# Chapter 283: A Stubborn Heart and an Unspoken Secret
Hello everyone, it's me again! How are you all doing? Today I will continue to walk with you and review Chapter 283 of *"Remarried After I Secretly Divorced the CEO Summary, Characters & Ending Guide"*. Grab your favorite drink, get comfy, and let’s dive into a chapter filled with hidden feelings, family pressure, and a heart that refuses to listen to reason.
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The afternoon sun streamed through the living room windows, casting warm patterns on the floor as the two women sat side by side on the plush sofa. Autumn, ever the mischievous one, watched her cousin Selena closely. There was something different about her today—a certain tension, a flicker of unease that she rarely showed.
Unable to resist stirring the pot, Autumn leaned in with a teasing smile and said, "What's wrong? Don't tell me you're upset because you heard my cousin went out with a female colleague?"
Selena's cheeks flushed instantly. She plucked a grape from the fruit bowl and shoved it right into Autumn's mouth, her hands trembling just slightly. "Of course not! Stop talking nonsense. If you keep it up, I'll hit you."
But even as she said it, she knew she was lying to herself. Why did hearing that Zack had gone out make her feel so unsettled? Why did her chest tighten at the thought of him sharing a meal with another woman? She would never admit it aloud—not even to herself, if she could help it.
She tried to rationalize the feeling. *It's normal,* she told herself. *After all, I used to admire Zack quite a lot. It was only after I heard he had a girlfriend that I gave up on that thought.*
Years ago, she had secretly carried a torch for him. But when she learned he was taken, she buried those feelings deep and accepted Derek's pursuit instead. She gave Derek her whole heart, only to discover the man was nothing but a hypocrite—a hollow shell of charm and lies.
That thought left her feeling hollow. She couldn't help but wonder: *If I had pursued Zack back then, would things have turned out differently?*
But then she shook her head. There had been no chance before, and now there was even less. After all, he had a girlfriend now—a female colleague he'd gone out with today, of all things. Whatever fragile hope had flickered in her heart was quickly doused.
That little secret—her quiet, unspoken affection for Zack—was something she had never told anyone, not even Autumn, her closest confidante. She buried it deep inside her heart, hoping it would stay there forever.
Then the front door clicked open.
Zack walked in, carrying a few shopping bags in his hands. His eyes immediately found the two women sitting on the sofa, and a warm, genuine smile spread across his face.
"Autumn, you're here. I bought your favorite fruit at the supermarket. I'll wash and cut it for you in a bit," he said in his usual warm tone.
He had always adored Autumn. Every time she came over, he made sure to buy the things she liked. All these years later, he never changed—and he never wanted to. To him, a cousin deserved to be spoiled, and that was just the way it was.
Just then, Henry, Zack's father, came out of the kitchen, his brow furrowed in puzzlement. "You rascal, weren't you out on a date? How come you're back so soon?"
Zack rubbed his chin as he changed his shoes, letting out a small sigh. "Dad, I wasn't out on a date. A colleague just wanted to talk about work. Don't overthink it. I'm not interested in dating right now. And besides, she doesn't feel that way about me. You really don't need to worry."
The last relationship had hit him hard. His ex-girlfriend had left because she disliked his family's modest background. The sting of that rejection stayed with him like a scar that wouldn't heal. Because of it, he swore he wouldn't consider dating or marriage again until he had built a successful career. He feared any girl would be scared off once she saw his family's situation.
Henry clapped Zack on the shoulder, his face a mixture of exasperation and concern. "You rascal, you're already twenty-seven or twenty-eight and still not thinking about dating. Are you trying to drive your mother and me crazy? Look at Mrs. Warren's son. He's the same age as you, and they're already planning their second child! And you're still single. Aren't you embarrassed?"
Merely thinking about his son gave him a headache. Years ago, that girlfriend had dumped Zack for being poor, and ever since then, this stubborn boy refused to date. He kept insisting he'd only think about marriage once his career was established. It was enough to make any parent furious.
*Sure, that one girl had looked down on their family,* Henry thought. *But that didn't mean every girl would be the same!*
Yet this hard-headed son wouldn't listen to anything. He refused every word about dating, acting as if romance were a plague. It was driving the two elders insane.
Rubbing the arm his father had smacked, Zack frowned. "Dad, there are guests here. Can you not bring this up right now?"
His voice was strained, but his eyes briefly flickered toward Selena—just for a moment, just long enough for her to catch it. And in that instant, Selena felt her long-silent heart unexpectedly skip a beat.
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## Reader's Impressions & Star Rating
This chapter is a beautifully layered slice-of-life moment that tugs at the heartstrings. The dynamic between Selena and Zack is so subtle yet so charged—every glance, every carefully worded denial, every buried secret is written with aching realism. I loved the way the author weaves together past heartbreak and present uncertainty, showing how two people who once admired each other from a distance now find themselves circling an unspoken truth.
The family pressure from Henry adds a touch of humor and heartache, reminding us of the generational gap between parents who want grandchildren and children who are afraid of being hurt again. Zack's stubbornness and his hidden wounds make him deeply sympathetic, while Selena's fragile inner world is portrayed with so much tenderness that you just want to reach into the page and hug her.
This chapter also leaves us with a deliciously painful cliffhanger—that moment when Zack's eyes glance at Selena, and her heart skips a beat. It's the kind of quiet, emotional tension that makes reading addictive.
I give this chapter a strong **⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.8 / 5 Stars**.
## Next Chapter Prediction
Now that Selena has felt that telltale heartbeat, and with both of them clearly hiding feelings from each other, the next chapter is bound to bring them closer. I predict that Zack will start noticing Selena's subtle reactions, and perhaps Henry, in his desperation to get his son to date, will play matchmaker in the most hilarious and awkward way possible. But of course, Zack still believes Selena doesn't feel that way about him—and Selena still thinks he has a girlfriend. A misunderstanding is brewing on the horizon, and it's going to take some serious sweet-talking and perhaps a dramatic confession to break the ice. Expect a moment where they're forced to confront their true feelings—possibly during a family dinner or an unexpected outing—and the truth may finally begin to surface.
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