Mr Billionaire's Regret Chasing His Irresistible Wife (Jared and Arielle) novel Chapter 155

(ARIELLE'S POV)

The days flew by and it was soon the weekend–the time for the family dinner, and it also doubled as the day Jared was supposed to leave my house. It had been three days since our last conversation, and he had kept his distance and avoided me entirely.

In return, I remained silent, though the weight of the silence hurt more than I cared to admit.

Even Maverick had picked up on the tension, innocently asking if Daddy had made Mommy mad, one time at dinner. I managed to force a smile, reassuring him that everything was fine, though I struggled to convince myself of it.

"Sweetie, now that you're done eating, why don't you go watch the TV for an hour before bedtime?" I interrupted when he tried to probe further.

I watched him go, feeling sad and guilty. This thing between me and Jared wasn't fair to him. He deserved better than to be stuck in the middle of our issues, and it was better Jared left so our lives could return to normalcy.

As we drove to the mansion, with Jared behind the wheels, Maverick excitedly told Jared about my answers to his question earlier about where we were going. He seemed excited about meeting with his paternal granny and great-granny as he bounced up and down in his seat.

"Mom said we're meeting with my granny and great-granny," he exclaimed.

Jared nodded, his eyes briefly meeting mine in the rearview mirror, before looking away. At that point, I mustered the courage to take in his appearance.

He was dressed in black pants, a crisp black shirt, and a gray tuxedo. Jared was a handsome man, and the way the clothes fitted him like a second skin was proof of that.

I involuntarily compared his dress to mine, and I was grateful I was equally dressed nicely. In a black body con dress and golden strap heels, matching color bags, dropping good earrings, my hair styled up, and my face in nude makeup, I was indeed dressed well for the occasion.

"That's right, buddy," Jared responded, smiling at Maverick. "They're excited to meet with you."

That seemed to make Maverick even more excited as he kept chattering, asking Jared questions about his grannies. Jared answered all of them happily and patiently.

I watched them, feeling a sense of nostalgia enveloping me. This was what family was supposed to be like: happy, interactive, and loving.

"Are they nice, Daddy?" Maverick continued.

"Yes, baby. They're very nice," Jared responded. "You'll like them."

I remained mute all the while, listening and observing, my mind wandering to the impending Dinner. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that this dinner invitation was about something. Nana Jean was always up to something and I couldn't wait to find out what it was.

Before long, we pulled up into the mansion, and Jared parked in the lot. We alighted, and the butler approached us, taking our belongings and welcoming us warmly.

"Welcome, it's so lovely to see you all," he said, beaming at Maverick especially. "Please, come in. Nana Jean is waiting for you, and your mother, too."

We thanked him and followed him into the house, and Nana Jean appeared, a warm smile on her face. She looked elegant as well, in a pale pink gown and pearls.