MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE

(ARIELLE'S POV)

"If I go down, you're coming with me!"

A chill shot down my spine as I saw the wild glint in Sofia's eyes. Her grip on my wrist tightened painfully, her intentions darker than I'd ever imagined.

Stephan's face went pale, his expression shifting from shock to alarm. He lunged forward to pull me free, but Sofia twisted, locking my wrist in an iron grip, refusing to let go.

"I know you just made your people call Jared. You think that will scare me?" she sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "Good! It would be perfect if he saw us together one last time."

Her eyes had a manic gleam, one that hinted she'd crossed a line she'd never return from. I'd never seen her like this unhinged, fully lost to her jealousy and bitterness. I tried to pull my wrist away, but her nails dug in deeper, her expression twisting into a furious sneer. "Sofia, calm down-you're pregnant," I managed, struggling against her.

"Calm down?" she spat, her tone sharp as a blade. "It's easy for you to say that now that you have everything! Jared, success, wealth-you have it all, and you want me to stay calm? If you were in my shoes, would you stay calm?"

I fell silent, stunned by her raw resentment.

Her mask fully dropped, and she continued, "You're divorced. Why couldn't you just stay gone? I thought I'd finally get my chance to be with Jared after you left. But no-you had to come back and ruin everything!" Her voice was thick with rage and desperation. "Arielle!"

My head snapped toward the street. Jared was rushing across, barely taking time to look before crossing, his face stricken. Sofia's head turned too, her eyes blazing with an almost desperate hope.

"Are you really going to leave me?" she shouted, desperately. "You promised you'd always take care of me!"

Then she turned back to me, her mouth twisting into an eerie smile as she whispered, "This is it Arielle. The last time, Let's see who Jared chooses now-who's going to die!"

Before I could process her words, Sofia yanked me, throwing her full weight into pulling me into the path of oncoming traffic like crazy!

A blare of horns filled the air as cars swerved and brakes screeched!

My world blurred, my mind a frantic buzz. I barely registered the impact as a car grazed my thigh, and I fell to the hard pavement.

I braced for the worst, expecting pain to surge through me-but instead, strong hands caught me, lifting me off the ground and guiding me to safety.

Even before I opened my eyes, I knew.

JARED.

At the hospital Jared had taken me to, I lay on the bed, my thoughts a

whirlwind of emotions..tion

felt surreal, almost absurd. Just

hours ago, I was working at I my restaurant, and now I was in theContent rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

hospital after almost losing my life.

Stephan must have insisted on coming with me. I had no idea how Jared had convinced him to stay behind. I'd quickly called Rebecca to assure her I was fine, though her tearful relief nearly broke my composure. The doctor had just left, telling me I'd been lucky to escape with only bruises. But physical pain was the last thing on my mind. The real wounds were far deeper.

Through the ward's windows, I saw Jared speaking with the doctor.

His frame looked...a little thinner, which only seemed to make him look taller, more distant. Since coming back, I'd barely noticed these small changes in him. And yet, today, he'd chosen to save me, leaving Sofia to fend for herself.

I hadn't expected that. In fact, I'd even half-expected Big Joe to appear, as if he could somehow prevent this madness. But I'd told him to take the day off.

My thoughts drifted, unbidden, to the look on Jared's face when he called the ambulance, his hands trembling just slightly. Three years ago, what if he'd chosen me like he did today? Would our lives have turned out differently? But life didn't leave room for "what-ifs." Only choices, and the scars they left behind.

The door suddenly swung open, interrupting my thoughts as Jared walked in, looking sober. His eyes scanned the room briefly before dwelling on me.

"Hey," he greeted softly as he came to the side of the bed.

"Hey," I replied, managing a small smile.

He paused beside me, and as much as I wanted to ignore it, his presence brought a strange kind of comfort.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his eyes searching my face, as though he could find the answer himself.

"I'm...grateful to be alive," I said, my voice shaking slightly. The memory of Sofia's crazed expression, her grip on my wrist-it all lingered, casting a shadow. "Thank you for getting there when you did, Jared. You saved my life."

He nodded. "Anytime."

I held his gaze, searching his face. He had made a choice today, one that surprised me, and I couldn't help but wonder why. What had changed? What had driven him to risk himself for me-and not Sofia? She's even pregnant now, with his child. If that's true.

The question slipped out before I could hold it back.

"Why did you save me first this time?"

He looked taken aback as he stared at me intently for a while, and when I thought he was going to respond, he looked away.

His jaw tensed, and the only response he offered was a heavy, resounding silence.

No words. Just silence.