Divorced and Pregnant My New Life with a Billionaire Drives My Ex Crazy novel Chapter 153

Wiona stared at Jace, her eyes sharp and searching, full of questions she never voiced. Jace felt a sting deep in his chest. She didn’t trust him. He’d barely slept last night, tossing and turning, replaying their argument over and over in his mind. He’d wanted to go to her in the middle of the night, to apologize and make things right, but pride kept him in bed until the sun came up.

When he saw her sleeping that morning, something in him settled. The panic and anxiety that had twisted him up inside started to fade, replaced by regret and, oddly enough, a little bit of relief.

His apology was real this time. He genuinely wanted to make peace. He wanted to comfort her, no lies or half-hearted gestures. If he didn’t care, he could have just left at dawn, shut her away in this old house, and ignored her entirely. But her disappearing acts were driving him crazy. He was starting to fear losing her, and that fear clung to him, even when he was with Kellen. Her face haunted him, popping up in his mind at random, leaving him restless and unsure.

He needed to fix things between them.

“By the way, Wiona, remember I promised you a gift as an apology? Things have been hectic, so I haven’t had the chance to give it to you yet.” He pulled a small box from his pocket and opened it slowly. “Here, take a look. Do you like it?”

Inside was a delicate ring, sparkling with a pink diamond.

Wiona picked it up, her fingers brushing over the jewel. It looked so familiar. That was because it wasn’t just any ring. It was one from the luxury jewelry set she had designed for Jace to give to Kellen, a set worth fifty million. Out of all the pieces, he’d chosen the most ordinary one to give to her. It had a big pink diamond, sure, maybe worth a few million, but compared to the diamond-studded necklace, bracelet, and earrings, this ring was barely worth noticing.

Even so, Wiona felt a twinge of surprise. She hadn’t expected him to pull something even this small from the set and offer it to her. Was this supposed to prove something? Was he trying to show her that she deserved at least a little piece of his affection? Did he think she would be over the moon, that she’d treasure it just because it was expensive?

If she hadn’t been the designer, if she didn’t know it was the cheapest piece in a set worth fifty million, maybe she would have been touched. But she saw through him now, and his gestures meant nothing.

“Let me help you put it on,” Jace said, picking up the ring and moving toward her hand.

Unfortunately, her right hand was wrapped in bandages, so tightly she could barely eat with it, much less wear a ring. He hesitated, then tried for her left hand, but Wiona quietly pulled it away.

“Don’t bother,” she said simply. “Thank you, I’ll keep it.”

She set the ring on the table beside her bed, her tone so casual it made Jace’s face darken.

Marian’s attitude had changed a lot since the day before. Maybe it was because she’d seen Jace leaving Wiona’s room that morning. Marian had slept like a rock on the floor outside the door, totally unaware that a stranger showed up in her room last night. When she saw Jace leave with a faint smile, she knew she might be in trouble. Would Wiona hold a grudge against her for yesterday?

So, all morning, Marian was extra careful and attentive.

Wiona couldn’t have cared less. After breakfast, she walked through the old mansion, checking nearly every painting on the walls. This time, she made a point of turning to George.

“George, don’t you think… it feels like there’s a painting missing around here?”

George was clueless. As far as he knew, every painting was still hanging where it belonged in the Salisbury house.

But it didn’t matter. News that Wiona was searching for a lost painting spread through every corner of the old estate like wildfire.