Mr billionaire's regret chasing his irresistible wife by Gabby Emmanuel

Fated to meet you.

(ARIELLE'S POV)

I had arrived in Italy and settled in, although the first week was a maze of orientation and waiting for students who had delays in arrival, to arrive. The academy provided accommodations, but I chose to stay outside campus due to my pregnant state. I got a decent apartment and spent the week touring the city, registering for antenatal in a hospital, and keeping in touch with Mom and Ashley.

But none of it filled the emptiness gnawing inside me. Late at night, when the city was quiet and my thoughts drifted back to Jared and the child I had lost, I felt the weight of it all. I tried hard to stay distracted, burying myself in activities so I wouldn't have to remember those painful memories.

Classes finally began, and during a break, I stepped out for some fresh air. As I made my way through the courtyard, my heart skipped a beat.

A familiar figure caught my eye-broad shoulders, tall frame, dark hair... My breath hitched. Jared?

But when he turned around, I immediately knew I was wrong when seeing that drowning emerald green eyes.

It was Dwayne.

I stumbled backward by the impact of the collision, shocked.

"D... Dwayne?" I called, eyes widened.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as his eyes locked with mine. "Hi, Arielle." The light breeze tousled his hair, and there was something about his easy charm that made it hard to look away.

My surprise quickly morphed into suspicion. "What are you doing here?" I asked, taking a step backward.

"I know you're surprised-" he said, taking a step closer.

"Are you stalking me?" I asked, trying to process the unexpected encounter.

He sighed. "No, Arielle, I'm not stalking you."

I narrowed my eyes. "Then how are you here? At the same academy, in the same city?"

"I'm a student here, too."

My eyes dimmed. "What? How is that possible?"

same, realizing people were looking our way. "But not here, over lunch. I owe you that

him. But my curiosity got the better part of me. What was he in Italy,

walked to a small café just outside the campus, and once seated, I

as if he enjoyed the tension between

arms. "No. I just want to know what's going on, and why you're at every place

of the way. I

previous encounters,

a new dish," he gave out a small laugh, but I maintained my

mute, studying his face for any sign of deception

He asked the smile back on his

my

a small wallet, flipping it open to reveal a chef's badge. "I'm a chef too, Arielle. I'm here on a

phone and tapped on it, before handing it to me. It was his F******k page, filled with culinary

I scrolled through, my skepticism began

a bit

to meet," he

arms, tilting my head as I added,

bursting into small laugh. "Then I guess

too, feeling a genuine sense of ease for the first

the waiter, and we placed our orders. As we waited for our meal to arrive, I decided to ask a question I

thousands of miles away from your country of residence," I asked, genuinely

lit up. "The food, the culture, the passion - Italy has it all. And I wanted to learn from the

scholarship as an avenue to get over Jared and the past, I have always wanted to visit Italy. I had even thought of convincing Jared that we visit during one of our anniversaries. A

three whole years?" Dwayne suddenly asked, as if he knew what

paused, unsure of my

don't mean to pry, it's just that your Mom

deep breath, finally deciding how much to reveal. "I'm divorced," I responded, and quickly added, "I don't want to

piercing emerald eyes. Somehow, I felt like Dwayne saw right through me, like he could sense what had gone wrong. However, Dwayne didn't push

got some time before

academy alone didn't sound appealing. "Okay, sure," I agreed. "I

Smart. Come on," he said and

a section labeled "Butterfly Diorama." Butterflies of various species, in different stages of their lives, were arranged in delicate displays. The vibrant colors and details of their wings caught my attention immediately.