MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE

(ARIELLE'S POV)

The next day was a Saturday, and Maverick was not going to school. I woke up early, feeling a mix of anxiety and uncertainty.

It would be my first time leaving Jared alone with Maverick for the day, and I couldn't shake the nagging worry that he might-well, not exactly cause trouble-but stumble into it somehow. Still, I had little choice. Mom was leaving for her trip, and taking Maverick to the restaurant wasn't an option, because I didn't want him in public eyes these days.

After getting dressed, I walked into the living room. Jared and Maverick were on the couch, watching CoComelon, their laughter filling the space.

"Morning," Jared greeted, his gaze flicking to me.

"Morning," I replied, taking a seat beside Maverick.

Maverick grinned up at me, his cheeks bulging with what looked like a candy bar.

"Mom, can I go for a walk with Dad later?" He asked.

"Not today, dear," I said, and turned to Jared.

"I need to talk to you," I said, my tone serious so I could drive home how important what I had to say was.

"Of course," Jared replied, giving me his attention.

"I'm leaving Maverick with you today," I began, keeping my voice calm but direct. "Mom's heading out for her trip, and I can't take him with me to work. I don't want him in the public eye." Jared nodded. "Don't worry, I've got this," he said reassuringly.

"I know you do, but I still need to warm him," I said, turning to Maverick again.

I turned to Maverick, who had already peeled his gaze from the TV to focus on me.

"Remember what I told you? Be good, okay? And don't give your dad any trouble," I said, crouching beside him for emphasis.

He nodded. "I'll be good, Mommy."

I smiled, and pulled him into a hug. "I know you will."

Standing up, I grabbed my bag and turned back to Jared. "Call me immediately if there's any issue. Promise?"

"Got it," he saluted.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"That's Ashley," I said, heading toward the door. "I've gotta go. Bye, baby!"

Maverick waved at me, his candy bar still clutched tightly.

Outside, Ashley waited in her car, her signature mischievous grin already in place.

I had texted her the situation of things last night, and she had insisted on picking me up today just so she could hear the gist first hand. I don't think anyone likes to listen to gossip like my best friend. "Ready to go?" she asked the second I slid into the passenger seat.

"Let's go," I said, fastening my seatbelt.

She didn't waste a second before diving in. "Alright, spill it! And don't you dare hold back. I want everything uncensored."

I laughed, shaking my head at her enthusiasm. "Fine, fine. Here's the rundown..."

As we drove, I filled her in on the latest drama with Jared and Maverick.

"And now he's staying with you?" She exclaimed in disbelief.

I nodded.

"Temporarily," I added for clarity.

Ashley cocked her eyebrows. "Interesting."

I rolled my eyes, hitting her slightly on the shoulder. "Don't start."

"I'm just saying, this is you calling for disaster upon yourself," she teased.

I blushed, shaking my head. "Not gonna happen."

"We'll see," she said with a knowing smirk. Then, her expression shifted as I pointed to the faint hickey on her neck.

"Too obvious," I teased. "Let me guess-last night. Whose bed?"

"Ugh, don't even," she groaned, rolling her eyes.

I leaned closer, more intrigued now. "What? Bad date? Zero chemistry?"

"Zero everything," she said with a dramatic shake of her head.

"Well," I said, barely suppressing a laugh, "maybe hold out for someone who doesn't make you regret it by morning?"

"I am waiting! And while I'm waiting for the right one, I'm having fun with the wrong ones."

We both burst into laughter.

Minutes later, we arrived at the restaurant. Ashley parked the car and turned to me, her expression softening.

"Don't worry so much about Maverick," she said. "Jared might not have been great to you, but I doubt he'd let anything happen to his kid."

I smiled, her words settling some of my nerves. "Thanks, Ash."

As I stepped out of the car, she called after me. "And keep me posted! I want all the updates!"

I waved to her with a laugh before stepping into the restaurant, greeted by the warm smiles of the staff. The soft clatter of dishes, the cheerful buzz of conversation, and the cozy ambiance immediately wrapped around me like a familiar embrace. It was the kind of environment that made stepping into work feel less like a chore and more like coming home.

It's always been a dream to not just create a standard restaurant for people, but also a conducive environment for my staff members.

I was almost at my office when Rebecca appeared out of nowhere, her eyes wide and her expression serious.

"Arielle, have you seen the latest economic news?" As asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

My smile faltered, curiosity piqued. "No, why?"

Rebecca glanced around cautiously, ensuring we were out of earshot and no one was in sight, before leaning in.

"Jared Smith, the infamous billionaire, has just announced his bankruptcy," she read the news headline from her phone.

My heart skipped a beat. Jared has made his financial woes public knowledge. Was it also part of his plans?

Rebecca nudged me when I didn't respond. "Arielle, are you here?"

I sighed, returning my thoughts and attention to her. In a hushed tone I revealed, "Yeah, I know. He's actually staying with me temporarily."

Her jaw dropped as her expression cycled through shock, disbelief, and finally, a strange sort of understanding.

"Well," she said after a pause, "I don't know what's going on, but I won't say a word."

"Thanks, Rebecca. I appreciate that," I said, grateful for her discretion.

Her face softened, but then a mischievous grin spread across it. "You know, this is giving me a fresh idea for my book."

I chuckled. "I can't wait to see how that turns out."

Before we could say more, Stephen burst into the hallway, looking utterly exasperated.

"This is bad. Really bad," he kept murmuring. "You need to see this, Arielle," he said, his tone urgent.

I tensed, suddenly worried. "What happened?"

Stephen took a deep breath as he dropped the bombshell. "A rival restaurant is poaching our staff and customers!"

I frowned. "How many customers have we lost?" I asked, silently praying.

Stephan hesitated.

"Go on," I urged.

"Three..."

I blinked. "Three?"

I could not help the dry laugh that escaped my lips. The number was much lower than I had imagined. If we had lost just three customers, then the situation could be salvaged.

3

But I didn't finish my thought as I realized Rebecca looked just as worried and Stephen. The two had already begun brainstorming strategies that sounded more like plotting a revenge than actuat business tactics. They both looked ready to declare war.

Rebecca's eyes narrowed. "We can't let this slide. They're undermining us."

"Agreed," Stephen chimed in, scribbling furiously in his notebook. "We need to retaliate and protect our reputation."

I watched in amusement as their ideas spiraled into the absurd.

"We should hold a contest to crush them in the public eye."

"Or hire a Hollywood star for a killer ad campaign."

"What if they're using addictive ingredients?" Rebecca gasped. "We should steal their recipe and test it for drugs!"

"You're right! I'll go undercover as an intern and infiltrate their kitchen."

Rebecca nodded with mock seriousness. "Do it. We need intel! I'm sending your CV to them right now!"

Unable to tolerate it any longer, I knocked both of them slightly on the head, my smile teasing.

"Enough," I said. "Let's not jump to conclusions. We need to assess the situation first."

Rebecca and Stephen exchanged sheepish looks.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

"Do you have an idea on how?" Stephen asked curiously.

"Maybe, I do, because unlike you two, I want to take the rational approach."

"Which is?" They asked in unison.

"Visiting the restaurant and seeing things for ourselves," I replied confidently, already heading out.