Mr Billionaire's Regret Chasing His Irresistible Wife (Jared and Arielle) novel Chapter 55

(ARIELLE'S POV)

I paused, my hand instinctively reaching for my ring finger. It felt bare and empty without the familiar weight of my wedding ring. My eyes widened, why did it take me this long to realize it's not on my finger? If Ashley had not called my attention to it, I probably would not have noticed it was missing.

"I didn't take it off," I responded, while racking my brain on where it could be.

Ashley's eyes lingered on my hand and them up to my face. "Did you misplace it?"

"I guess. I probably lost it during the accident, or while I was rushed here. Or even in the emergency room, because I remember I was wearing it before the accident."

"So what are you gonna do?"

"Nothing. Maybe it's a sign that I should actually go ahead with the divorce. After I'm divorced, I won't be needing it anymore so it's a good thing I lost it already."

Arielle nodded, and we resumed eating. For a while, my mind trailed to the ring and how it was got. Jared had gone to get our wedding rings without me. When he returned, mine didn't fit properly. It was bigger.

I was not impressed with the fact that he didn't think it was okay to take me along, get my finger measurement and let me make my choice design. But I didn't voice it out, I accepted it. Besides, even if I insisted on another ring, it would have been too late to get it because the rings were customized and our wedding the next day.

I sighed now as I realized that the signs were always there, I just chose to ignore them. But overall, I'm glad I'm finally walking away. For good.

As we finished our meal, Ashley got on her phone, while I got on mine too. It's been a moment, I thought with nostalgia, clicking on my F******k app. Finally, it was time to catch up with the buzz and news the app came with.

Suddenly, Ashley's expression changed, and she looked up at me with concern.

"Arielle, have you seen this?" she asked, holding out her phone.

I took it, and my heart sank. On the screen was a photo of Jared and Sofia in a restaurant, smiling and looking all cozy with Sofia pecking him. The picture was posted in Sofia's I*******m account, with the tag, "20 years apart, and we still found our way back to each other."

And wait, is that not the restaurant I worked in? Of all the places to choose for their little date, it had to be my place of work. Were they trying to spite me? I wondered, my heart clenching tightly.

I didn't realize my hands were shaking as I returned the phone to Arielle.

"I'm so sorry, Arielle. I shouldn't have shown it to you," Ashley said softly.

"No, it's fine," I said, even though it was the greatest lie of the century. It was not okay that I was barely out of his life, and my husband was already getting all cozy with his highschool sweetheart.

"No, it's not. Your hands are shaking."

I tried to sound calm, but my voice trembled. "It's fine, really."

"That idiot," Ashley hissed. "He's so shameless to let her post those pictures."

"And hey, it's okay to feel hurt. Do not pretend or try to bottle the emotions. You loved this man for years, and it's very much okay to feel hurt seeing him in that position with another woman," Ashley said, taking my hands in hers.

"It's fine. Can we talk of something else?"

Ashley gave me an empathetic look, but nodded. We spent the rest of the day playing card games and watching movies. Ashley did her best to distract me from the ache in my heart, but can it ever go away?