The Ex-Wife's Billion Dollar Comeback - Chapter 38: Chapter 38

~ Jacob ~
Jacob was casually passing by the veranda to check on his daughter. The maids had informed him that Soraya and Angela were already swimming at the pool.
What he saw made him smile.
Soraya was teaching Angela how to backfloat. Well, Angela was still wearing her floater, but it was a good start.
He witnessed Angela having fun and thought, ‘Why don’t I join them?’
Jacob changed into his swimwear and returned to the pool. He knew he had caught Soraya by surprise, but he made sure not to make things awkward for her.
Now and then, when Jacob would go swimming with his daughter, he would chase her around. He would pretend to be a sea monster and swim after Angela while deliberately slowing down to give his daughter a chance to escape.
However, since Soraya was helping Angela swim away, he went all out!
His daughter was screaming and laughing throughout.
He wouldn’t deny he enjoyed the game. It was fun. And part of it was thanks to Soraya’s participation.
One time, Jacob ended up holding Soraya by the waist. He did not mean anything by it—just got caught up in the moment of fun. However, he felt something strange.
The moment Soraya’s back came in contact with his chest, he felt a thrill he wasn’t supposed to have.
‘Fuck, no,’ he told himself. He couldn’t have that kind of excitement for his friend’s ex-wife.
It was just not morally right.
Moreover, Soraya seemed to have a complicated relationship with Silas Ward. While Soraya had denied anything was going on between them, he saw it—that special attention Mr. Ward gave to Soraya.
Lastly, Soraya was technically still attached to Calum. They may have signed the divorce papers, but they were not yet… officially divorced.
Thus, Jacob shoved the thought to the back of his mind. However, when they got out of the pool, he stared at Soraya.
He gulped, shocked.
Soraya had… a very gorgeous body. Her skin was so fair, and she had the right curves in all the right places.
He was a man. It was normal to take notice of someone who was undeniably attractive.
‘No, Jacob. You can’t,’ he reminded himself. He focused his attention on Angela instead. ‘Soraya is just helping you. You can’t ruin this for Angela.’
Jacob was planning to go back to work after swimming, but unexpectedly, his mother showed up. The worst part was how she claimed Soraya to be… her future daughter-in-law.
~ Soraya ~
“Um—” Soraya’s face burned. She did not know how to react to Jacob’s mother.
“Mother, it’s like what I said. Soraya is just helping Angela learn. Please,” Jacob scolded. “Don’t make things awkward between us. If Soraya won’t return, I’ll blame you for it.”
“Oh!” the older woman stomped her feet. “But I like her. She is gorgeous, angelic, and—” the woman smiled, with tears welling in her eyes. “She treats Angela so well.”
Jacob let out a sigh. He directed his gaze to Soraya and said, “This is my mother. Veronica Steel.”
Veronica Steel looked young, but as far as Soraya knew, Jacob’s mother should be in her mid-fifties. She had dark hair, like Jacob, but her eyes were brown. She had a tall and slender figure and was fashionably dressed.
“Soraya, I’ve heard all about you from Angela,” Veronica said, her eyes sparkling as she held Soraya’s hand.
Veronica studied her. She pursed her lips and glanced back at Jacob, winking. “She’s a beauty! I can just imagine—Angela’s siblings will also be very good-looking!”
Soraya, “...”
“Let’s have tea together,” Veronica suggested. “I can’t wait to get to know you more.”
Angela fell asleep after swimming. Soraya accompanied the little girl in her bed for some time. She tried to avoid having that ‘tea’ with Jacob’s mother, but to her dismay, Veronica searched for her in Angela’s room.
Left with no choice, Soraya followed Veronica to the patio, where Jacob was already waiting for them.
As they sat, Veronica said, “I tried your cake! It was delicious! And I heard that you, Jacob, and Angela made it together.”
“It was mostly Soraya, but yes,” Jacob shared.
“Lovely!” Veronica remarked. She smiled brightly at Soraya, asking, “So, Soraya, Jacob tells me you are an engineer for Aegis Core Systems. Go on, tell me more about yourself!”
Soraya spoke, describing herself modestly. It was Jacob who kept adding details.
Jacob: “She actually co-developed a cybersecurity system that many companies and government agencies are using.”
Veronica: “Wow! You must be a genius!”
Jacob: “She is. Soraya is also highly proficient in equity trading and market analysis. She’s good with numbers and patterns.”
Veronica: “That’s impressive! Tell me more!”
“I’m just working as a consultant for Aegis Core Systems, but my dream is really to create the ultimate AI technology. I haven’t decided on it yet. I’m meeting people and learning, hoping to bump into something that I’d like to be passionate about,” Soraya shared.
“And there’s something else you should know about Soraya, Mother,” Jacob added, turning to Soraya. “Something she and Angela have in common.”
“Really?” Veronica asked, her eyes rounding. “Tell me.”
“Right.” Soraya straightened her back. She smiled and said proudly, “I have Asperger’s.”
Veronica fell silent. She looked like she was in disbelief. “Are—are you sure?”
Soraya nodded. “I am certain.”
A tear rolled down Veronica’s face. She wiped it and asked, “But you—you look normal.”
“I might look normal, but the way I fixate on numbers and patterns often makes people see me as odd,” Soraya said. “I still have routine habits, like how I keep my things spotlessly organized. I still have sensory sensitivities—like how I don’t like certain fabrics on my skin.”
“To soothe my emotions, I tend to have a repetitive way of coping. I say numbers in my head or repeat a mantra. It might seem strange, but it grounds me,” Soraya shared.
Veronica sniffed her tears away. She said, “Will Angela be like you? I mean, will she be able to live normally like you?”
The question took Soraya by surprise. Angela was on the spectrum, but her case was mild. Soraya smiled and said, “Of course. Angela’s a bright girl. With continued therapy and the right support, she’ll thrive—maybe even better than me.”
Veronica cried. She moved her seat closer to Soraya and just hugged her.
Soraya returned the embrace, gently rubbing Veronica’s back to comfort her.
“I’m glad I met you today,” Veronica said, crying in between. “And now I fully understand why you would be the best mother for Angela.”
‘Oh no,’ Soraya thought. ‘This wasn’t how I wanted the conversation to go.’
The last thing she wanted was for Jacob’s mother to start pushing the idea of marriage between them. It would be like reliving her situation with Calum all over again. She couldn’t go through that twice. Besides, Calum and Jacob were friends.
Later, Soraya had some alone time with Veronica. She took the chance to gently break it to Jacob’s mother. Soraya said, “Mrs. Steel, I know you want a mother for Angela, but I can’t be the one for her.”
“Why?” Veronica asked. “You are perfect.”
“I’m not suited for Jacob,” Soraya said. “I’m a divorcée, and I’m not just anybody’s ex-wife… I’m Calum Montclair’s ex-wife.”
The moment Soraya said that, Veronica’s mouth fell open. Her lips parted in shock. “You’re Calum’s ex-wife?”