All Chapters of The Billionaire’s Regret : Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

ELARA’S POV “Elara Lilith Westwood, do you mind explaining that nonsense I just watched on Wake Up NYC?” my mother’s sharp voice cut through the quiet morning air, her rage radiating from her. The driver, oblivious to the growing tension, casually carried my suitcase to the front porch of the house. A small part of me wanted to call out to him, to tell him not to bother going past the gate because there was a good chance I wouldn’t be staying long. My mother might disown me before I even set foot inside. But I didn’t. I simply stood there, frozen, as my mother shifted slightly to let the driver pass, her piercing gaze never leaving me. “Are you even listening to me?” she snapped, her frown deepening as I stayed silent. “Mom, the thing is… I— uhm…” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. “What? Speak up, Elara!” she demanded. “What you saw on TV was… a lie,” I finally managed, though I wasn’t sure she believed me. Her eyes narrowed as she launched into the rant I’d bee

ELARA’S POV Nate sighed, running a hand through his hair. His lips parted like he was about to say something, but he didn’t. A part of me wanted to ask what it was, to push him to spill whatever thoughts were hanging on the tip of his tongue. But I didn’t. I knew better. Asking would only lead to another argument, and I was too tired for that. So, I turned around and headed back into the house, hoping that would be the end of it. But it wasn’t. I could hear his footsteps following me, the soft thuds trailing me all the way to the porch. I didn’t say a word, hoping he’d get the hint and leave. He didn’t. When I reached the front door, my hand froze on the knob. I spun around, unable to hold back my frustration any longer. “And where exactly do you think you’re going?” I snapped, raising a brow. “Where else?” he said, shrugging like it was obvious. “I’m coming in.” “Not a chance,” I fired back. “You’re not welcome here, Nate.” “Your mom told us to wait for her to come bac

ELARA’S POV For the past two hours, Mom hasn’t said a word about Nate. Heck, she hasn’t said much to me at all, and I’m dying to know what’s going through her head. I thought we were in a good place the last time I was here, I thought we’d moved past all the tension, but clearly, we’re back at square one. Each time I’ve tried to start a conversation, she’s blatantly ignored me, focusing on her cooking like it’s the most important task in the world. And honestly, I knew better than to push her. Mom wasn’t the type to hold back when she wanted to speak her mind. If she was staying quiet, it meant she was either thinking deeply or waiting for me to crack. Fine. I’d wait for the right moment. “Can you just say it already?” I huffed, dropping my fork onto my plate. The weight of her silence had been suffocating, and the occasional stares she threw my way were only making it worse. Mom glanced up at me but didn’t say a word. “Mom, seriously,” I pressed, the guilt gnawi

NATE’S POVThe door to the building pushed open, and my head snapped toward it.Elara walked in, looking entirely different from the last time I saw her. Gone was the oversized T-shirt that left just enough to the imagination to drive me crazy. She’d always been a sucker for lounging around like that, and it never failed to draw a reaction from me, back when we were married. but yesterday, I’d had no right to touch her, no right to do anything but stare and keep my hands to myself.I hated that. I still hate it.She looked at me as she walked in, her heels clicking against the floor of the empty building. She wasn’t dressed casually this time, she looked every bit professional. A black pantsuit hugged her frame perfectly, her hair pulled back in a neat bun that made her look sharp and put together.She was beautiful. Scratch that- she was stunning. She could wear anything and still take my breath away.Even though her expression was all business, there was something about the way she

ELARA'S POV After signing the contract, Nate and I walked out of the conference room together.“One more thing,” he said, his tone serious. “We have eyes watching everywhere. You need to be careful. Do you still have the ring?”“Yes,” I replied softly.The ring was in my bag. I had taken it off when I got home after our last meeting. For some reason, I’d kept it close instead of mailing it back to him since he forgot to take it back last time. Maybe it was a silly hope that I’d see him again and return it in person.Honestly, I should’ve just sent him a text like a normal person and mailed it back, but for some reason, I didn’t. I couldn’t even explain why. and I don't think I want to try. “I think you should wear it… at all times, if possible,” he continued. “We can’t let the reporters find something to make a fuss about.” His tone was polite, so I simply nodded without saying anything.With that, we walked side by side out of the building. The car he’d sent to pick me up earlier w