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

Lasting effects

(JARED'S POV)

After Arielle left, I buried my face in my palms, feeling a tide of frustration and guilt was over me. I couldn't follow her. At least. I knew I shouldn't.

She needed space, and for once, leaving her alone felt like the least I could do after everything I had said.

I exhaled sharply, trying to steady my breathing, but it didn't help. The confrontation kept replaying in my mind, each detail reminding me how I had mishandled it.

How could I have let my emotions spiral like that? I had let my anger get the best of me, and now I was left with nothing but a mess of my own making.

I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd ruined everything-again. As much as I was frustrated by her reluctance to forgive me, I knew deep down it wasn't about that. She was just hurt. I had caused her pain, and I should never have lashed out the way I did. I should have been more patient, more understanding.

I mean, how do I win her back if the impression I always give off is that of a man who can't keep his emotions in check?

Sighing again, I looked up and my eyes landed on the first aid box on the floor, and against my will, thoughts of how she carefully tended to my wounds plagued me. She had cared enough to bring me here and take care of me when I was a mess, and yet I had completely ruined everything.

"You're an ungrateful bastard," I groaned to myself.

I pushed myself to my feet, the weight of the room pressing in on me, and walked out, the sound of my footsteps echoing in the empty space. It felt like a metaphor for my life lately-empty, silent, and painfully alone. Outside, I pulled out my phone and ordered an Uber. The driver would take some time to arrive, but I needed to do something to distract myself from the chaos in my head.

doing nothing to calm my restless thoughts. Finally, the Uber pulled up, and I climbed into the backseat, giving the driver the address to

I was no

my way inside. All I wanted was the comfort of my room, a place where

It would've been rude to just

moment I stepped into the room, I froze. She wasn't alone, with

hell is she here? I thought bitterly. Could

and I could

as I stopped just inside the doorway, trying not to show

be in a conversation, with Sofia's mother demanding a monetary favor with her

asked, her voice dripping with

erupted, but before I could say anything, my gaze drifted to the

different.

ashen, and her face usually full of fire and confidence, was now etched with sadness. Her eyes those bright, piercing eyes that had always held so much life-were now sunken and hollow, devoid

as if the woman I once knew had vanished,

flashed in my mind; her comment about my relationship with Sofia. A bitter sigh escaped me.

Gold's eyes fixed on me with an intensity that was hard to ignore. Her smile was gone, replaced with something far colder, something accusatory. Nodding curtly, I responded,

home, Jared. Your mother and I were just discussing Sofia. She's been in a

but she avoided my gaze,

said, my voice flat despite the knot tightening in my stomach. "I'm sure she's just

so?" Mrs. Gold's