(Jared's POV)“Jared, where the hell are you? Sofia just called me. She's in pain, her stomach is hurting…”I froze at my mother's words, as shivers ran down my spine. I didn't realize when an exclamation left my mouth. “What?”“You have to leave wherever you are, and whatever you're doing and go home! Nothing must happen to–”That was all I heard as I dropped the call. I was immediately thrown into a state of panic, as I scrambled to gather my clothes on the floor.“What's wrong?” Arielle’s voice sounded behind me. I hadn't realized when she left the bed. My mind was filled and racing with worst–case scenarios.“You're making me scared. What happened? Who was on the phone?” Arielle's voice broke into my thoughts again. This time, she was now standing in front of me, her face filled with worry.I tried to speak, but my words were jumbled. “Sofia…my mother called…she's in pain. Her stomach hurts.” Arielle's eyes widened in alarm. “What's happening to her?’I shook my head, my heart ra
(ARIELLE’S POV)After Jared left, I was beside myself with worry. What could be wrong with Sofia? I wondered. It was barely 24hrs Jared and I left the house, and she had developed a stomach pain?I tried to distract myself with the thought that Jared will handle the situation, but my mind wouldn't budge. For a moment, I suspected foul play. What if it was a ploy by Sofia to lure Jared back to the house as she never wanted him to leave in the first place?But I shoved the thought aside, trying not to look paranoid and insecure. If she was pretending, she wouldn't involve Jared's mother, right? The more I thought about everything, the restless I became.Then a thought struck me; what if the situation was critical and more than Jared could handle? I jerked up from the bed that instant, I needed to go home too. Just in case Jared needed help.And so without a second thought, I grabbed my clothes and threw them on. I took hold of my purse and hurried out. Outside the hotel, I booked a cab
(ARIELLE’S POV)I paused, trying to assimilate Ashley's words. Slowly, I locked my gaze with hers. “You're kidding, right?”“Do I look like I am?” Ashley retorted, her voice firm and serious.I took a breath, trying once again to make sense of her suggestion.Divorce Jared? Somehow the very idea felt surreal, foreign. My mind raced as the thought took root—why would I ever divorce Jared? I had invested everything into this marriage, fought so hard to make it work…I shook my head, trying to laugh it off. “I don’t think you’re serious Ash,” I said, though my voice betrayed a slight tremor. “Well, I am. You can't keep being the person Jared second guesses, Arielle. You're his wife, for crying out loud. He's a grown man and should choose who he wants. If he's still stuck up with Sofia, then he should be with her. If he wants you, he should be decisive about it, and one of the ways to do that is to put Sofia in her rightful place. And trust me, her place is not in your lives or in your m
(ARIELLE'S POV) The next day was Sunday, and I was grateful it was not a work day. When I roused from sleep, all I did was shower, have breakfast and watch TV as Ashley wouldn't let me raise a pin. “Hey,” she squeezed my shoulder gently, sliding onto the couch next to me. “What's up?” “Hey,” I spared her a glance and returned my eyes back to the TV. “You're done?” The aim of the question was because Ashley had risen at the crack of dawn to prune the flowers flanking her house entrance, and I wanted to ascertain if she was done. “Yup, yup. The flowers look neater now.” “You should go have breakfast, you've been working for hours,” I said, my eyes still fixed on the show. “Well, you've been engrossed on the TV that you didn't realize that I finished pruning the flowers a while ago, have showered, changed into fresh clothes and even had breakfast. Gosh! Are all pregnant women this lazy and less observant?” I paused. “Wait, what?” I asked, and turned to look at her properly. And
(ARIELLE'S POV) At the sound of Jared's voice, Sofia quickly withdrew her hand and swirled around to face him. The coldness in her eyes was now replaced with warmth, and I wondered how she effortlessly switched personalities. “Nothing Serious. Arielle , here, just arrived and I was informing her how worried we were in her absence,” Sofia said smiling. “Arielle?” Jared called and hastened his steps, and soon he was in front of me. “You got me worried. Where have you been?” “Somewhere safe,” I mumbled, avoiding eye contact with him. “I was so worried when I called Ashley and she said you were not with her. I wanted to call the cops but Sofia suggested we stall a bit. She was really optimistic that you were fine and would return home, and she was right.” Sofia flashed me a smug triumphant smile. I stifled a scoff. How blind can Jared be? Sofia’s suggestion was not from a place of concern for me, but because she didn't want him to look for me. But as usual, she had played he
(ARIELLE'S POV) Ok. Here he played this ‘charming husband’ card again.I stood rooted to the spot, contemplating my response. Truth was, I had made no plans on returning to the house today. Even though I knew I was going to return eventually, it just wasn't today. “Jared, I don't think I want to come home today,” I blurted. His brows furrowed. “Why? You're still mad at me, aren't you? Come on, Arielle. I promise to explain everything to you if you come home with me.” I hesitated. “But–” “No buts, Arielle. Please, come home. You can't run from your matrimonial home.” I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, a matrimonial home invaded by a stranger,” I murmured. “What did you say?” “I said nothing.” Just then, Rebecca walked past us, waving excitedly. I groaned inwardly, and without another word I walked ahead of Jared to the car. I was not ready to give Rebecca the slightest hint that my marriage was going through some rocky times. I got into the car, and threw my face out the window. Jared
(ARIELLE'S POV) I watched Jared pause, his eyes widening like saucers, and almost bulging out of their sockets. But I was not fazed, I still wanted to hear his response.Silence hung between us.“What did you say?” he asked, his voice still tinged with shock, his expression frozen. “Do you still want to be with her?” I went on. When I said “her,” he knew exactly who I was referring to. “Pardon me, but you're not being coherent.” “Fine, I will spell it out to you!” I exclaimed. I was suddenly bored and wanted to cut to the chase. “These days, I have been doing a lot of thinking, and have figured out some things. If you still can’t let go of Sofia, then I will set you free to be with her. I will not stand in the way of you being with your longtime sweetheart. We will part ways amicably, and if you two want, I can give my blessings.” “What in Hades' name are you talking about!” Jared exploded, rising to his feet. His warm blue eyes have now turned icy, and his Adam's apple bubbled
(ARIELLE'S POV)“You don't mean it!” Ashley exclaimed over the phone. “I can imagine the look of shock on her face.”The instant I got to the office and settled in, I got on a call with Ashley to fill her in on the event of the morning. She was surprised and happy, and it reflected in her cheerful laughter.“For a moment, I feared she was going to lunge at me in anger. She was so shocked. I guess being turned down when she was used to having her way was not such a good experience for her.”“I know, right? Jared deserves a pat on the back. He should do that often. Let her know she can't always have her way,” Ashley squealed. “I wish he could continue this way,” I said, my voice suddenly losing some of its brightness. “It hurts to see him fluctuate all the time. This time he's defending me, the other, he's doing all her biddings.”“Come on, don't be like that. Didn't you say he was remorseful last night and apologized?”“He did, but–”“No buts, Arielle Smith. I'm sorry to have suggeste
(ARIELLE’S POV)Both Ashley and her mom looked up at me simultaneously, their eyes wide with surprise. Mrs Thompson's expression was that of relief, her face relaxing as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Ashley, on the other hand, was more of confusion than surprise, her brows furrowed together."I promise, I'll see what I can do," I added, trying not to give them false hope. I didn’t want to disappoint them, not after agreeing to help.Mrs Thompson nodded, her warm smile returning to her face. "I'm so grateful, thank you, Arielle," she said, her voice filled with emotions. She was on the brink of tears.And before I knew it, Mrs Thompson was pulling me into a hug. I reciprocated, wrapping my arms around her and holding her close, while trying to avoid meeting Ashley's eyes, which had a questioning look in them.After disengaging from the hug, I declared my intention to leave. "I should get going," I said, glancing at my phone. "Maverick will be worried by now, he's alo
(ARIELLE’S POV)Ashley leaned over the partition between the drivers side and passengers side, crooning her neck so he could hear her. "Excuse me, I'm sorry, but we'll have to reverse and take Margaux home, first.""Alright, Ma," the driver said, and immediately put the car in reverse. As we sped off, I was glad I was able to take care of Margaux for her grandparents. All I wanted was to get her home safely, and then Ashley and I would take a cab to her mother's place.We all settled into silence, with the gentle snoring of Margaux, and the sound of the car's engine and the occasional passing cars breaking the stillness.Soon, the car pulled up at Harrison's house, a warm and cozy Victorian home with a beautifully trimmed lawn. We sent the driver to call the butler to take Margaux in."Thank you so much, guys," Margaux said, her voice sleepy, as the butler helped her out of the car. She stretched, arching her back, and then smiled at us."No problem, take care," Ashley and I responded
(ARIELLE'S POV) Sofia even gave me a slightly apologetic glance as she passed by, holding onto Jared’s arm. I must’ve looked like a fool, standing there like that. Ashley, already rolling up her sleeve and shaking her fist, muttered, "I'll go ask him what he means by this." "Don't pull me!" I heard her protest as Roman grabbed her arm. Margaux, sighing, interjected, "Why don't we listen to what Arielle has to say first?" Ashley spun around to face me, her expression fierce. "Ari, don't worry about it. I'll find out exactly what's going on." I shook my head. "Don’t ask him. We have nothing to do with each other anymore." Ashley’s face shifted through several emotions before she finally spoke. "What do you mean?" "I mean," I paused, gathering my thoughts, "we had a fight a few days ago, and I told him that we’re done. We have nothing left between us." Silence hung in the air for a long moment. Ashley just stood there, calming down as she processed my words. Roman, seemingly
(ARIELLE'S POV)7pm, the Grand Imperial Hotel."You’ve got to pull yourself together," I said to myself, splashing cold water on my face.The afternoon had passed in a blur—probably because my mind kept drifting.Stephen had handled everything, and I arrived 20 minutes early. Now, I found myself here, stuck in this awkward limbo. How hard could it be? Negotiate with dealers, help clients solve problems, assist blind dates, and maybe catch my ex-husband in the act?“If I get through tonight, I’m buying a lottery ticket,” I murmured, a bitter smile crossing my lips.I checked the time again, then left the bathroom, taking a seat closer to the table with the sea view.That’s when I spotted Margaux, the young woman supposedly the Harrisons' granddaughter, waiting for her date.She looked delicate, calm, almost ethereal in a beautiful blue dress—something straight out of a French film. She had this quiet, classical elegance about her. It was hard to believe she was the rebellious granddau
(ARIELLE'S POV)"Thank you, still," Mrs. Harrison said, her eyes persistent.I nodded, smiling warmly. "You're welcome," I said, realizing the older woman had no intention of backing off unless she heard those words.She smiled, seeming to relax now. "And Mrs Harrison," I called, my voice taking a serious tone."Yes?" she responded, looking up at me expectantly, her husband beside her. Thankfully, his complexion had returned to normal, and he seemed back to his usual self."You know, as we get older, our eating habits change. Some foods become harder to chew, so we need to replace them with softer options," I began carefully.Mr. Harrison sighed, looking a little uncomfortable. "We’re always so cautious about what we eat," he said, as if weighing his words. "Sorry if we caused any trouble."I shook my head with a reassuring smile. "Not at all, sir. Actually, we have some options on the menu that I personally designed for guests like you—things like tender meats, pureed soups, soft ri
(ARIELLE'S POV)"Mommy, Uncle Dwayne and I are taking the dogs out for their evening walk. We won’t stay long, love you!" Maverick's voice rang out from the porch.I was in the kitchen, trying to get dinner together while he was out with Dwayne, who had just shown up a few minutes ago."Alright," I called back, and soon, I heard their retreating footsteps and the happy barks of the dogs.Sighing, I covered the cooking pot of pasta and went to sit at the kitchen table. The evening was cool and lovely, sunlight streaming through the windows, but my thoughts? Not so peaceful.It’s been a week since my fight with Jared, and I hadn't heard from him since. Dwayne, on the other hand—despite his busy schedule with the whole business expansion thing—still made time every evening to take the dogs for their walks with Maverick. With three dogs now, their little routine had become part of their day, like clockwork.Every time I looked at the golden retriever puppy, I couldn't help but think about
(JARED'S POV)I felt something snap and twist inside of me. The news hit me harder than I expected, and for a moment, my anger towards her evaporated. Sofia kept talking, her voice small, apologetic. “Jared… I wasn’t supposed to interrupt you with all this, it’s my mum—she asked me to—”But she was cut off by her mother’s steely gaze. I watched as Mrs. Gold's grip on her daughter's wrist tightened, almost painfully, as if she could crush Sofia’s hand into silence. My eyes flicked back to Sofia—there was something so vulnerable about her now. It hit me like a punch to the gut. I stared at her longer than I should have, unable to look away from the pain and helplessness reflected in her eyes.Mrs. Gold broke the silence with a sharp, accusing tone, her voice like the crack of a whip. “You see, Jared, we’ve been trying to get your family to help us. After all, I saved your mother’s life those years ago…”I could feel my eye twitch with the familiar irritation. There she goes again, u
(JARED'S POV)After Arielle left, I buried my face in my palms, feeling a tide of frustration and guilt was over me. I couldn’t follow her. At least. I knew I shouldn’t. She needed space, and for once, leaving her alone felt like the least I could do after everything I had said.I exhaled sharply, trying to steady my breathing, but it didn’t help. The confrontation kept replaying in my mind, each detail reminding me how I had mishandled it. How could I have let my emotions spiral like that? I had let my anger get the best of me, and now I was left with nothing but a mess of my own making.I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d ruined everything—again. As much as I was frustrated by her reluctance to forgive me, I knew deep down it wasn’t about that. She was just hurt. I had caused her pain, and I should never have lashed out the way I did.I should have been more patient, more understanding.I mean, how do I win her back if the impression I always give off is that of a man who can't
(ARIELLE'S POV)Jared seemed like a wild beast that had lost its sanity. His kisses were without any pattern, seemingly driven only by animal instinct.“Ja... Jared...” I gasped, barely able to catch my breath.I pushed against him with every ounce of strength, but it was useless. Instead, I tore his suit jacket in the process. The fire in his eyes only grew more intense, and in one swift motion, he shoved me down onto the sofa, pinning me beneath him. We had kissed before, shared a bed, but I had never seen him like this. Mad. Wild. Like a beast baring its teeth. I had always thought of him as powerful but harmless, but now, fear crept up my spine.His kisses moved lower, his mouth hot against my skin. A sharp, searing pain shot through my collarbone. Instantly, clarity returned to my mind, and I found my voice again. My hands shot to his chest, and I shoved with all my might, finally creating enough space to push him away."Jared, sober up!" I cried, my voice trembling with a mix