MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE
The Dinner

(ARIELLE'S POV)

Exhausted from the day's chaos, I pushed open the front door, desperate for the comfort of solitude. Between the rival restaurant's sabotage and Stephen and Rebecca's antics, my nerves were frayed. All I wanted was to collapse in peace. But the sight that greeted me was nothing short of surreal.

The space has been transformed to a cozy haven. The fireplace that was barely in use now crackled with fire, casting a warm and comfortable glow over the room. The dogs, looking freshly bathed and groomed, lay by the fire, looking content.

As if that was not enough, a nice smelling aroma of food sailed into my nose. Nose flared, I traced its source to the kitchen. Once again, I was thrown off balance by the sight before me.

Jared and Maverick, moving around the kitchen in what looked like a team effort to prepare dinner. Jared, effortlessly cool as always, flipped a steak with the precision of someone who'd been doing this for years-except I knew better. Meanwhile, Maverick, spatula in hand, looked up as I entered, his face lighting up.

"Mommy! Welcome back!" he exclaimed, his excitement contagious.

"Hey, Arielle," Jared greeted, as if it were perfectly normal for him to be in my kitchen, cooking dinner with our son.

I blinked, trying to process the scene. "What's... going on here?"

"Daddy wanted to surprise you with dinner!" Maverick announced proudly.

I glanced between the two of them, emotions swirling. Gratitude, unease, and more than a little suspicion. Why was Jared being so.... domestic? He hated cooking when we were married unless he'd royally screwed up and needed to apologize. This sudden display of domesticity set off every alarm bell in my head.

And if he thought he could impress me with these, he was definitely wrong.

"Thanks," I managed, keeping my tone casual. "It smells amazing in here."

Maverick grinned, his face glowing with pride. "We did it, Daddy!" He raised his hand for a high five.

Jared obliged with a smirk. "We sure did, partner."

And then he turned to me, his expression softening, "You look stressed, more stressed than I have seen you in a long time. Why don't you take a bath? We got the hot tub for you. While you relax, we'd set the table," he said, looking at me with concerned eyes.

I looked at him, stunned. Part of me wanted to snap and demand to know what he was up to, but the weight of the day had worn down my defenses. Against my better judgment, I nodded.

"Alright," I muttered, retreating to my bedroom.

When I entered the bathroom, I froze. The tub was filled with steaming water, the surface flecked with lavender leaves and glistening with scented oil. My heart clenched. He remembered my love for lavender.

I shut my eyes, willing the warmth creeping into my chest to go away.

It was not right.

None of these was.

I felt like I was walking into a carefully constructed trap, designed to make me feel comfortable and at ease.

And I was not supposed to be feeling any of that, not with Jared in my house.

That decided, I stormed back into the kitchen, ready to give Jared a piece of my mind. But as I entered, I was met with Maverick's eager face.

"Mommy, did you like your bath?" He asked, his eyes glittering expectantly.

My heart instantly melted, and I hesitated, not wanting to crush his enthusiasm. "Yes, sweetie, I did. Thanks to you... and your Dad," I said, forcing a smile. His smile widened. "I'm so glad!"

"I'm going to go back and finish getting ready, and then I'll come down for dinner," I announced, trying to sound casual and cool.

Jared nodded, his eyes watching me with an intensity that made me shiver. Still, I turned around and left.

After bathing and changing into something decent, I made my way to the dining room. The table was already set, and Jared and Maverick were seated in wait for me.

I sat down, and Jared presented me with a plate of grilled steak, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, and steamed veggies.

"Bon appétit," Maverick beamed, and I smiled. I'm guessing that's the new term Jared had taught him.

The food looked amazing-perfectly plated and aromatic. My stomach growled in anticipation as I eagerly took my first bite.

And immediately regretted it.

The steak was dry and overcooked, the vegetables mushy, and the coleslaw inexplicably salty. I chewed carefully, struggling to keep my expression neutral.

Across the table, Jared and

Maverick were watching me like

hawks. As my face became harder to read, their unease grew, especially Maverick's. His little brows furrowed, and his shoulders slumped as he glanced nervously at his father.

"Mommy, come on!" he finally pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation. "Daddy tried so hard-you have to like something!"

I hesitated, noticing the way Maverick's lip quivered ever so slightly. But... but it's so hard! These foods just coldly reminded me of the memories in The Red Velvet. Too many cooking disasters for today! "Well..." I forced another bite of food down, grimacing internally, then brightened. "The mashed potatoes are actually pretty good. Not a bad job Mr Smith."

Maverick murmured with a sigh, "I made that, Mommy..."

The three of us sat in silence, an awkwardness settling over the room.

Well, perhaps Maverick was too young to feel the weight of it. Instead, he tilted his head and asked cautiously, "But... does it really taste good?"

I raised an eyebrow in surprise, then

broke into a grin. "Of course, Chef Maverick In fact, your culinary skills might already surpass your

dad's and you're not even four yet," I said, sending a pointed look at

Jared. ove

Jared chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "What can I say?"

I couldn't resist holding his gaze, my tone laced with subtle sarcasm. "Well, it seems your cooking hasn't improved much since three years ago."

Jared's smile faltered slightly, but I wasn't done.

"Or even six years ago... before we got married. Do you remember? You once flew in from Germany and came to the restaurant where I worked, just to buy my soup for Nana Jean, and..." Those words slipped out before I could stop them. I froze and shut my mouth immediately.

A wave of regret washed over me, as I silently berated myself for letting my guard down.

Jared's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied me intently, searching for something wasn't ready to share. Meanwhile, Maverick, oblivious to the tension, glanced between us with wide,

curious eyes.

I avoided Jared's gaze, quickly breaking eye contact. Without another word, I turned my attention back to my plate, stabbing a piece of steak with my fork as if it could distract me from the storm brewing in my chest. Why had I brought that up? Why now?