MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE

(JARED'S POV)

I left Arielle's office basking in the fulfillment and satisfaction. Seeing her eyes light up when she received the gift made every moment worth it. I replayed the scene over and over again in my head, her fingers tracing the outline of the sculpture, her voice slightly trembling

as they conveyed her gratitude. It was a peak moment, one that I wouldn't forget in a hurry.

Deep down, I wish I could spend more time with her, but I had to see my Mom. She had called earlier, asking to see me, citing that she had something important to discuss with me. Now, as I drove towards the mansion's direction, I hoped it was as important as she made it sound because she has a history of exaggerating things and making them more ambiguous than they actually were.

Soon, I pulled into the compound, and I didn't bother parking in the garage as I figured I'd be leaving soon. I go inside, have the "important" discussion with Mother, say hi to Nana Jean, and I'll be on my way. Easy peasy.

I got inside and one of the stairs members greeted me, informing me that mother was in the living room. I thanked her and headed there, and I found Mom engrossed in her phone.

She looked up as I entered, her lips curving in a hint of a small smile. "Oh, Jared, it's good that you're here," she said, setting her phone aside. "I was just about to give you a call." "Yeah for the umpteenth time," I mumbled under my breath.

"Hi, Mom," I said instead, walking over to place a peck on her cheek. "So, I'm here now," I added, plopping on the couch next to her. "What's the important thing you had to say to me that you just had to see me in person, or as usual, is it one of your dramatics?" She chuckled, an amused smile forming on her face. "Oh, Jared, don't be like that. We've been invited to a yacht party by the Langleys," she announced, squealing like a high school girl.

My brows shot up in confusion at the information. "I'm sorry, but what does that have to do with me?" I couldn't help but blurt.

And then my frown deepened as something struck. "Don't tell me that's why you called me all the way here," I added, my tone filled with incredulity, as I felt a jab of annoyance.

Her smile faltered for a moment, and her expression turned placating. "Relax, Jared. Of course, that's why I called you. Isn't that reason enough?"

I shook my head in disbelief, frustration growing inside of me. "No, it's not. Why does a grown man's birthday have to be my business? I can't believe you made me drive all the way here because of this," I grumbled, my voice slightly increasing in tempo. "Well, it's your business because the man in question is your fiance's elder brother."

Irritation bit hard at my guts and I fought so hard not to snap in frustration. "So what? That doesn't mean I have to attend some boring birthday party," I argued.

"Just listen to me for once, Jared," Mother snapped, her voice turning stern. "This is not just a birthday celebration; it's a chance for our families to bond and for you to get acquainted with your soon-to-be in-laws."

I paused at this point, weighing both her words and my options. If I wanted the facade between Tiana and me to keep selling, then I had to learn to play along. That decided, I nodded, stifling my grievance. "Fine, I'll attend." Mom's face immediately lit up with a triumphant smile. "I knew you'd listen to me."

I ignored her and cast a searching glance around the room, my eyes scanning for someone. "Where's Nana Jean?" I asked, returning my eyes to her.

She shrugged. "She's left for some old ladies' retreat," she said, and then leaned forward, her voice lowered in a conspiratorial whisper. "I think it's just an excuse to avoid attending the party.

I inwardly scoffed. Who wouldn't? I would have done the same if I had a choice. The thought of being trapped on a yacht with a bunch of old family friends, pretending to be someone I'm not, didn't quite appeal to me. "So when is the party?" I asked, trying to feign interest.

"In two days."

I inadvertently let out a sigh of relief, feeling little darts of hope. "Thank God, I still have a few days to myself," I muttered.

"Or maybe you don't," My mom's best words dropped like a bombshell, and I looked at her sharply.

"What do you mean?" I inquired suspiciously.

"We're boarding the yacht today. Julie wants us there; you know, family bonding and getting acquainted with the environment before the party," she said, referring to Tiana's mother.noveldrama

"But didn't you say the party was in two days? Why do we have to leave that early before the D-day? It's not like we're the family of the celebrant."

"Julie wants us there, Jared. We have to honor her request."

"That's unreasonable! I have to at least wrap up things with work. I can't possibly go away to some yacht party without putting things in place," I protested.

I seemed to have struck a chord because she went silent, as if contemplating my words. Seconds later, she finally spoke up. "Fine, we'll leave tomorrow morning..." "But I have to...."

"That's final, Jared!" She said firmly.

I sighed in resignation, realizing it was a lost battle. I rose to my feet then, "We're done here, then. I have to head home now."

"Won't you pass the night here, at least?" She called out.

But I shook my head, already heading for the door. "No, thanks."

********

The next morning, I was roused from sleep by the incessant ringing of my phone. Groaning, I leaned towards the table to retrieve it, regretting why I didn't put it in silence last night. Sleep instantly fled my eyes the instant I saw the caller, and a groan escaped my lips because I had a hunch about why she was calling.

"Good morning, Mom," I said into the phone, lying back on the bed.

"And what is good about the morning, Jared? I have been calling your phone with no response. Don't tell me you're still in bed."

I stayed mute, not sure of what to say.

"Hold on, you're still in bed!" It was more of an accusation than a statement. "Get your lazy ass up this minute, and get prepared. You should be ready to pick me up in an hour."

"Mom, it's not that serious..." I started to protest, but she cut me short.

"Don't forget to pack a bag of toiletries and the things you, males, require for a short trip. See you in an hour," and the phone went dead.

I snorted as I tossed the phone aside. For a moment, I stared at the bed longingly and wished for nothing but to throw covers on and fall back asleep, but I knew better than to fall for that temptation, or else my phone would be buzzing with calls in an hour.

So I got off the bed, lazily dragging myself to the bathroom. I got down to business, shaving my stubbles and getting under the shower for a cool bath. Afterward, I returned to the room to dress and park a little duffle bag grumpily.

I settled for a simple outfit, a grey

two-piece, but as simple as it was, I

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was sure I was going to draw attention as usual. The shirt was free, with a faux collar spilling into a four-inch-deep that highlighted my chest part. The pants allowed much room for movement and air as well, but were still form-fitting.

After wearing a generous quantity of cologne, I grabbed my bag and walked out drove to my mother's place, and in no time, I was pulling into the compound. I spotted her already waiting by the door, her bag beside her. I let out a sigh and got out of the car, popping the trunk open to accommodate the bag.

"Good morning, Mom," I said, approaching her, as I tried to sound more enthusiastic than I felt.

"Good morning, dear," she responded as I helped with the bag. "Thank goodness you're early, I was worried I was going to drain your phone battery with calls before you finally got here."

I chuckled, shutting the car trunk after placing the bag in it. Next, we settled into the car, and she handed me a piece of paper with our directions on it.

"It's a rented beach house," she explained. "The yacht will be waiting for us there."

I nodded, taking the paper and programming the car's GPS. We were soon on our way, and as I drove, a feeling of unease settled over me. I had no idea what to expect from this trip or how to act for the entire duration. Well, I guess I'll just have to go with the flow and stop worrying.

Minutes later, we arrived at our

destination, and I must admit, I was

impressed by the grandeur. The

yacht was a beautiful modern structure, and the beach gave a stunning view of the ocean. There was a larger yacht a few miles away, and my quick guess was it probably belonged to the original owners of the property.

Mom and I made our way down to the dock, where the yacht was. As we approached, Mrs Julie Langley, Tiana's mother, suddenly came into view from a part of the dock. She was walking towards us, a broad smile on her face, and she wasn't alone.

I paused when I recognized her companion-Sofia's mother. Hold on, does that mean Sofia was here too? I didn't complete my thoughts as my guess turned out right because Tiana emerged also, and beside her was Sofia.

I immediately turned to my mother, my gaze accusatory. "You didn't tell me Sofia and her Mom were coming."

But she ignored me, hurrying forward to exchange pleasantries with the two older women. I was left to talk to Tiana and Sofia, who were walking towards me.

"Hi, you made it," Tiana said, beaming when she stopped in front of me.

"Yeah, I did," I replied, forcing a smile. "You look good," I said the last words after deciding it would be rude not to say something nice besides our conventional pleasantries.

Tiana smiled back at me. "Thank you, you look handsome yourself."

I nodded, turning to Sofia, who had been quietly standing beside Tiana, looking down at her toes. I didn't know what to say, given that this was the first time we were seeing after the stunt she pulled at Arielle's Office. "Hi, Sofia," I said, deciding to be the bigger person.

"Hi, Jared," she responded quickly, like she had been waiting for me to take the lead.

"I didn't realize you were coming," she said.

"The feeling is mutual," I replied.

An awkward silence descended afterward, but then I broke it by announcing, "I'll go say hello to your mothers and then to your Dad," I said, referring to Tiana. I think I can see him on the deck ahead." Tiana nodded, flashing me a smile. "Sure, go ahead."

I nodded, grateful that she didn't suggest joining me. I walked off briskly, relieved to have escaped the awkwardness.