MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE

JARED'S POV

secrets were better left unsaid because of the impact they bore.

As I walked, Arielle's cabin my destination, the weight of the conversation I had with Mrs Meyers settled heavily on my shoulders. I couldn't imagine how hard it must have been for Mrs. Meyers to bear such a secret all these years if it was this hard for me. Indeed, some I soon rounded the corner leading to Arielle's cabin, but I was stunned to find Dwayne squatting at the entrance, his eyes fixed intently on the floor. I felt curious immediately and slowed my pace, trying not to startle him.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, trying to keep the suspicion in my voice away.

He looked up at me, his expression unreadable. "Arielle said she's resting and she asked me not to come in."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his response. "So you're just sitting here waiting for her?"

He shrugged, seemingly unbothered by my question. "Yep, pretty much," he replied, looking away.

I glanced at him, hesitating for a moment. I was unsure if I should share what I had just learned with him, but something about his demeanor made me think he might already know more than he was letting on. After all, it was he who asked me to go to the security room, and I think it was a cue to see and hear things for myself. But I decided to ask anyway.

"So, about Mrs Meyers, you know what's going on, don't you?" I asked, lowering my voice slightly.

He shrugged nonchalantly, his expression still unchanging. "Figured out a bit."

I nodded, saying nothing else in response. I was unsure about how much he knew, and it was better to keep shut and leave things that way. Instead, I knocked on the door and Ashley's voice came from inside. "Who's there?"

"It's me," I replied. "I need to talk to Arielle."

There was a moment of silence, and later, the door opened. To my surprise, it was Maverick who was standing at the doorpost, grinning.

"Dad, come in." He squealed, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Hi, buddy," I responded, trying to mask my surprise.

Ashley emerged just then, shooting me a dramatic eye roll as she brushed past me. "Great, just what we need," she mumbled under her breath. "More drama."

I stepped aside and closed the door behind me, making a mental note to make plans on how to win her over. Outside, I could hear her and Dwayne whispering to each other, but I could only make out bits of their words. "See that, buddy? This is why the loyal second lead never gets the girl. Your skin isn't thick enough," Ashley said.

I sighed, shutting out their words. Whatever conversation they had was none of my business, and I had no intentions to make it one. I stepped further into the room, with Maverick happily clinging to my hand.

Oh, how much I missed the little man. The world became a burst of beautiful rainbow colors whenever he was around, and it was a shame that I was unable to interact with him at dinner like I so craved. "Thank you for coming, Daddy," he said, cutting into my thoughts.

I looked down at him, guilt gnawing painfully at my chest. Children are so innocent and blemish-free. Look at him al excited to see me, despite being ignored by me earlier at dinner. I'm sorry, son; I hope I get things sorted out so I can finally be with you and your Mom without any external force or opposition.

"Of course, buddy," I smiled down at him, ruffling his hair fondly. "I'm happy to see you."

all.noveldrama

We soon got to the bed, and Arielle was lying in it, eyes closed and chest rising and falling with each deep breath. She looked tired, yet calm and innocent. My chest clenched as I recalled all that happened earlier. She doesn't deserve it, doesn't deserve anything bad at Mustering enough courage, I stopped in front of her. Her eyes fluttered open as she sensed my presence. "Hey," she called softly.

Yet again, I was hit with a pang of guilt and took a deep breath before speaking. "Arielle, can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked, my voice as meek as possible.

"All right."

"Thank you," I mumbled gratefully, taking a seat next to her in the bed. "Firstly, I wanted to apologize about Sofia. I'm really sorry about what happened." Surprisingly she shook her head, her expression softening. "It's okay, Jared. I don't blame you for what happened."

Instantly, it felt like a part of the weight on my shoulder was relieved, but it was short-lived. I was saddled with the thought of my decision to either tell Arielle what her mother had revealed or not. But when I looked at her, I knew I couldn't bring myself to do it. Not now, at least.

Maverick got on the bed, and soon

was engaging his mother in a conversation: Their conversation was warm and sweet, radiating love. And as watched them, I felt nothing but a pull and a feeling of longing. It would be nice if life could be like this henceforth; free from all the drama and secrets that seemed to follow us everywhere.

Maverick laughed one of his belly laughs, his eyes sparkling at a joke he cracked. Arielle, on the other hand, despite how tired she looked, smiled at him, her face radiant with happiness. I felt a pang of regret, knowing that I couldn't share in their joy. Not yet, at least.

And as I sat here, watching them, I made a decision. I was going to keep Mrs Meyers's secret for now. I couldn't bring myself to hurt Arielle by revealing what I discovered, not when she was dealing with so much. Most importantly, tomorrow was her birthday, and I wanted it to be

drama-free and memorable for her.

Keeping Mrs Meyer's secret was a daunting task, but for Arielle, I was willing to see it through.