Mission: From Divorcee to Millionaire

Everett's face was a bit blurry in the dim light, his eyes fixed on her before he suddenly leaned in and, almost playfully, bit her neck. "Ouch..." Selena gasped, caught off guard by the sharp pain.

"Selena, I really want to..." he whispered fiercely in her ear, but the words trailed off as he pulled away and straightened up.

With a quick adjustment, he was back to being the composed and aloof Mr. Everett.

Selena, on the other hand, looked like she'd been through a whirlwind, her hair a mess, clothes askew, and a suggestive mark on her neck. If she hadn't been bundled up today, who knows how much further he would've pushed it! As a servant neared, Selena swallowed her annoyance, quickly tidied herself up, and slipped out of the car.

She grabbed her luggage and walked inside without a backward glance.

Everett remained in the driver's seat, slowly rolling down the window, his dark eyes tracking her until she vanished from sight.

He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a long drag, leaning back as he let the smoke curl out lazily, blurring his features.

----

After a shower, Selena scrubbed away at every spot Everett had touched, though the bite mark on her neck stubbornly lingered.

She wiped the steam off the mirror to inspect the bruise, realizing it would take days to fade, fueling her frustration.

What a dog of a man, she thought.

Wrapped in her bathrobe, she moved to the window and peered down. The car was gone; he had finally left, and her tense nerves began to relax.

Thinking of her son, she quickly grabbed her phone, turned it on, and called home.

Little Mateo must've been upset, trying to reach her multiple times with no answer.

Selena sighed with a resigned smile, sitting cross-legged on the bed and dialing her apartment in Germany, near the Ink & Insight branch.

Ava answered quickly, still calling her "Mrs." even after the divorce.

Though she and Everett had split, she didn't mind the title; it helped fend off unwanted attention, especially since she was raising a child. "How's little Mateo?" she asked.novelbin

Ava replied, "He's been sulking since you didn't pick up his calls and had your phone off. He's been a handful."

Selena sighed.

Without a father figure, little Mateo clung to her, especially with his frequent illnesses. Her absence had clearly upset him, and not answering his calls had tipped him over

en

She asked Ava to pass the phone to him, and she gently soothed, "Sweetie, when I get back, how about I get you a Superman Digga, okay?" Still pouting, little Mateo shook his head, "I don't want Superman, I want you, Mom."

Selena felt a pang of emotion.

Quickly composing herself, she explained, "Mateo, I had to come back because your great-uncle is sick. Remember how I told you he raised me? We need to be grateful and help those who helped us."

Understanding beyond his years, Mateo's tantrum faded.

BUMS

Knowing how much being sick sucked, he quietly pleaded, "Then please come back soon, Mom. Don't leave me."

Selena chuckled, "I could never. I love you so much, I'll always be here for you."

Her heart ached a bit.

Children from single-parent homes often felt things deeply.

Especially as he noticed other kids had both parents while he only had her.

She vowed to shower him with all the love she could.

Promising she'd be back soon, she chatted with Mateo until he finally sounded cheerful again.

As night settled in deeper, Everett found himself back at Moon Bay, a place he hadn't frequented since moving out two years ago.

He turned on every light to chase away the cold emptiness of the house.

In the master bedroom, he tossed his coat aside and lay on the bed Selena had once carefully chosen for them, where they'd shared countless tender moments.

With a hand resting on his forehead, he drifted into thought until his phone rang, jolting him back to the present.

Checking the caller ID, he saw it was Yasmine.