The Ex-Wife's Billion Dollar Comeback - Chapter 40: Chapter 40

~ Soraya ~
“Soraya, we are here.”
“Soraya?”
“Soraya, we are at your office.”
“Hmmm?” Soraya fluttered her eyes open, but as she did, she realized she was leaning into a man’s shoulder.
She noticed the driver’s familiar face, and when she finally remembered, she jerked awake. “Oh, my god!”
“Oh, my god. What have I done?” Soraya panicked, moving back from Jacob.
Jacob frowned. He said, “What have you done? You are hilarious, you know that, Soraya? You make it sound like you just murdered someone.”
"It's—I didn’t—” she stuttered.
“I know,” Jacob said. “Until what time did you trade last night?”
Oh, he knew. Soraya was amazed at how he saw through her.
She gulped and said, “Not so long. I—I need the money.”
Leaning back in the seat, Jacob asked, “What did you do with your alimony?”
“I—I am making an investment, and the return will take time,” Soraya shared. “That was what… Silas and I did over the weekend.”
Jacob paused. Then he looked out the window. He took out his phone and said, “I will give you a year’s worth of advance payment. Maybe that will help.”
Soraya, “...”
“A year's worth?” Soraya made sure she heard it right. “That’s—”
“Nine million six hundred thousand dollars,” Jacob answered for her. He smirked. “You are not the only one good with numbers.”
“I—Jacob, I can’t—”
“Don’t think I am doing this for you,” Jacob said, already texting instructions to whoever was in charge. “I am simply making sure you will continue helping Angela.”
Before Soraya could react, Jacob said, “It’s almost eight. You should go.”
Jacob was about to exit the car, and Soraya understood he wanted her to get off from that side, but she grabbed his arm. She gulped and said, “Do you mind not getting out?”
He understood well and instead said, “Be careful.”
Soraya hopped off from the other side of the car, ensuring no other car was passing by. She waved goodbye to the tinted glass window and made her way into the office. To her shock, Silas was waiting inside, eyes narrowing at her.
“WHO. WAS. THAT?” Silas asked, arms folding against his chest.
Soraya gulped and said, “A friend.”
“A friend I don’t know?” Silas inquired suspiciously.
“Um. Yeah. He is from Belridge,” Soraya said, walking ahead of Silas. “He just happened to have business here, so he offered me a ride.”
“And… what’s wrong with your car?” Silas asked.
Soraya could not tell her friend about Jacob. How could she tell him that she was living with her ex-husband’s friend while offering to help his daughter? Moreover, Jacob belonged to Calum’s side. Silas would absolutely hate the idea of her being acquainted with Jacob.
“My car broke down yesterday, so I took a taxi to Belridge,” Soraya said.
“Why are you staying in Belridge?” Silas probed further. “Why aren’t you staying at your apartment here in Cedar Heights?”
“So many questions, Silas,” Soraya said.
“Can’t I ask them?” Silas asked.
Soraya laughed. She shook her head and said, “I need time to be in Belridge with my uncle. Remember, I borrowed money from his company for our—” she paused, made sure no one was near them. “For our land investment, remember?”
“Okay,” Silas said. “But you are being mysterious. Are you hiding something, Soraya Azar?”
“No,” Soraya plainly said.
She felt guilty. Maybe she will tell Silas one day, but not now.
Sage: [Mommy, where have you been? I miss you.]
Sage: [I’m getting a cough again, Mommy.]
It was ten in the morning. Soraya meant to ignore her daughter’s messages, but when she saw the last notification, she called her daughter through the messaging app.
“Mommy! You answered!” Sage said with excitement.
“Where are you?” Soraya asked.
“I’m at home. We don’t have school today because a lot of kids were getting sick and the teachers need to disinfect the classrooms,” Sage explained.
“Has your father not taken you to the doctor?” Soraya asked.
“No, Mommy. He said he would, but he’s been busy lately. He’s helping Aunt Rose with her shop—” Sage paused. “Sorry, Mommy.”
Soraya understood. Sage realized that talking about Rose hurt her.
“How often are you coughing?” Soraya asked.
“At night,” Sage answered. “Sometimes, at school.”
“Try to take your inhaler if it makes you feel better. I’ll talk to your father about taking you to the doctor,” Soraya said.
“But why can’t you?” Sage asked.
Soraya sucked in a deep breath. She said, “Has your father not told you yet?”
“About what, Mommy?” Sage asked. “Dad only said you won’t be home for a while, but why?”
“Isn’t it what you wanted?” Soraya asked. “This way, you can spend more time with your Aunt Rose.”
There was silence on the other line, and Soraya knew she had caught her daughter off guard.
“I have to go, Sage. I’ll talk to your father about your cough. If your father won’t take you, I’ll find time to take you,” Soraya said. “Take care. Drink your vitamins. Goodbye.”
After Soraya ended the call, she received another text.
Calum: [There’s a change of plans. I invited Mr. Wright to lunch at the Majestic Restaurant, Vanguard Galleria, instead. Allocate the rest of your afternoon. Remember, do your part as a shareholder.]
Soraya bit her lip in anger. She had things to do. How dare Calum dictate her time, even after the divorce!
However, she needed to talk to Calum about Sage. So, she had no choice but to agree. She replied: [Fine. We need to talk about Sage.]
~ Sage ~
Sage watched her tablet with sad eyes.
Her mother refused to see her, and she knew why. Everything started on the day she celebrated her birthday with her Aunt Rose.
Little by little, the mother who had once doted on her had started to drift away. But what could she do? She loved the attention her father was now giving her, and she also liked her Aunt Rose.
“Is Aunt Rose still busy?” Sage wondered.
Sage sent Rose another message, but when the latter did not answer, she called her.
“Sage, Darling? What’s up?” Finally, Rose answered.
“Aunt Rose, I don’t want to stay home. Can I go with you and Daddy?” Sage begged.
“Sage, you can't. We are at the mall, and your dad seems to have other urgent things to do,” Rose reasoned. “Plus, we are meeting so many people—new people.”
“Please, Aunt. I really want to go,” Sage begged.
Rose took a deep breath on the other line. After a while, she said, “Okay, but others might mistake you as my daughter, is that okay?”
Sage’s eyes lit up. She said, “That’s okay! I can call you my Mommy!”
Rose chuckled. She said, “Very well. I’ll call your driver and ask him to bring you to the mall. I will see you later.”
Sage was all smiles as she prepared to leave, excited to spend the afternoon with her Aunt Rose and her father.
What she didn’t know was that, over a simple lunch, her innocent joy would be tested. That very afternoon, Sage would have to make a choice between the mother who gave her life… and the woman trying to take her place.