished me for a crime I had never committed. I stare down at him in disbelief.

“You could have asked me, Luke. Max proposed to me, and I refused because, from the beginning, you were in my heart.” A sob escapes my mouth.

He stares at me with guilt in his eyes. “I know. You confessed it the night you came after getting drunk. I was so taken aback after knowing the truth. I wanted to punish myself for hurting you for six months. That’s why I pushed you away from me, not realising that I was punishing you even more along with me. Keeping myself away from you for five years was truly a punishment for me, and I was ready to endure it till my last breath. However, then I met Hope.” A small smile spread across his face, tears still in his eyes as he mentions Hope.

He continues, “And I realise that you both need me. You both are my responsibility, and I want you back in my life. I can’t change the past, but I want to spend the rest of my life making up for my mistakes. Please, give me another chance.” He looks up at me, his eyes pleading for forgiveness, for redemption.

I stare at him, feeling so many emotions at the same time – anger, sadness, confusion, and an aching yearning. The revelation that he never cheated on me should bring relief, but the years of pain and misunderstanding cannot be undone in a moment.

“Luke, do you have any idea how much pain you put me through?” I say, my voice trembling. “You shattered my heart, and I had to pick up the pieces all by myself. When I needed you the most, you weren’t there for me.”

He nods, his expression filled with deep remorse. “I know, Daisy, and I don’t deserve your forgiveness. It kills me to know I’m the reason for your pain. But I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that I can be the man you deserve.”

He kneels there, clasping my hand, a broken man shedding tears.

“You didn’t just hurt me, Luke.” I hiccup. “You hurt yourself, and you hurt Hope by not being there for her from the beginning. You have to make it up to her as well.”

“I will.” He vows, his grip on my hand tightening. “I’ll be the father she deserves. I’ll make up for every lost moment. Daisy, I’ll earn your trust back, I promise.”

The honesty in his eyes is clearly visible, and despite everything, a part of me wants to believe him. But it’s difficult.

“I need time, Luke,” I say, withdrawing my hand from his grip. “I need time to process everything, to heal. This isn’t something that can be fixed overnight.”

“I understand,” he replies, standing up slowly, his eyes never leaving mine. “I’ll give you all the time you need.” He places his hand on my face and whispers, “I’ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes, because you’re my destination, Butterfly,” before pressing his lips to my forehead.

***

At night, Hope fell asleep in my arms after jumping with joy when we told her we would stay with her daddy.

Since morning, I have been pondering Luke’s words. All these years, I believed he betrayed me. I built walls around my heart to protect myself from the pain. And now I don’t know how to tear them down.

“Daisy,” Luke caresses Hope’s hair, lying on the other side of her on the bed. “You don’t have to go out and work anymore. Hope is a little kid; she needs you to be there with her at home, and I know you also want to be there with her. Now that I’m here, you don’t have to worry about anything. It’s time for you to take some rest.”

“Luke, I can’t leave my job. How can I trust you after what you have done to me in the past? You’re here with us now, but there is no guarantee you’ll be with us in the future as well. What if you again leave us because of some misunderstanding in the future? Then what will I do?” I question him, fixing my eyes on his, causing his gaze to fill with remorse. “I need to be financially independent to secure Hope’s future.”

“I knew your answer would be this.” He reaches out to the side drawer and takes out some papers, causing my brows to narrow in confusion. He holds the papers out to me, saying, “That’s why I have purchased a house in New York in Hope’s name, and these are the ownership documents. The house is solely hers, and you can sell it anytime in the future.”

I take the papers, staring at them in utter disbelief.

“And I have named all my companies and properties after you,” he states, dropping the bomb on me, causing my eyes to widen in shock.

“You didn’t have to do that, Luke.”

“I truly didn’t do this to buy your forgiveness and trust,” he explains. “I just want to show that nothing matters to me now more than both of you.”

Tears stream down my eyes. “Luke, please. I can’t handle it.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

I can’t handle his love. It’s overwhelming and unbelievable.

“It’s just the beginning, Butterfly. I want to spoil you and Hope with all the love I have.” He clasps my hand and kisses it, and I just keep looking at him incredulously.