The Ex-Wife's Billion Dollar Comeback - Chapter 39: Chapter 39

~ Soraya ~
“Hahahahaha!”
“Hahahahaha!”
Jacob’s mother was laughing her heart out.
Soraya was confused as hell!
This was certainly not the reaction she expected.
Soraya assumed that Jacob’s mother would be disappointed. Veronica might even call her out for seducing Calum or accuse her of forcing herself into her ex-husband’s life. But no—instead, Veronica seemed to be entertained.
“Oh, my god. Who would have thought!” Veronica remarked. “No wonder Jacob wanted to keep you a secret! You are like a sin he shouldn’t keep in his house!”
Soraya, “...”
“You’re probably wondering why I’m reacting this way,” Veronica said, still laughing.
“I’m very confused,” Soraya admitted.
Veronica took a moment to compose herself. Then, she said, “Since Jacob and Calum became friends, I’ve met Amanda and Cedric Montclair. Calum’s parents had attended my birthday parties three times over the years. Last week, Amanda called me to pour her heart out. She was very heartbroken about your divorce.”
‘Oh, so they’ve spoken,’ Soraya thought. She didn’t interrupt and simply let Jacob’s mother continue.
“Amanda cried,” Veronica revealed. “And honestly, I never understood why. I had heard about you before—from different sides. One was Jacob’s tale—”
Veronica frowned and added, “No, I think it was more from that woman, Claire Rowan. She really spoke ill about you.”
“Anyway, the point is, Calum’s group, including Jacob, believed you were… not a good person,” Veronica continued. “In contrast, Amanda and Cedric only had good things to say about you.”
“Back then, I didn’t know what to believe. So, I just ignored it. I wasn’t that interested in your life, Soraya. I didn’t even remember your name,” Veronica added. “Now that I think about it, no wonder your name was familiar to me, but Jacob addressed you in your maiden name, so I never connected the dots!”
“Going back to Amanda calling me,” she continued, “she—Amanda actually suggested setting you up with Jacob.”
Hearing that, Soraya’s mouth rounded. She said, “No, Mom did not—”
“She did, hon. She did,” Veronica confirmed, laughing again. “With no shame at all. She sold you like you were the most precious gem on earth. But the funny thing was, I rejected the idea.”
Soraya bit her lip. She had expected that already.
“Because I didn’t know a thing about you!” Veronica explained. “But now, seeing that Jacob trusted you with Angela and even befriended you, I think… I agree!”
“I’m sorry? What?” Soraya asked for clarification.
“I completely agree with Amanda! You and Jacob might as well be together!” Veronica declared.
Soraya was so stunned that she choked and coughed violently.
“Oh, dear.” Veronica passed her a glass of water. “Drink up. I’m sorry. I must have startled you. Haha! Can you blame me? My son is thirty-one, and he’s still single! Not just single—but a single dad!”
Soraya, “...”
Right now, Soraya needed help. ‘Jacob? Where are you?’
Why did it feel like Jacob threw her under the bus by leaving her with his mother? Now, she was on the hot seat, and Soraya didn’t know how to handle Veronica.
Earlier, Jacob had excused himself to fetch his phone. However, it had been more than half an hour, and he still hadn’t returned.
Veronica kept going, explaining Jacob’s situation. “When my son told me he shared about his past with you, it honestly made me feel like you’re someone he’s decided to open up to—to trust. And my son? He’s not a very trusting person.”
“Mrs. Steel,” Soraya finally found the courage to speak, “I get it. Being a parent, you’re worried for your son and Angela. But frankly, we don’t have that kind of relationship.”
“Jacob isn’t interested in me, and I…” Soraya took a deep breath. “I want to focus on my career.”
“To be honest with you, Mrs. Steel, the only reason I agreed to this setup was because of Angela. I—” she pushed forward, “I want to help her.”
Veronica pursed her lips. She looked around, as if checking whether Jacob was nearby. Then she turned back to Soraya and said, “Are you sure? My son comes with hundreds of billions of dollars!”
At that point, Soraya couldn’t help but laugh. She had to take a minute to settle her emotions. After that, she explained her side. “Mrs. Steel, I’ve just come from a failed marriage—one Amanda and Cedric forced between me and Calum.”
“Well, I was willing. I loved Calum, although that’s already in the past. But what I’m trying to say is… I don’t want to be in another situation where I’m forced to marry,” Soraya said.
“Oh, I’m not pushing you, dear. I’m just… giving you a little push,” Veronica responded. “There’s a difference.”
Yet again, Soraya became amused. She reached for Veronica’s hand and said, “I’m very flattered that you consider me a viable choice for Jacob’s wife. But I’m really not ready to get into a relationship. I’ve already set goals for myself, and I must achieve them. I sacrificed so much for Calum and my daughter that I forgot my own dreams.”
“Now that I’m divorced and have let go of Calum, I finally have this chance to chase those dreams. And I’ll stop at nothing until I achieve them,” Soraya said with determination. “I hope you’ll respect my wishes, and also Jacob’s. Please give him the chance to choose who he wants to spend the rest of his life with.”
Veronica’s face twisted in silent pain. She slouched back in her chair, pouting like a teenager. She opened her mouth, then shut it again. After a while, she asked, “How long do you think you’ll need to achieve your dreams?”
It didn’t seem like the discussion would end, but thankfully, Veronica received a call. It was something about a dress she needed to fit. She left in a hurry.
And just after Veronica had gone, Jacob suddenly appeared out of nowhere, asking, “Is she gone?”
“Oh my god. I can’t believe you!” Soraya reacted. “You left me on purpose!”
“I knew you could handle her better than I could,” Jacob said, chuckling. “Thank you, by the way… for taking one for both of us.”
Soraya, “...”
The next day, Soraya left her room as early as six in the morning. She needed to be at Aegis Core Systems by eight.
She expected to ride alone with the family driver, but when she stepped into the car, she was surprised to see Dante behind the wheel.
Dante was supposed to be Jacob’s bodyguard. Although he had previously explained that another bodyguard was stationed at the office, Soraya couldn’t help but wonder why he was here this early. Shouldn’t he be leaving with Jacob?
“Good morning, Miss Azar,” Dante greeted.
Before Soraya could respond, the door to the Maybach opened, and Jacob hopped in.
Soraya was stunned.
Jacob turned to her and said, “Good morning. I have business in Cedar Heights today. Particularly, I’m meeting Calum.”
“I see,” Soraya replied.
She didn’t ask about their meeting. Instead, she kept herself occupied in the car, checking stocks and forex updates online.
About thirty minutes into the drive, drowsiness crept in. Soraya closed her laptop, leaned back in her seat, and let her eyes rest.
The next time she opened them… she was already leaning on Jacob’s shoulder.
“Oh my god!” Soraya jerked upright, fully awake now.