Mr Billionaire's Regret Chasing His Irresistible Wife (Jared and Arielle) novel Chapter 189

(JARED’S POV)

I looked into Arielle’s eyes intently, my chest rising and falling heavily with effort as the rest of the world went silent around us. She looked at me, her breathing matching mine—barely existent, all withdrawn because of the shock of my outburst.

All I could hear were my own thoughts, racing.

"Sorry," I muttered quickly. "It just... came out."

"Why apologize for saying you love me?" she asked, her voice quiet but sharp. "And for real—why do you suddenly love me now?"

I was taken aback, choked with confusion. What was she saying?

But then, she averted her gaze, refusing to meet my eyes. She wrapped her arms around herself, as the cold evening breeze swept over us. I looked up at the sky, realizing just how much time had passed since we started this conversation.

"Look at how much time has passed," I said softly, then quickly took off my jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

“No, thank you.”

Her honest rejection stung, but I forced a smile, nodding in understanding.

"So, what now?" I asked, my voice rough. "What are you going to say about all of this, Ari?"

She sighed, clearly exhausted. "What would you have me say, Jared? What do you want to hear from me? And why don't you explain first... why, that night in the club, when Ashley called out for help, you chose to just stand there?"

“I wasn’t planning to just stand there!” I blurted, frustration rising in my chest. "I was... I was afraid you had already given up on me, Arielle. You always said such harsh things, and I just wanted—just once—to hear you say how important I was to you."

Her expression shifted as I spoke. Her eyes narrowed slightly, then widened in disbelief when I finished.

"So, Ashley was right? You were just trying to satisfy your ego that night?"

My heart tightened, and I scrambled for the right words. “It’s not like that! I’m sorry, Arielle. I really am. I made a mistake. You have no idea how it felt seeing Dwayne rescue you in front of me. It hurt so much seeing you in another man’s arms. I know I was wrong.”

The memory of Dwayne stepping in, of her moving on without me, made everything so painfully clear. Arielle had outgrown me. She no longer needed me the way she once had. I’d lost that place in her life.

“I wasn’t happy about resorting to an arranged marriage,” I admitted, my voice dropping. “But what else was I supposed to do? How else was I supposed to protect the people I care about?”

Marriage or not. Arranged or not. Did it really matter?, I’d wondered. I couldn’t be with Arielle ever again all because of my stupidity. So none of it made any sense.

I paused, feeling the weight of my words settle in. "When I saw you earlier today, I was too stunned to react. I planned on telling you everything... the plan with Tiana and all. But when you showed no reaction... It drove me crazy. I couldn’t stand it."

“Please, Arielle… just say something. I’ve come clean. No more secrets. No more wrong moves. Please,” I implored.

She blinked, processing my words before speaking slowly. “Let me get this straight for the last time. This engagement with Tiana was fake? Just a temporary fix for your mother and Sofia?”

I nodded. “Yes. Exactly.”

"And who exactly is Tiana, Jared? Why her? Can you explain that to me, in simple terms?"

“She’s a friend. To both me and Sofia—”

Arielle exhaled sharply and cut me off, “Oh, so she’s another ‘friend,’ is she?”

“It’s different! She’s young, naïve—practically a sister to me. This was a deal, Arielle. A strategy. She doesn’t threaten us. She won’t make Sofia jealous. It’s harmless—”

“Harmless?” Arielle let out a short, bitter laugh. “And yet, Sofia still factors into your ‘strategies.’ Even now, you’re still concerned about her?”

“I’m not concerned about her!” I snapped, my patience fraying. “I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. Don’t you understand that, Arielle? I was trying to protect everyone.”

“I’ve understood every time, and that’s exactly why I kept getting hurt. Jared, when are you going to realize that the real problem between us is trust? You don’t trust me, and I don’t trust you. But you keep dragging me into these emotional triangles, and I’m done. I don’t want to repeat my own past! ”