Mr Billionaire's Regret Chasing His Irresistible Wife (Jared and Arielle) novel Chapter 102

(JARED'S POV)

As I struggled to stay awake and fight off Sofia, my mind began to drift into a dreamlike state.

And then, as if a door in my mind opened, I found myself in a different place—a warm, inviting room bathed in soft light. It felt familiar, safe, like something I had lost long ago but never stopped searching for.

Arielle was there, standing beside me, her eyes shining, her lips curled into the softest of smiles. My heart soared at the sight of her. She was real. Here. With me.

“Love,” I whispered, my voice trembling with an overwhelming mix of joy and disbelief.

"Yes, Jared," she replied, her voice as warm and soothing as a lullaby I had forgotten. The sound wrapped around me, and for a moment, the ache in my chest disappeared.

I could feel my heart pounding in my ears, emotions swirling—happiness so immense it nearly crushed me. She was here. She still loved me. And everything I had ruined, everything that had torn us apart, no longer mattered. I reached for her, my fingers lacing with hers, the warmth of her skin grounding me in this perfect moment.

"I've missed you so much," I confessed.

We moved closer, as if pulled together by an invisible force, our lips just a breath away. My heart swelled, drowning in the joy of having her close again. Her scent, her touch, it was all so familiar, so real. When our lips finally met, the world around us melted away, leaving just the two of us. The kiss was everything I had dreamed of—soft, deep, and filled with the unspoken love that had once defined us. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I was whole again.

But then, regret clawed its way to the surface, a sharp pain in my chest. I pulled back, breaking the kiss, my eyes searching hers.

"Do you forgive me?" I asked, looking deep into her eyes.

"Yes," she responded, without hesitation.

Her answer stunned me. "You do?" I pressed further, searching her face.

"Yes, Jared." Her voice so sure, so kind.

I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes, the guilt nearly choking me. “I was wrong to hurt you,” I confessed, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “I was so wrong…”

“It’s in the past now,” she said gently, cradling my face in her hands. “Let it go, Jared. We can start again. Right here, right now.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

But just as we were about to surrender to our desires, I jerked awake. Or rather, I slipped further into unconsciousness.

The dream faded, taking Arielle with it and I was left with a deep longing.

"Arielle," I tried to call, but the sound ended in my throat.

It was Sofia's face I saw instead, and not Arielle's. And then everything went blank.

********

I woke up the next morning feeling spent and groggy, my head heavy and mouth dry. I tried to recall the events of the previous night, but my memory was hazy and in half.

As I slowly sat up, the memories came flooding back, overwhelming me.

Sofia, the apology, the wine.

I rubbed my temples, trying to piece the memories together. Why did I sleep off without notice? The wine was non-alcoholic, wasn't it? I vividly remember checking the label.

Groggily, I threw off the covers and got out of bed. What exactly happened last night? Where is Sofia? She was in the room with me last night.

Still dazed, I lazily looked at the clock and a major part of my drowsiness left me. I had important investors coming in today at work, and I was going to be late if I didn't start preparing for work.

I hurried into the bathroom and quickly got ready for work. As I made my way out of the room minutes later, I planned to confront Sofia about last night.

I found her in the sitting room, sipping coffee and scrolling through her phone. She looked up and smiled when I walked in.

"Hey, you're awake," she called.

"Yeah, good morning."

"Good morning," she responded, setting her cup down.

"So, I wanted to ask about last night," I began, my tone cautious.

"Yes?"

"What happened after we talked?" I asked, studying her face. "I don't know, but I don't remember quite much."

"You told me you were tired and sleepy and needed to retire to bed. Shad something about having an important meeting today. So I left," she explained.

My face creased in a frown. I didn't remember that part but then, she can't be telling lies because there was no way she would have known I had a meeting if I had not told her.

"You're sure," I pressed further.

"Yes, Jared," she replied, nodding. "You were really exhausted. You should take it easy with work."

I nodded, still unsure. Something didn't add up, but I didn't have any evidence to back up my gut feeling.

"You're sure that's all that happened?" I asked, still persistent.

Sofia's brow furrowed. "Yes. Why?"

I shook my head. "No reason."

"I guess I'll see you later," I said, smilling bitterly. So that was it. It was just a dream, like all the others before it, haunting me with the memory of her. What was I expecting for?

I missed Arielle so much it hurt, a constant ache that never went away. But I couldn’t admit it, couldn’t confess to myself that she wasn’t coming back. Not now, maybe not ever. And forgiveness? That was just another dream I couldn’t let myself believe in.

And with that, I walked off.

(SOFIA’S POV)