Too Late For Regrets, Mr. Billionaire (Brianna Meyers and Brandon Levy) novel Chapter 10

Chapter 10 Dismantle the Wedding Diamond

Seeing Darcy and Blanca sauntering over, Kendra stole a worried glance at Brianna.

Sure enough, anger was written all over her face.

With Kendra around, Brianna had no desire to engage. She acted like she didn’t know them and tried to walk right by. But the pair had other plans.

Darcy stepped up with a big smile. “Kendra, you look so cute today. How’d you get even prettier in just one day?”

As she said it, Darcy leaned in to hug Kendra, but Brianna yanked Kendra behind her, planting herself squarely in the way. She shot Darcy a glare, struggling to rein in her rage.

“Brianna, come on, not in front of the kid,” Blanca simpered, feigning concern.

“Drop the act. Stop trying to turn my stomach!” Brianna faced Blanca directly, her face like thunder.

“Brianna, I genuinely want us to get along.” Darcy’s eyes welled up, and she flicked a sideways glance at Brandon, like she was begging for backup.

Brianna laughed bitterly. “Get along? Your mom hauled you into our lives to harass us for over twenty years, and now you want to play nice? My mother’s body wasn’t even cold before you two rushed to move into my house and claim her bed, and you want to get along?”

Seeing Darcy looking so upset, Kendra tugged at her mom’s hem. “Mommy, don’t be so mean to Darcy.”

Brianna spun around and gave her a fierce look, tempted to give her a smack or two.

Catching Brianna’s fury, Kendra bit back her words and huddled next to Brandon.

“What my parents did was wrong, and I’m ready to make amends.” Darcy looked the picture of guilt, tears streaming down her cheeks. She tilted her head back a bit, desperately holding them back.

Watching her phony performance, Brianna felt queasy.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the necklace around Darcy’s neck and her eyes widened in shock. She opened her mouth to speak, but Brandon cut her off. “We’re in public. Why cause a scene and embarrass us all?” With that, he gave a polite nod to Blanca and Darcy, then ushered Brianna and Kendra away.

Kendra wasn’t thrilled with Brianna’s attitude and kept looking back at Darcy. She couldn’t figure it out. She wondered,‘ Darcy is always so nice, so why does Mommy keep giving her a hard time?‘

Grossed out by those two and stung by Kendra’s pity for Darcy, Brianna lost any interest in shopping.

That necklace on Darcy had planted a seed of doubt, and she was itching to investigate. So she knelt down, pushing down her frustration, and told Kendra she needed to head out first.

Surprisingly, Kendra agreed without a fuss.

Staring at Kendra, who looked so much like her, Brianna felt her heart go cold. She knew Kendra just wanted to circle back

r to Darcy.

She stood up, gave Brandon an icy stare, and walked off.

The moment she slid into the car, she dialed the family’s bank manager and asked if Whitney had ever touched Trina’s safe deposit box.

The manager explained he was out on training, away from Klamdiff, but he’d check with a colleague and call back tomorrow. After hanging up, Brianna gazed at the teeming streets, feeling like a leaf adrift in the current, unmoored and uneasy. She ended up back at the Harper family home. She hadn’t visited yesterday, so she thought she’d check in on Mitch today. She’d barely said a few words to him when her phone buzzed. Tristan had sent photos: Kendra clutching Darcy’s hand as they browsed clothes, Blanca smiling and nodding along nearby, with Brandon lingering a safe distance away. Even though she’d sworn not to let it get to her, the scene still boiled her blood.

She drew in a deep breath. She thought, ‘Fine, whatever.‘ Family ties just weren’t in the cards for her this lifetime, not with Whitney, and not with Brandon or Kendra either.

Time to nag Brandon about speeding up the divorce and getting out of this hellhole ASAP

The next day, the manager called back: Trina’s safe deposit box had been opened three times by Whitney, using their marriage license and her death proof.

Chapter 10 Dismantle the Wedding Diamond

Brianna didn’t waste a second. She raced to the bank, sorted the paperwork, and pulled out everything inside.

Opening the box, fury hit her like a ton of bricks. Only half of Trina’s jewelry was left.

The yellow gem she’d noticed on Darcy’s neck yesterday had seemed familiar, and sure enough, it was Trina’s yellow diamond.

But as far as she remembered, Trina’s yellow diamond hadn’t been cut yet.

She called Tristan, asking him to hook her up with a sharp lawyer. This time, she wasn’t dodging it. She’d make that family face the music.

She should’ve anticipated their brazenness, but she’d always assumed Trina’s things were secure in the bank, as if Trina might stroll back in one day to claim them..

No time for regrets, she dove back into work.

For the next few days, she didn’t touch base with Brandon or Kendra, and they didn’t reach out either. She knew school was about to start, and Kendra was cramming in quality time with Darcy.

The studio reno was wrapping up, and she was hustling to pick gems for her competition pieces.

As a rookie designer, landing an award would put her on the map fast.

She’d selected everything else, but the stone for the butterfly brooch was still a no–go. She just couldn’t find one that clicked.

The “Metamorphosis” series included a necklace with 12 square yellowish–white diamonds forming the front chain, shifting to a brushed gold collar in the back. Halfway around the collar linked a butterfly–wing–shaped side chain, gold structure studded with yellowish–white diamonds, ending in a dangling, whimsical butterfly pendant.

The lineup also featured a butterfly ring, butterfly earrings, and the butterfly brooch.

For the brooch’s butterfly body, she needed a premium yellow gemstone.

Trina had just the thing, but reclaiming it anytime soon felt like a pipe dream..

Brianna seethed, her chest tightening with frustration. A few more encounters with that crew, and she’d be sprouting stress knots everywhere.

Then the jeweler rang: A merchant was due in Klamdiff soon with a stash of raw gemstones for sale. He asked if she was interested.

It was like manna from heaven; she thanked him effusively.

In her head, she prayed she’d snag the perfect gem. Submission deadline was closing in fast.

While deep in the weeds at the workshop crafting her pieces, Josefina called: They were hosting a family party in two days to toast Kendra’s first day of elementary school.

Brianna said yes.

Her own folks had a toxic dynamic, bickering nonstop, Trina in hysterics, Whitney pulling disappearing acts. Love had been in short supply during her childhood.

She’d brought Kendra into the world, and come hell or high water, she’d nail the mom role until Kendra was an adult. Starting school was a major milestone.

Her mind drifted to the ring from Brandon’s proposal, that 8–carat pigeon–egg diamond with top–tier color and sparkle. Back then, she’d treasured it as a symbol of his love. Now, she suspected Josefina had twisted his arm to use it for the proposal.

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