Jilted Ex-wife Billionaire Heiress novel Chapter 36

Chapter 36 A Bét’s A Bet

Darya leaned over the railing on the second floor of The Hideout, enjoying the night breeze, which helped cool down her flushed cheeks.

The drinking contest was hard–won.

Luckily, she’d come prepared.

Darya blinked away the black dots swimming in front of her eyes.

Her phone was held between her ear and her shoulder.

She listened patiently to the caller on the other end of the line. ‘Hmm…Uh–huh…Don’t worry, I’m fine…No, there’s no need. I can find my way home…I’m having fun…Well, if you insist, I’ll wait for you…Drive safe…‘

She hung up, stuffed the phone back into her clutch bag, and tilted her face up, smiling at the velvet night sky dotted with winking stars.

That was what Micah saw when he stepped out onto the balcony.

He’d left the booth to avoid being a witness to Ryan’s humiliation.

He was about to leave the club, but then he glimpsed Darya walking this way.

Before he realised it, he was chasing after her.

The sight of her sweet smile stung his eyes.

She used to smile at him like that.

But now she was with someone else.

Who was she talking to on the phone?

Avery McAllister?

Was that why she was in such a good mood?

Micah called out to her before he could stop himself, ‘Darya.”

She turned around, then took a step away from him.

Micah noticed her deliberate attempt to distance herself from him.

It bothered him

He stepped forward.

“If you are here to ask me to let Ryan off the hook, you can save your breath‘

*nicah paused a beat. That’s not what I wanted to say.”

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< Chapter 36 A Bets A Bet

Ryan was the one who started it.

He’d made his bed.

Now he had to lie in it.

Micah only stayed for the drinking contest because he was convinced Darya oras going to lose.

If and when that happened, he would run interference and order Ryan to forget about the bet

But there was no point telling her that now.

‘Then what do you want to say?‘ Darya’s guard was up.

She had to keep reminding herself that Micah was no longer her husband, though he still had the same handsome face she fell in love with.

She usually considered herself the decisive sort, but it would take longer than two months to get over the first and only man she ever loved romantically.

She needed time and distance.

But Micah didn’t seem to want to grant her those.

He moved closer. ‘Felicia was wrong to steal the Graff diamond ring. My mother was wrong to blame you for it. Ryan was wrong to publish that misleading story about you. I apologise to you on their behalf.‘

Each of those three had apologised to her online, albeit unwillingly, but he needed to say it to her in person. Darya smiled coldly. ‘I didn’t realise that on top of being your sister’s and your mother’s keeper, you are also your friend’s keeper. Does it get tiring, cleaning up after their mistakes?‘

‘They only did what they did because of me,‘ Micah replied calmly. ‘I bear part of the responsibility.”

‘Whatever.‘ Darya started to move past him. ‘They don’t worry me. If you want what’s best for them, I suggest you keep your family and friends on a tight leash.‘

She could do a lot worse than just making them lose face in public.

She was no longer Darya Miller, the meek and devoted housewife.

She was Darya McAllister, heiress of a mind–boggling fortune.

She no longer had to bow and scrape to anyone.

Micah saw that clearly.

He realised, with a start, that he was much more attracted to this version of Darya who took no crap anybody, than the shrinking violet version while she was his wife.

Was the transformation due to the divorce?

Or was this current version the real her?

Micah shifted his body to block her path.

He didn’t want to let go of her just yet. ‘I—‘

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Chapter 36 A Bet’s A Bet

The rest of his sentence was cut off by a loud scream.

Both he and Darya moved in unison, sprinting back into the club.

They paused at the same time, gawking at Ryan, who was stripped down to his briefs.

He cupped his crotch with both hands, bent at the waist and scurried towards the backdoor.

His milky white skin glowed under the kaleidoscopic strobe lights.

Club patrons parted for him.

Wolf whistles, catcalls and cheers drowned out the thumping music.

Camera lights flashed.

Darya grinned..

Ryan should really be covering his face, not his crotch, she thought.

Now everybody knew who he was.

Timothy jogged after Ryan, waving a bundle of clothes in one hand. ‘You forgot your pants!‘

Ryan kept his head down and sped up.

He didn’t stop running until he was out the door and in the back alley.

‘Fuck!‘ He leaned against the wall and panted.

He’d picked the wrong night to wear tidy whities.

Timothy spotted Darya and winked. ‘I’ve got pictures. Do you want to see?‘

Darya shook her head, amused. ‘No, thanks. I’ve got, uh, quite a good look just now.‘

Timothy laughed. ‘So did everyone else in the club.‘

Micah followed Ryan to the backdoor..

In contrast to his fair skin, Ryan’s face was flushed a deep scarlet.

He pointed an accusing finger at Micah. ‘Why didn’t you help me? You left!‘

Micah shrugged. ‘What was I supposed to do? You are the one who got the idea of a drinking contest. A bet’s