The Ex-Wife's Billion Dollar Comeback (Soraya) novel Chapter 2

~Soraya ~

‘Not invented?’ The words hit like a slap.

Sage’s birthday was two days away. That was Soraya’s other reason for returning early.

“What?” Soraya blinked, her voice trembling. “What do you mean I’m not invited? I’m Sage’s mother.”

“We’ve already made arrangements,” he said flatly. “I’m introducing Rose to new friends. So no, you’re not coming.”

Her voice broke as she shot back, “You don’t get to decide that, Calum! She’s my daughter too!”

Calum’s lips curled cruelly. “Then go ahead. Ask Sage.”

He motioned to the car. The window rolled down with a soft hum.

Sage’s small face appeared, so familiar, yet so painfully distant.

“Sage, sweetheart,” Soraya said softly, trying to steady her voice. “Aren’t we going to celebrate your birthday like we always do? At home? Mommy’s back. I can bake your favorite cake.”

Her daughter fidgeted, glancing toward Rose and Calum.

“Sage, please,” Soraya whispered, her chest tightening. “Don’t you miss Mommy?”

She hoped again. In her mind, she prayed to the heavens.

Calum’s voice cut through the air. “Go ahead, Sage. Tell her.”

Sage swallowed hard. Then, with her little voice trembling, she said, “I’m sorry, Mommy. You’re not invited to my birthday. Daddy and Aunt Rose already made plans.”

For a second, Soraya forgot how to breathe.

“Sage… you don’t mean that,” she said, tears spilling freely now. “I’m your Mommy. I love you more than anyone.”

“Sage, don’t you love Mommy anymore?” Soraya tried again.

Sage opened her mouth, but she closed it again. Then, after looking at Rose, she turned to Soraya. “I want to celebrate my birthday with Aunt Rose.”

Soraya’s heart sank altogether.

Because Sage’s choice was clear.

Her daughter preferred Rose over her.

“I’m sorry, Soraya,” Rose said smoothly, placing a hand on Sage’s shoulder. “But it’s her birthday. Whatever she wishes for, she gets.”

Then, with a smug smile, Rose added, “And she wants to spend her birthday with me.”

“We are not coming home.” Calum didn’t even look back. He opened the driver’s door, got in.

“Calum,” she called. “Calum, wait! I’m not done talking to Sage!”

But despite her plea, the car drove past her.

“Wait!” Soraya ran. Tears, yet again, spilling down her face.

Because she tried so hard to chase after Calum, she ended up falling on the ground and spraining her ankle!

“Mrs. Montclair!” Miss Gale noticed her and offered help. “Let me take you to the hospital.”

Soraya looked up and caught a view of her daughter’s face looking out the window, just as Calum’s car left the parking lot.

Sage saw.

Calum surely saw, but neither of them bothered to stop the car and check on her.

***

“Soraya! Oh, my goodness! How are you?” Lyra Hayes, Soraya’s long-time college friend, came to the hospital to help her.

Sage’s teacher could only manage to take her to the hospital, but she had other things to do. So, Soraya called her friend over.

Soraya was in the ER, getting her ankle wrapped. When the nurse was done, she shared with her friend. “I tried to chase after Calum’s car.”

It had been a long time since Soraya and Lyra connected. Her friend had been away for a while, working in another city. But thankfully, that day, Soraya’s call made it through, and Lyra was available.

She told Lyra everything that happened earlier that day.

Sage was too young to understand. She was just a child. She was innocent, curious, and easily won over by kindness.

“Aunt Rose is really pretty, Mommy. She dresses really nice. She buys me gifts all the time. She’s Daddy’s friend,” her daughter once said, smiling.

Back then, Soraya hadn’t thought much of it. But when whispers reached her ears, the rumors about Calum and a beautiful entrepreneur named Rose Becket, something inside her twisted.

The name rang a bell.

And then everything made sense.

She confronted Calum, trembling, angry, humiliated.

He didn’t even look up from his work.

“Mind your own business,” he said.

That was how insignificant she was to him.

It hurt.

It hurt over and over again.

Following that confrontation, Calum sent her away on a business trip.

“Only you can close this deal,” he said.

For the first time, Soraya believed he trusted her with something important. In those four months, she worked day and night, desperate to make him proud.

But it was all a lie.

Apparently, Calum had planned it from the start. He wanted her gone. He wanted Sage and Rose to have time together, to build a bond in her absence.

Now that she was back, she realized what he had truly accomplished.

He hadn’t just betrayed her.

He had replaced her in Sage’s heart.