You're Just My Ex-Husband,My Lord-Chapter 145- just a little

The group headed toward the hotel, and after checking in, the Browns decided to rest and adjust to the time difference. Dave had arranged to take them out for dinner that evening, where another partner, Morrison, would also join them.

The Browns happily agreed.

In the hotel lobby, Dave turned to Laurent and asked,

"What do you want to do during the day?"

Naturally, Laurent’s first thought was to see her daughter, but considering the little one was at kindergarten, she reluctantly dismissed that idea. Thinking about it, she didn’t really have anything else planned.

"I’ll head home and work on some things on my computer."

She had already told her daughter over the phone that she would be in Burg Eltz for a few days, and the little girl had been overjoyed.

However, Laurent hadn’t wanted to disturb her when they arrived late last night.

And now, it seemed unlikely she’d get to see her tonight either since they would be dining with the Browns, and she had no idea how late that would run.

But Laurent thought that in the afternoon, she could go pick up her daughter from kindergarten. The school finished early, and after that, she could take her daughter to Tiffany’s before the dinner. That way, it wouldn’t interfere with the evening plans.

As for seeing friends, she had already seen Adeline last night, and Vivian had gone back to her family’s home for a few days, so she wasn’t in Burg Eltz.

Dave raised an eyebrow when he heard she was going back to work.

"Really that dedicated?"

Laurent didn’t respond, simply continuing to walk away.

Dave followed her and said,

"Let me take you home first, then I’ll head to the office."

Laurent declined,

"No need, I’m very familiar with this city. I’ll just take the bus back."

As soon as Dave heard her mention taking the bus, his brows furrowed immediately.

"For the next few days, you’ll drive your old car. I’ll give you the keys later."

Without waiting for her to respond, he simply pulled her into the car and instructed the driver to head to Villas.

The translator sat in the front passenger seat, leaving the spacious vehicle with only Dave and Laurent in the back. Dave grabbed the remote control and lowered the partition, completely separating the front from the back.

As he put down the remote, he raised his hand and pressed it against his stomach.

Laurent noticed this and, though she considered ignoring it, ended up glancing at him.

"You... you should eat something first, later."

He hadn’t had breakfast, no wonder he was feeling discomfort in his stomach.

Dave’s hand stayed on his stomach as he rubbed it, then turned to ask her,

"How was the noodles this morning?"

Laurent answered honestly,

"It was pretty good. That restaurant has been open in Villas for many years."

Laurent didn’t know how long that restaurant had been around. She only knew that it had been there ever since she moved to Villas, and it had been running for many years. If the taste hadn’t been good, it surely wouldn’t have lasted that long.

Dave nodded, then said,

"Later, come with me to eat something."

Laurent was about to refuse, but then he asked her,

"When did you start paying attention to a little restaurant like this, knowing it’s been open for so many years?"

In Dave’s memory, she had always cooked for their family of three. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone out to eat on her own.

Laurent casually replied, 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"When you and Emma aren’t home, I just go out and grab something quick to eat. I often go there for noodles."

After hearing that, Dave fell silent, his gaze dark and heavy as he looked at her.

For him and Emma, she had always poured all her energy into them. But for herself, she never put that much effort.

He didn’t even know that when he and Emma weren’t home, she was just getting by like that.

At that moment, Laurent’s phone rang—it was a client calling. The sample for a piece of clothing she’d made recently had arrived, and there were a few changes to be made. They had emailed her the details and reminded her to check it.

The client was from abroad, and they spoke in Japanese.

Laurent wasn’t very fluent in spoken Japanese since she hadn’t used it in years, but she still tried her best to communicate with the client.

Dave watched her with a look of concentration and sincerity, thinking about the five years she had spent out of touch with society. He felt a deep sense of guilt in his heart.

If it weren’t for him and Emma, maybe she’d have had a small career by now, just like Marylin zoey and the others, instead of starting over as a newcomer at her age.

When they first got divorced, he was furious that she was going out to find a job. He resented her stubbornness, wondering why she didn’t just stay as Mrs. Washington, living a comfortable life.

Now, all he felt was pity.

Dave watched as Laurent started walking toward the restaurant , her steps purposeful. He didn’t protest further; he was just relieved that she was willing to spend these few moments with him. As she had said, it would only be ten minutes—just enough time for him to get to the point of what he wanted to say.

As they approached the shop, Laurent couldn’t help but glance back at him, seeing that he still seemed eager to have this brief time together. She, however, was still preoccupied with the work waiting for her at home.

She had to admit, though, there was something oddly comforting about him being persistent, about him wanting to share even these small moments with her.

Dave followed her inside the restaurant , his steps a little slower than usual, as though he was savoring the moment. They found a table, and he sat down across from her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Laurent opened her phone to check her emails, but Dave, watching her, decided to break the silence.

"Laurent, I’ve been meaning to ask... How have you been managing everything, really?" His voice was gentle but had an undercurrent of concern.

Laurent looked up from her screen, her fingers pausing on the keys. She met his gaze briefly before replying, her tone lighter than it felt. "I’m managing, Dave. You don’t need to worry about me."

He didn’t look convinced, but before he could say anything else, the noodles arrived at the table, and the moment seemed to shift. Laurent sighed, trying to focus on the meal in front of her, but her mind kept returning to the weight of their earlier conversation.

Dave picked up his chopsticks, then paused, his eyes softening. "We’ll talk later, but..." he hesitated, "I’m really glad you’re here. I just... want to make sure you have everything you need."

Laurent wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She had grown so used to managing everything on her own, for both herself and Emma. But hearing his words, she couldn’t ignore the stirrings of something unfamiliar in her chest. She took a deep breath and said, "Thank you."

And for the first time in a while, she allowed herself to soften, just a little.