MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE

(ARIELLE'S POV.)

I could feel the heat of both Stephen's and Rebecca's gazes on me.

"Is any of that really necessary?" I asked, a frown pulling at my lips. Mixing business with personal life was a line I didn't like to cross. Especially not with Jared, who clearly had an agenda.

Jared straightened his tie, not missing a beat. "What's more relatable than real life?" he replied smoothly, eyes flicking to me for just a second too long. "Of course, the examples I gave are purely hypothetical," he added, the subtle emphasis making it clear he knew exactly what he was insinuating.

Sometimes it's just that hard to resist the urge to snap. Everyone here knew what he was indicating when he talked about marriage!

"Let's break it down." he continued, ignoring my killing glare, "In any successful marriage, there's a constant ebb and flow of communication-much like any thriving business. If one partner isn't speaking up about their needs, or worse, if they're not listening, the entire foundation begins to crack."

He let the silence linger, but I could feel his gaze landing on me just a second too long.

"Now, conflict resolution-another pillar," Jared said, leaning forward, his hands resting on the desk. "In both marriage and business, if you don't resolve conflicts, you destroy trust. You can't let things just fester. You've got to face the issue, talk it out, and find a compromise. And compromise is key, whether you're working out a business deal or deciding how to spend your weekend."

There it was again, that subtle jab. He didn't have to say it, but I knew exactly what he meant. Jared, the king of compromise, always the diplomat. Just check his track record with everything between me and Sofia!

"Loyalty," he continued, "is the unspoken contract, whether it's between a husband and wife, or a CEO and their team. Loyalty builds respect. It's not about blind obedience, but trust. Trust that when things get tough, you'll both fight for the common goal, whether that's the success of your business or the longevity of your relationship."

Now he's talking about loyalty?

I felt my blood pressure rise. Was he really this clueless, or was he doing this on purpose? I could practically feel Rebecca and Stephen holding their breath.

"It's a creed I've always lived by. But of course, none of this applies to anyone personally," he added with a sly smirk. "I'm just here to teach the concepts. No need to overthink it."

I couldn't tell if I was more frustrated by his audacity or by how smoothly he deflected. But I wasn't going to let him off the hook.

"So," I said, forcing a smile, "to clarify, you believe that running a business and maintaining a marriage are essentially the same thing? Just with different goals?"

Jared's smile never faltered, but there was a flicker of something behind his eyes. He could tell I wasn't buying what he was selling.

"Well, if the marriage is built on communication, loyalty, and conflict resolution, I'd say it's a pretty good analogy," he replied, casually. "The challenges might be different, but the strategies... they're universal."

I couldn't help it. My eyebrows shot up in disbelief. He was getting way too comfortable, like he was trying to rewrite our history into something picture-perfect. Did he really think this was his way back in?

"Right," I said, leaning forward, voice cool. "So, if we take your analogy a little further... What happens when trust gets broken? When loyalty's compromised? How do you fix that?"

Jared's smile tightened, but his eyes remained steady. He opened his mouth to speak, but for a brief moment, he hesitated.

"Well, in that case..." He paused, "You start by addressing the issue directly. No assumptions. No silences. Clear, honest communication."

"Even when one person's been hurt, and the other has no idea-still keeping secrets? Wouldn't you say that's just like business, where one side has way more to lose than the other?"

Jared froze. He had nothing to say, just staring at me for a beat. The air was thick with tension, and I could practically feel Rebecca and Stephen bracing for the fallout. Jared's face flushed red, the words caught in his throat.

"Arielle, that's a bit off-topic, don't you think?" he said, his voice quieter now, but still trying to brush it off.

"Well, since we're in memory lane, how about we throw in some bad ones too, for balance?" I said, pouring fuel on the already simmering fire. "I can think of one, a pretty practical one. If in a partnership, one side starts trusting a third party and keeps information from the other? That's a surefire way to tank everything. That partnership's done."

Stephen nodded thoughtfully. "That's a fair point."

Jared didn't even look at him. He rolled his eyes, irritation flashing across his face. "Oh, just shut up, Stephen," he snapped. "We're done for the day."

He threw his hands up in frustration and stormed out of the room, leaving the tension hanging like a cloud.

Stephen and Rebecca exchanged glances before turning back to me.

Rebecca was the first to speak. "Ma'am, did we make Mr. Smith angry?"

I shook my head. "No, it's not you. You guys didn't do anything. I just got a little... emotional. I'll apologize to him in a bit. Don't worry, it's fine."

Stephen frowned, clearly still puzzled. "But you didn't say anything wrong. Isn't this just an academic discussion?"

Rebecca gave him a light tap on the head. "You big idiot, just shut up."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, alright. Enough with the drama. Get back to work, both of you."

After they left, I went to sit at my desk, but just as I was about to settle in, the door swung open. Jared walked in, grinning like a schoolboy caught up in mischief.

"Geez! Don't you know how to knock?" I told my eyes at him. I looked away and pulled out my laptop from my bag. I had to commence my search for new cleaning staff since Jared had suggested I cancel my contract with the cleaning company.

"I just... came to apologize for earlier," he started, still standing. "You know, I've never really-"

He walked over to sit down across from me, and I folded my arms, eyeing him. "I thought you were all busy with your 'expensive time' and all that," I added, a little sarcasm sneaking into my voice.

"Very funny," he muttered, settling into silence.

"Well, since you don't want to leave, enjoy the room," I said and rose to my feet.

"Wait!" he called after me, sounding almost desperate.

I turned back, eyebrow raised. "What is it now, Jared? Why are you still here?"

"Can't we just have a chat without the other two meddling?" he asked with a patronizing smile.

"What, you want to try me again with your usual lines? I told you already-only course-related stuff. Is that all? Because I actually have work to do."

His jaw tightened, frustration flashing in his eyes. "Why won't you just let me explain, at least... for once?"

I looked at the digital clock on my desk.

I still had some time left before the kitchen would need me for any serious business.

Maybe that was the lie I told myself. Or maybe I'd grown a softness in my heart, courtesy of Maverick's words on the way to his school. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with whatever explanation he had to give. I could already imagine myself walking out of the office. But here was definitely something prompting me to listen. Maybe it was the silent truce we had managed over the past few days. Or maybe I'd grown tired of resisting. novelbin

I chose to believe the former.

"Fine. Go ahead. Tell me something I don't know," I finally said quietly.

Jared's face lit up with surprise and something like relief. He hesitated, like he wasn't sure how to start.

"Okay..." he stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm gonna start by saying that, uh..."

"Jared, would you just get to the point?" I groaned.

"Alright calm down. I'll speak now. I know things have not exactly been the most rosy between us. Mostly because of me," he said.

"All because of you. Let's get that straight."

"You're not gonna make this easy for me, are you?" He couldn't help but grin a little, shaking his head.

I shrugged and tapped my hand impatiently on my elbow.

"So, about this morning," he continued, looking at me. "Like I said, my engagement with Tiana? It's not real. It's just temporary. We were just talking about how we'll act when we meet our parents this weekend. That's it. Nothing more."

I raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, Jared. Miss Tiana didn't look like she was on the same page this morning. Are you sure you've fully hashed it out with her?"

Before he could respond, I shook my head, a dry laugh escaping. "You know what? It doesn't even matter. This isn't my problem, so don't bother explaining."

He leaned forward, frustration

flickering across his face. "Arielle,

don't say that Don't pretend like you don't know what I've been doing

lately. I just want another chance et

with you. I need you to see it. When will you see the effort I've been putting in? Tiana, Sofia, my mom, my grandmother-none of them have bothered you lately, right? I said I could handle it, and I have. I just want you to feel at ease. I want you back."

His voice rose a little, but he didn't stop. "I've been thinking; I should've done better know you've heard that cliché before, but I've learned it the hard way. I should've treated you better Been a better husband, Who knows... maybe we could've had that first kid, huh? Sometimes, wonder how things could've turned out if we'd done things differently."

I blinked, taken aback. I'd never heard him speak about our past like that.

Hell, I'd thought about it too...

The dream of our first child, a little girl, a big sister to Maverick. I wondered what might've been if I hadn't lost that pregnancy.

"I want to make it right Ari. I can't change the past. I can't undo the hurt I've caused you. But I swear, I'll try. I love you, Arielle."