MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE

(JARED'S POV)

At this point, my determination to learn more about the tattoo and the man tripled. I tried to connect the tattoo to the identity of the men; was it a symbol for a group or just a work of art?

But before I could pursue the thought any further, Nana Jean's voice rang out from the hallway, calling out to everyone to dinner.

I took a deep breath, forcing my thoughts about the tattoo out of my head for the moment. I'd have to figure this out later. For now, food.

I was about to head into the dining room when a thought hit me like a freight train.

Without a second thought, I walked over to Arielle, who was standing by herself. I pulled her aside, trying to keep my voice low, but I could feel the urgency in it.

"Arielle, can I ask you something?" My voice was almost a whisper.

She looked at me curiously, her eyes narrowing in wariness. "What is it?"

"It's about your bodyguard...Big Joe," I added for more emphasis. "Does he have a tattoo on his right arm?"

Her expression changed from curiosity to confusion. "A tattoo?" She repeated the word like it didn't make any sense. "I don't know... why are you asking?"

I hesitated, unsure of how much information to reveal. But before I could respond, Nana Jean's voice rang out from the dining room again.

"Dinner's ready, everyone!" she called, sounding cheerful as ever. "Come on in!"

Arielle looked at me like she wanted an answer, but I just gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "We'll talk later, okay? Let's eat."

I turned and made my way to the table, trying not to let my mind wander too far. We all settled around the grand dining table. The clinking of silverware and soft chatter filled the air as I glanced around at the faces of my family-Arielle, Maverick, my mom, Nana Jean.

It felt like we were complete, and for a moment, I wished we could stay like this forever, and I would give anything to keep this peace, to preserve these moments.

The chef started serving, and the smell of roasted meat, veggies, and fresh bread made my stomach growl. Everything looked and smelled so damn good.

As we waited for our plates to be filled, small banters were exchanged around the table. Especially between Nana Jean and Maverick. They seemed to have hit it off so quickly.

Maverick giggled at something Nana Jean said, and I couldn't help but smile. This was what family should be all about-laughter, love, and making memories.

Just as we were all settling together to eat, Nana announced, "I have a surprise for you all. We have a special guest for the evening -a new family member." Arielle turned to look at me, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"New family member?" she asked, her voice tinged with confusion. "You never mentioned anything about this before, Nana."

Nana Jean gave us one of her cryptic smiles, the kind that always left you guessing. "I never introduced him before because, well, his line of work is... let's just say, not something we discuss openly."

This declaration took everyone off guard, me especially. Who could this mystery family be that I had never heard of, or seen before?

I didn't have to wonder for long as the door opened, and just as my mind was still racing to make sense of it all, a man walked in.

He was tall, imposing even, and the second he entered the room, it was as if the air itself thickened, drawing everyone's attention toward him.

He was dressed in a sharp charcoal black suit that only accentuated his composed aura. A subtle but potent scent of expensive cologne wafted through the air as he moved closer to the table. His eyes were the first thing I noticed.

Piercing emerald green...

(ARIELLE'S POV)

When Nana Jean had announced the surprise family member, I was like everyone else, taken aback. Over the years'd spent in this family, never heard of or met any extended relatives. So, I brushed it off. Maybe it was just a distant relative, someone whose name had never come up.

But then, the door opened.

And my world tilted on its axis.

I barely had time to register what I was seeing before my breath hitched, my heart leaping into my throat.

My pulse raced, and I blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of the impossible. I must've been losing my mind, because the man standing in the doorway was- Dwayne?!

I tried to steady myself, to make sense of what was happening. But before I could get a grip, Maverick tugged at my shirt, whispering with wide eyes, "Isn't that Uncle Dwayne? I thought he was in Italia?" Normally, I would've been impressed by how sharply his little mind worked, and how he managed to speak in such a hushed tone. Also, it's Italy, not Italia-but right now, I was too stunned to even correct him. This was impossible.

I bit my lower lip, my gaze locked on the man. But he didn't meet my eyes. Not once. It was like I was a stranger to him. But I knew him. I knew those piercing emerald eyes. They burned into my memory. His face remained stoic, as he approached us on the table.Content © NôvelDrama.Org 2024.

He stopped in front of Nana Jean, his eyes fixed on her.

The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting.

"Nana," he said smoothly, his voice deep, controlled.

Then, as if this couldn't get any stranger, Nana smiled warmly and gestured toward him. "Kids, meet Dwayne. Dwayne Smith."

Goosebumps prickled across my skin, my face draining of color. This couldn't be happening.

Dwayne? Here? A part of this family? How was that even possible?

Jared, on the other hand, seemed to recover quicker than the rest of us. He broke the silence, his voice laced with confusion. "Who is he, Nana No offense, but when you said 'family member,' I expected someone older... And why is he also a Smith?"

Nana Jean's face softened with a touch of sadness, and she let out a long sigh. "Jared, your father had an illegitimate child before he married your mother," she began, her voice steady but tinged with regret. "It was a mistake, one that kept Dwayne and his mother outside of the family. They've been living abroad all these years."

The room was utterly still now.

"A few months ago, while I was traveling in Italy, I met Dwayne," she continued, her voice softer now. "I invited him back with me because... well, I'm getting old. I thought it was time to reunite the family before I join my ancestors."

She paused again, taking a deep breath before turning to Dwayne. "This is the first time I've brought him home for a family dinner."

And then she gestured to him and added, "Dwayne, meet Jared, your half-brother, his mother, Arielle, his wife; and Maverick, their son."

A slow, confident smile spread across Dwayne's lips as his eyes flicked toward Jared, lingering on him. Stepping forward, he extended his hand.

"Nice to meet you, brother," he said, his voice low and smooth.