MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE
Time to let go

(JARED'S POV)

"Hell has no fury like a woman scorned in the heart."

The words reverberated in my ears over and over again, and I felt like cutting them off. I was driving home after the confrontation with Arielle, but the words won't stop replaying in my head. And each time they did, I felt shivers run down my spine. Those words were no mere words. They were the words of a woman who had changed in so many ways. Arielle had changed.

My eyes trailed to the papers on the passenger seat, the words "Irreconcilable differences" staring back at me. I sighed and tore my gaze away. I had tried to convince Arielle to change her mind, to consider what people would say.

So far, people who were privy to our marriage thought it to be perfect -a match made in heaven. How will they take the news of our divorce?

But Arielle was adamant. She had walked into the room and returned with the divorce papers which she shoved into my hands, and asked me out of the house.

I had tried to pacify her, but she threatened to call the neighborhood guard on me, and with the look in her eyes, I knew she would go through with the threat if I didn't leave.

And so I left with the papers, flinging them on the passenger seat as soon as I got into the car.

My thoughts were cut short by the ringing of my phone. I reached for it and saw it was Sofia calling. An exasperated sigh left my lips when I saw she had called me multiple types before now. Now, that spelled trouble because Sofia hates her calls being missed. I had left my phone in the car while talking to Arielle

Hesitating, I answered the phone.

"Hey."

"Jared, where have you been?" Sofia's voice was shrill on the other end. "You haven't been taking my calls. Do you now stay out late?"

I sighed inwardly. Way to go, Sofia. I'm too tired for this. But I managed to keep my voice calm and normal. "Hey, I got caught up with some paperwork. I'm on my way home now."

"That's not true!" She countered. "I called your office and was told you left the office by 5 pm. What time is it now, Jared?"

I stole a glance at my wristwatch; it was 7 pm.

"You suddenly can't speak anymore?" Her voice rose accusingly. "Fine, come home. I'm waiting for you." And with that, she dropped the call.

I sighed again and flung the phone away. The last thing I needed was anyone's tantrums. But as I pulled into the garage, weariness washed over me. I wasn't ready to face Sofia's nagging, not after the confrontation with Arielle.

I walked to the front door, and immediately Sofia opened the door, her eyes blazing with anger. "Where have you been?"

I forced a smile, trying to placate her. "I told you, I got caught up at work."

Sofia hissed. "Don't lie to me, Jared. I know you went to see Arielle."

My eyes dimmed. How did she know?

"What makes you think that?"

"Because," she started to say but paused, her eyes settling on something. I followed her gaze and saw it was fixated on the folder tugged under my arm. Shit, how could I have forgotten?

I tried to reach for it, to hide it from her eyes, but she beat me to it. She snatched it, her eyes curious.

"Hand it over, Sofia."

But she ignored me, attempting to unfasten the lapel.

"Hey, that's not for you," I said, taking a step toward her.

But she moved away and began walking off.

"Sofia?"

She hastened her steps, walking towards the sitting room. I followed in hot pursuit, being careful not to startle her. She was pregnant and could slip and hurt herself.

We got to the sitting room, and she moved further from me before pulling out the papers in the folder.

"Umm," she murmured, her eyes lighting up. "Divorce decree."

I sighed in resignation, deciding it was pointless trying to get the papers from her. She already saw its content.

"Reason; Irreconcilable differences," Sofia read to my hearing. "Wow! So Miss-perfect is filing for a divorce?" She added, looking up at me.

"Sofia, that's not something to joke about. My marriage is tethering on the brink of divorce."

"It's for the better," Sofia said, drawing a frown from me.

"What do you mean by that?"

Sofia sighed, returned the papers to the folder, and approached me. "You see," she began, stopping in front of me.

"Arielle has been the obstacle

standing in the way of us being together," she said, her voice low and sultry. "But somehow, the universe has helped us by making her realize she doesn't have a place in your life. Never would. So asking for a divorce is the best decision she could ever make."

My brows shot up inches away from my hairline, in confusion. "What are you implying, Sofia?"

Her face took on a broad smile. "I'm implying that you and I can finally be together. Come on, Jared. I know you still love me, never stopped loving me. You only got married Arielle because of your grandmother, and because I

vel.fet

traveled. Now, I'm back, you're trying not to hurt her by leaving the marriage. It's a good thing she filed for the divorce, that way, you won't feel guilty for ending the marriage.

"Sofia -"

"Just sign the papers, Jared, and pay her off. She was merely a distraction who has served her purpose, now it's time to let go of her."