Mr Billionaire's Regret Chasing His Irresistible Wife (Jared and Arielle) novel Chapter 173

(JARED'S POV)

I felt something snap and twist inside of me. The news hit me harder than I expected, and for a moment, my anger towards her evaporated.

Sofia kept talking, her voice small, apologetic.

“Jared… I wasn’t supposed to interrupt you with all this, it’s my mum—she asked me to—”

But she was cut off by her mother’s steely gaze. I watched as Mrs. Gold's grip on her daughter's wrist tightened, almost painfully, as if she could crush Sofia’s hand into silence.

My eyes flicked back to Sofia—there was something so vulnerable about her now. It hit me like a punch to the gut.

I stared at her longer than I should have, unable to look away from the pain and helplessness reflected in her eyes.

Mrs. Gold broke the silence with a sharp, accusing tone, her voice like the crack of a whip. “You see, Jared, we’ve been trying to get your family to help us. After all, I saved your mother’s life those years ago…”

I could feel my eye twitch with the familiar irritation. There she goes again, using that same tired line. No matter how much we’d done for the family over the years, nothing ever seemed to compensate for her self-proclaimed ‘favor’ in saving my mother’s life. It was like she thought that one act gave her a permanent claim on everything we owed her.

A slow simmer of anger started to rise in my chest, the kind I thought had dissipated moments ago. “What are you talking about?” I asked in feigned ignorance, my voice coming out surprisingly cool.

Mrs. Gold’s tone grew sharper, a high-pitched mixture of hurt and accusation that grated on my nerves. “You’re not even grateful, are you?” she snapped. “I did your family a great favor, saved your mother’s life, and this is how you repay me? A daughter I placed in your care got hurt, and now you can’t even do right by her? Can’t even take care of her?”

My face paled at the outright accusations and blame she placed on my family, it was even worse with how much bitterness and venom her eyes bore.

It was just too much for me to handle, and I knew I couldn't stay in that room a moment longer.

"I'm sorry, excuse me," I mumbled, and without waiting for an approval, I turned and walked out of the room.

I needed space to think and process the news about Sofia.

I was already overwhelmed from the conversation with Arielle, and now this? I was frustrated, and I didn't know how to deal with it all.

In my room, I uncuffed my shirt, trying not to dwell on what had just happened back at the sitting room. For a moment, I was tempted to match back there and give Mrs Gold a piece of my mind, but held back.

I just hated it when she tried to guilt trip my mother and I, my mother especially, by making the consequences of her daughter's actions our fault.

Sofia chose her path. Her mistakes led her to this moment. But still... I couldn’t completely dismiss the pain of her news. I hoped, for her sake, that what she said about not being able to have kids wasn’t true. No woman deserved to lose a child, only to be told she could never have another.

My thoughts ran in peace as I tried to undress, but peace wasn't something one could find easily in solitude.

Sofia came to me. She didn't knock, probably did not see the need to. She just appeared in the doorway, as though she was still entitled to my attention.

I didn't have the energy to argue, I just stared at her, my eyes taking in her fragile dorm from where she stood. She looked so different from the Sofia I knew, the one who was always so confident and bold. This Sofia looked broken, her eyes sunken in their sockets, and face pale.

I sighed, my voice heavy. “Come in.”