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

(JARED'S POV)

At the close of work, I packed up, ready to leave. I was reluctant to go home at first, but then, I had to if I didn't want Sofia to create another scene. And besides, I couldn't keep running away from my own house. On arriving home, Sofia welcomed me with a hug. I recoiled at her touch, I've been doing that lately. It amazed me how she could act normal after the stunt she pulled at my office earlier. "Hey, how was your day?" She asked, her voice dripping with fake sweetness that I could decipher.

"Fantastic, all thanks to you," I responded sarcastically while moving toward the stairs.

Her smile faltered, but she said nothing.

I got inside my room, our room rather, because Sofia had insisted on moving in since we were engaged and soon to be married. Just then, my phone rang. It was my mother calling. "Hello, Mom," I answered.

"My dear, how're you?" Her familiar soothing voice breezed in.

"I'm fine, Mom. Just got back from work."

"Alright. I have some good news for you."

"What is it?" I inquired, interested.

"Sofia's parents are returning to the country in two days."

I paused, my hand on my tie loosening. "Really? Is her father okay now?"

"Yes, hopefully. He thinks he's okay now, and the doctors think so too, so they'll be back from India in two days."

"Is Sofia aware?"

"No, she's not. It's going to be a surprise, so don't tell her. Just bring her over to the house for dinner, and we'll spring the surprise on her."

"Sounds like a good idea," I agreed.

"Yes, it is," she concurred. Then her tone turned serious. "How's things between you two?"

I didn't need to guess who she was referring to. "Fine, I guess."

"Do you think -

"Let's not talk about my relationship, Mom. Let's talk later, okay? Bye, I love you," I said and dropped the call.

Keeping the phone aside, my thoughts went to Sofia's parents. It was a good thing they were finally returning to the country, at least Sofia would get to reunite with her parents after a couple of years. Who knows, their return could do something to her character, and there could be an improvement.

Exhausted, I resumed undressing, stepping into the bathroom for a cold shower afterward.

After bathing and dressing up, I got on the bed with my home laptop and plugged in my ear pods. I had some documents to tend to. Usually, they were supposed to be handled by my secretary, but since I fired her, I had to do it myself.

Minutes into working, I got pressed and got off the bed to use the restroom. But one of my ear pods went off, rolling under the bed.

"Shit," I cussed, getting down on my knees to look under the bed. As I groped for the ear pod under the bed, my hand involuntarily collided with something. Curiously, I reached for it and retrieved it.

I was surprised to replace an object -a blue leather diary, and it was locked. Curiosity piqued on who owned it, as I was certain it wasn't mine, I placed it on the table.

I decided I'd get back to it, but for

now, I had to replace my ear pods as they cost quite a sum. I reached under the bed again, and this timel found it. And then I returned to the diary wondering where the key was and what it contained.

But the door creaked open, and I quickly shoved it behind the table. The door went open fully, and Sofia stepped in.

"Hey, what are you up to?" she asked.

I pointed to the laptop on the bed. "I'm working."

"You work so hard," she said, approaching me. "Why don't you cut yourself some slack and come downstairs and see a movie with me?"

This time, she was in front of me, placing her hands on my shoulders.

"I can't," I said, gently taking her hands off. "I have work to work if I want to be able to keep providing for you, and meeting all your outrageous demands."

Her smile faded, now replaced with a frown. "Is that an insult? Are you subtly shading me?"

"Of course not. "I'm merely stating the fact. You've refused to work or do anything; only relying on me. If join you to see a movie, I'll have work unattended to, and that will cause a halt to the cash flow. You don't want that, do you?"

I watched her eyes flare up and then cool off. "You know what? Forget I asked you to see a movie with me. Just go ahead with your work," and with that, she turned and walked away.

I stood unfazed until I could hear her

descending footsteps on the

staircase, Quicky, I grabbed the diary

again. I stared at the small, locked diary in my hand, unsure of who it belonged to at first, but something about it felt significant.

It was locked, of course, but I felt an overwhelming need to see what was inside, as if the answers I needed were hidden in its pages.

I fiddled with the lock, growing more frustrated by the second. Nothing seemed to work, until I suddenly remembered a trick from my high school days-picking locks with a pen.

I smiled wryly, the nostalgia of those long-forgotten mischievous days momentarily distracting me from the seriousness of the situation.

With a pen in hand, I pressed the tip into the keyhole, twisting it gently. Within seconds, the lock clicked open. A sense of unease settled in the pit of my stomach, but I pushed it aside, the curiosity overpowering my hesitation. The first page was blank, but when I turned to the next, my heart nearly stopped.

My heart suddenly increased its beating, as I glanced up at the unlocked bedroom door and back to the diary. I don't know what was inside, and it belonged to Arielle. Sofia could walk in any moment and replace me reading it. "Arielle Smith."