MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE

(ARIELLE'S POV)

"I didn't know how to tell you," I said softly. "It wasn't something I hid on purpose. I was afraid of how the academy might react if they found out I was pregnant. I wasn't sure if they would still accept me." Dwayne's expression grew somber, his eyes filled with a mixture of understanding and disappointment.

"Even me?" His voice was calm but carried a weight that made me feel small. "Arielle, we are friends. I know I have no right to demand anything from you, but you could've at least told me. I'd never rat you out, not if you were afraid of that."

I looked down, "I'm sorry. I really did think of telling you, but... I didn't know how you'd react. And honestly, what could you have done? You're not a doctor, and you're not a woman who can relate to pregnancy."

He shook his head gently, his voice unwavering. "You don't give me enough credit. I would've done anything to help you. You know I would've been there for you. Hell, I wouldn't have even gone on that trip if I knew." He paused, a small sigh escaping his lips. "What would you have done if I had already boarded that plane?"

The thought sent a chill through me. I hadn't let myself consider it before, how isolated I truly was without my family nearby. If Dwayne hadn't been there... I would've been helpless.

"You're right," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I really don't know what I would've done. I'm sorry..."

He let out a small breath, the tension between us lifting slightly. "It's fine," he said, offering me a reassuring smile. "But honestly, how did you even manage to keep a pregnancy hidden for nine months?"

I chuckled, relieved at his change in tone. "Tummy wraps, flowy dresses, all sorts of tricks to conceal the bump. I couldn't risk losing the scholarship."

"Women are something else," he said, his eyes widening in disbelief. "I give it to you."

Just then, a soft knock on the door broke our moment. "Come in," I called, my heart fluttering as the nurse walked in, carrying my baby swaddled in a warm shawl.

"We've checked him over and he's perfectly healthy," she said with a kind smile, before turning to Dwayne. "He's ready to be back with his mama."

Dwayne, who stood closer, gently took the baby from her. He looked down at the tiny bundle, his eyes softening. "He's really something," he murmured. "Gonna be a heartbreaker, for sure."

I smiled, tears welling up as I watched him hold my son so naturally. The way Dwayne held him, cradling him with such tenderness, stirred something deep inside me. It wasn't a comparison-I hadn't meant to-but for the first time in a long while, I thought about Jared. My ex-husband. I hadn't thought about him in months, not like this.

I didn't feel the sharp pang of

resentment used to. Instead, I felt something Thadn't expected: peace. There was no anger, no lingering sadness. Just a strange calmness. Maybe, just maybe, this child would be happy, even without Jared in his life every day.

He had people who loved him, and I realized that was enough.

Dwayne handed my son back to me, and as I cradled him once again, a sense of hope swelled within me. This little boy didn't need to be defined by his absent father. He had a future ahead of him, and I would make sure it was filled with love and stability.

"Thank you, Dwayne," I whispered, holding my son close. "For everything. I don't know how I would've managed without you."

He shook his head slightly, his calm composure reassuring. "You don't need to thank me. You don't owe me anything, Arielle. I'm just glad you and the little guy are both okay."

A warm smile tugged at my lips. "If there's anything I can do to repay you, please, just let me know."

Dwayne chuckled softly, his tone still light but with a trace of gravity. "Careful, don't make promises you don't mean," he teased gently. "Especially in front of a newborn-babies remember everything."

I laughed softly, the tension in the room finally easing. "I mean it."

"Alright," he said, giving me a cooler, more thoughtful look. "We'll see."

For a moment, we fell into a comfortable silence, the only sound being the gentle coos from my son. But then, Dwayne's voice broke through, softer now. "Speaking things you could do, there's

something I've been meanine

g to ask.

A favor, really." His voice was measured, as though carefully weighing his words. "Can we talk

about it later? I know now's not the

time, but would you like to be my..."

Wait, what?

I sensed where this was going, and panic surged through me. I wasn't ready for this-not yet. "Actually! I just remembered," I interjected quickly. "I need to call my mom and Ashley, let them know about the baby. Can we pick this up another time?" Dwayne chuckled quietly, a knowing smile spreading across his face. His eyes sparkled with amusement as he leaned down, whispering to my son, "Your mother is a bit of an ostrich, huh? Burying her head in the sand."

He straightened up, his hand brushing against my arm briefly before he stepped back. "I'll leave you to your calls, Arielle."

As he left the room, I watched him go, my mind swirling with emotions I wasn't sure how to process. I knew what he wanted to ask. But I wasn't ready-not yet. I had a failed marriage behind me and a new baby, Jared's baby.

I wasn't prepared to even think about another relationship, not until I had healed from everything.

Looking down at my son, I felt hope from his peaceful face. "What do you think?"Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

I smiled. My past would stay behind me, where it belonged. The only thing I wanted now was to focus on the life ahead.