The Ex-Wife's Billion Dollar Comeback - Chapter 17: Chapter 17

~ Soraya ~
“Okay, I—I will tell you,” Jacob replied.
He sighed, cleared his throat, and practically scanned the entire lawn. Clearly, he was delaying his response. “Angela’s mother abandoned her. She doesn’t deserve to be called a mother.”
Soraya’s eyes narrowed upon hearing that. At the door, she waited for Jacob to continue; however, her phone rang, interrupting their conversation.
Overnight, she had turned her phone off, but since she was about to leave, she had to turn it back on.
Seeing it was her uncle calling, Soraya answered, “Uncle?”
Philip: “Soraya, dear. Where have you been? We’ve been worried about you.”
Soraya: “I’m sorry, Uncle. I stayed with a—a friend.”
She turned to Jacob, but seeing he did not react, she resumed, “I’m okay. Don’t worry.”
Philip: “Amanda had a heart attack. Cedric said he tried to call you, but your phone was out of reach. I also tried calling you.”
Soraya gasped. “Oh my God! Why? What happened?”
Philip: “It’s complicated. Calum and Amanda had an argument. She is asking for you, Soraya. You know how much Amanda adores you. Let’s visit her at the hospital. We can go together with your aunt.”
“Okay.” Soraya nodded. “I’ll go straight home, Uncle. We can leave together.”
After ending the call, she explained to Jacob, “Amanda had a heart attack. I need to see her.”
“Amanda, Calum’s mother?” Jacob asked.
Soraya confirmed, “Yes. I have to go. I guess we can continue our talk later.”
“Wait,” Jacob said, stretching his hand toward her. “Give me your phone.”
Soraya frowned at first but handed him her phone anyway. When Jacob’s phone rang, she realized he had saved his number on her mobile.
“Here. I’ll call you on Friday. I can ask the driver to pick you up wherever you are,” Jacob said. “By then, I’ll have a contract ready for you to sign.”
Soraya nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”
She walked toward her car, but just before she opened the door, Jacob said, “I’m not sure it’s a good idea to tell Calum about our arrangement.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate your help,” he added, “but on the other side of things… our group isn’t exactly open when it comes to you.”
Soraya nodded. “I understand. I’ll keep our agreement a secret.”
That was fine. Soraya wouldn’t have it any other way. It was better if Calum and his friends didn’t know Soraya was helping Jacob’s daughter. Who knew what harsh or unfair things they might say about her?
As Soraya drove out of Jacob’s estate, her mind raced ahead to the meeting with Amanda and Cedric Montclair. This time, there would be no room for doubt. She would make them understand, once and for all, that she and Calum were over. Their marriage was irreparable. She had already chosen to walk away, and nothing could make her turn back.
~ Jacob ~
After seeing Soraya’s car leave, Jacob checked his phone.
Sure enough, his chat group with his friends was filled with messages.
Claire: [Aunt Amanda had a heart attack. It was all Soraya’s fault!]
Jacob’s brows creased, reading Claire’s accusations. Still, he continued to read.
Melvin: [What happened?]
Claire: [Calum went to the old estate to introduce Rose. Calum and Aunt Amanda had an argument, so she had a heart attack!]
Roger: [Soraya totally warned her. Probably twisted the story to make herself look like the victim.]
Claire: [That’s the only explanation.]
Rose: [We don’t really know that. But… I wouldn’t blame her if she did. She’s trying to hold onto what she has, even if it’s already broken.]
Rose: [I just feel terrible. I didn’t want it to turn into this.]
Melvin: [@Calum should we visit your mom? Maybe clear things up. You and Soraya were a ticking time bomb anyway. Everyone knew it.]
Calum: [There’s no need. Let’s avoid upsetting my mother for now. I don’t want her to have another heart attack.]
Claire: [So Soraya just wins again?]
Claire: [I bet she is somewhere, sipping wine and rejoicing at how she had won!]
Roger: [She’s manipulative, Cal. You need to protect Aunt and Uncle from her.]
Melvin: [@Jacob, are you there? Maybe you should see Aunt Amanda. She likes you the most in our group. Perhaps she will listen to you and talk some sense into her.]
Claire and Roger were Calum’s cousins. Jacob had come to know them since becoming friends with Calum. Among their circle, Claire and Roger were always throwing shade at Soraya, and sadly, Jacob had always believed them. Because if anything, Jacob despised scheming women.
Jacob had had his fair share of calculating women; one in particular turned him into an instant father. So, when he heard all the stories about Soraya, he judged her.
He judged Soraya without getting to know her.
Now, reading all of this, he realized how unfair he had been toward Soraya.
‘Soraya was somewhere, sipping wine and rejoicing at how she had won?’ No, she wasn’t. She was sleeping next to Angela, comforting his daughter, Jacob thought. She didn’t even know what had happened to Amanda Montclair.
Jacob couldn’t help but join the discussion. He texted: [We all know that Calum’s parents adore Soraya, so why are we surprised that Amanda got angry?]
Jacob: [I think @Rose, you should take a step back. Legally, and in the eyes of Calum’s parents, you are the one intruding on a sacred marriage.]
Melvin: [Jacob, what the fuck?]
Jacob: [I’m just stating the fact.]
Jacob: [Since Calum and Soraya are divorcing anyway, why not let Rose wait it out for a while? The Montclairs have known Soraya since she was a little girl, right? How can that compare to knowing Rose for less than a year?]
No one responded in the chat group, but Jacob got a call from his dear friend. He answered as he made his way back to the living room. “Calum.”
“You’re hurting Rose’s feelings,” Calum said.
“What I said is the truth. I’m only protecting your mother’s well-being. Do you not agree? You and I both know your parents’ opinion about Soraya won’t change, so why pressure them to accept Rose?” Jacob pointed out.
“Since we’ve become friends, I’ve come to know your parents. I care about them too,” Jacob resumed. “Calum, your approach has been wrong. If you truly cared for Rose like you say you do, you wouldn’t make her the other woman in your parents’ eyes.”
“But things have already happened. All you can do now is wait for your parents to accept things the way they are,” Jacob added.
Calum didn’t answer, but Jacob knew his friend was fuming on the other line. He could tell by the way he was breathing hard against the phone.
“Don’t worry, I’ll help convince your mother that divorce is the better option,” Jacob said. “Will you be at the hospital?”
“I might,” Calum replied dryly.
“Then I’ll see you there,” Jacob said.
Jacob indeed wanted to help Calum and Soraya with their divorce. Regardless of whose side he was on, he believed it was for the better.
Calum was unwilling to know his own wife, and Soraya, apparently, had held her life back for him.
They were never a good match.
A relationship that held someone back instead of helping them grow was never a real partnership—it only fell apart slowly. No matter how long it lasted, it never truly became stronger.
And maybe it was time someone finally said that out loud.