MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE

(ARIELLE'S POV)

We walked like robots, mechanically, still stunned by the unexpected turn of events. Who would have known we were walking right into the arms of Jared's mother?

Ashley was silent beside me on the sofa. She had her arms folded across her chest, and I could see the apprehension on her face as she stared at Sofia.

For moments after Sofia opened the door for us, my ears lost their ability to receive sound, or perhaps my brain halted abruptly with processing the received sound waves.

Either way, I heard nothing but silence and the muffled sound of voices as Jared's mother called out to the housekeeper.

From the edge of my vision, I could see her approach, but I'd been too lost in my mind to realize she was coming over to me.

"Shall I get you tea or coffee?" the lady asked politely. I blinked furiously to draw my mind back to the present. All the while, I'd been looking at the pair of Sofia and Mrs. Smith through skeptical eyes. Something didn't sit right and I could feel it in my gut. "Sorry?" I turned to look at the housekeeper.

"Get the lady some tea and cookies, Emilia. Those should be quite okay, I suppose?" Mrs. Smith turned to ask me.

"Of course," I nodded.

"And your friend?" she asked.

"We'll eat together, thank you," Ashley said with a curt smile.

"So... how's any of this related? Why... Why are we here?" I finally found the voice to ask after the housekeeper left.

"Yes. Why did my boss send us to you?" Ashley asked with an underlying tone of contempt in her voice. I squeezed her hand by my side and she sat back on the sofa.

Mrs. Smith sat up in her chair and took a sip of the glass of water sitting on a stool beside her. "I'll explain. All of it. At least the part you need to hear. You're not wrong. I in fact orchestrated the move for Mr. Roman to lead you both back to me. It was all planned. I'll tell you something you must know. I know that my son's been busy with plans, all aimed at sinking your uncle's business," she said to Ashley.

"Perhaps he wishes to acquire it for himself. But I know it is against your wish and that of your uncle's. So I have a little proposal to make.." she paused for effect and sat back in her chair.

Both myself and Ashley sat up, our ears scratching to learn what she had to say.

If Ashley was surprised that the older woman knew about the issue with her uncle's business, she did a good job of hiding it well, because her face was drawn out in a different expression. She looked more eager to hear what Mrs. Smith had to propose.

The older woman seemed to enjoy the suspense she'd created and she sat with a glint of mischief in her eyes as she watched us.

"I'm going to speak with my son-ask him to drop his silly little ambition and leave your uncle alone. That, I will do," Mrs. Smith finally spoke.

My eyes widened in surprise and I looked over at Ashley who equally did the same.

"I.. I umm.. I don't know what to say," Ashley said, her voice cracking with emotion. "Thank you, I guess. You have no idea what peace it would bring to my family if we didn't have to live another day worrying about losing our business to someone else," she said with gratitude and a hint of skepticism in her voice.

I had my suspicions as well. There had to be a reason why Jared's mother of all people was willing to go against her son just to help us.

Then came the answer to my questions. Mrs. Smith cleared her throat and began speaking again.

"Well of course I'd need a little favor in return," she began. "And believe me, it is nothing excessively demanding," she was quick to add. I exchanged skeptical glances with Ashley and turned to listen to her.

"I know things haven't been exactly all sweet honey and pancakes between us.. But we've known each other for a while now and that should count for something. Yes, I know. I don't expect us to share some mother to daughter bond or anything silly like that. But I wouldn't want to be enemies with you, nor would I want any bad blood between you and Sofia here," she said.

"I don't understand. How does any of this have anything to do with my uncle's business?" Ashley asked, her brows knitted in confusion.

"I understand your confusion. You must have a dozen questions to ask but I don't think we're in the right environment for that conversation. How about lunch at my house? I'll tell you everything you need to know. Besides, there's more to this conversation than I have told you. I'd tell you the rest under the condition that you'd have lunch with me," Mrs. Smith stated. She'd roped us into a tight spot with her half-demand half-request.

I looked at Ashley and saw the silent plea in her eyes for us to at least go check it out and despite my reservations, I conceded to having lunch with Mrs. Smith and Sofia.

"Alright then. But I don't want any drama. All we want is just help for my friend and then you tell us what we have to do in return. Right?" I stated.

"I like you. You've always been very reasonable. It's a shame things didn't get to work out," she said with a little smile.

"So we have your word then?" I pressed again.

"I've promised to help your friend. Certain things are beyond my power, Arielle. Time has taught me not to make promises I can't keep," she said cryptically. I narrowed my eyes at her skeptically and wondered what she meant with her statement. Most importantly, I was curious to know why she intentionally evaded giving a direct answer to my question.

I had a heavy feeling of uncertainty about going with her to her house, but Ashley's needs were more important at this point.

"Alright then. We'll just drive behind you..." I finally conceded.

"Oh no. I'd have a driver bring the car up to the house. There's enough space in the limo for us to go together," Mrs. Smith explained with a little smile. I bit back a protest and simply nodded my agreement.

Once at home, we were immediately ushered to the dining table.

Apparently, Mrs. Smith had made arrangements for us to be hosted immediately upon arrival. Whatever it was that she had to share with us was of great urgency then.

But why couldn't we have just spoken in the private villa then?

I had my eyes trained on Sofia the whole time.

She kept quiet and to herself, her eyes trained on the floor and only looked up to acknowledge a statement addressed to her from Mrs. Smith. Otherwise, she was barely present. There was a distant look in her eyes, akin to the demeanor of a woman in mourning. I could only wonder what it had to do with our business in Mrs. Smith's house.

"Are you okay?" Ashley whispered to me while Mrs. Smith was busy speaking with the chef.

"Yeah. I'm fine," I smiled and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Alright, ladies. Let's get down to business," Mrs. Smith announced once the dishes had been set before us. "I am sure you have your

questions, and I will try my best ne

give you the answers you desire. She stopped to look at Sofia briefly and turned back to us.

"Your marriage to my son failed those many years ago, and believe me, I have my regrets. I don't say this to placate you or anything whatsoever: But I'm not stupid. I know without telling, that the

chances of you and Jared even net

starting over are slimmer than a camel learning to speak Chinese. So I had to get my son settled down with someone else. It's in his best interest to do so. Jared needs a woman to give him a sense of balance in his life," she said and gave me a sorry look.

Whether she hoped to convince me that she didn't have much of an option informing me that she'd set up her son with another woman, I couldn't say. But I wasn't bothered by it as it was none of my business.

Sofia looked away as well and I wondered why she didn't have the look of a triumphant woman on her face. She was finally getting what she'd always wanted and yet she looked uneasy. Was I missing anything?

Mrs. Smith took a sip of her wine and cleared her throat before speaking again. I could sense she was buying some time to say something possibly very unsettling and I braced myself for it.

"However, nothing new comes without the exit of the old." She turned to look at Sofia before she resumed speaking. "After much deliberation, we've decided to call off the engagement between Sofia and my son."

There was resounding silence after she finished speaking and even Sofia winced in pain. Ashley's mouth hung open in surprise at the sudden twist of events. I frowned in confusion.

"But why?" I finally found my voice and asked.

Mrs. Smith sighed and turned to look at Sofia with pity in her eyes.

Sofia caught herself from her initial reaction of embarrassment and put on an indifferent expression on her face, like none of it mattered to her.

"What? I can't have children anymore, Arielle. I lost my fertility and so I'm useless to this family. A woman who can't give them an heir can't be their choice. So yeah.. you win. Does that make you any happy?" Sofia fired bitterly. I looked at Ashley, stunned to silence by Sofia's outburst.

I wanted to say how none of it was my fault or how I wasn't excited that she'd lost the position she'd stolen from me. But I couldn't form the words.

Mrs. Smith let out another sigh. “You

don't have to speak to her like that, Sofia. None of it is her fault. Arielle, kept all of this from Nana Jean, but l hope that you could understand and give Jared your blessings. Y'know... As a way of saying farewell to the past. I hope you understand?" Mrs. Smith said.

I felt a twinge of hesitation in my heart, mixed up with a feeling of bitterness. I simply nodded.

What right did I have not to understand and bless Jared after all?novelbin

He'd moved on from me anyways.

Ashley suddenly stood up abruptly from the sofa. "Let's go, Ari. You don't have to do this for me or my family."

I shook my head in the negative. There was no better way.

I wasn't as opposed to the idea of giving Jared my blessings as I was to seeing him. As if to compound my worries, while we were still speaking, the door swung open and Jared walked in with a young lady by his side. He didn't see us at first, but the instant he became aware of our presence, his face was stretched in a mask of shock.