Jilted Ex-wife Billionaire Heiress

Chapter 17 Blood Money

Stacks of cash flew towards the patio.

Some of the paper bands were snapped.

It was soon raining cash.

$100 notes flew everywhere, landing on the guests' heads, shoulders, shoes.

The scene descended into chaos in a matter of seconds, as guests and waitstaff eagerly grabbed the cash and

stuffed it into their pockets.

Some tried to be discreet about it-they had not forgotten about the cameras.

Some stayed back because technically, the money belonged to Micah.

Darya walked away from the balcony and disappeared from view.

It pleased her to realise that she no longer cared enough to wait to see Micah's reaction.

She'd truly let go of the past.

Avery arrived in time to catch the last part of the show, having just been briefed by Vania.

He sighed as he took his sister's arm. 'There are easier ways to get back at them, you know.'

'I know, but none of them is as satisfying as this.' Darya shrugged. 'Did you

convey my apologies to Ms Pauley?'

She made a scene at someone else's party.

The organiser would be understandably annoyed.

'I did, and she said no apology needed. The cameras probably caught everything. Her documentary's going to go

viral, she's sure of it.'

'Well, at least part of it will.' Darya smiled. "The public is about to get a sneak preview.

Avery nodded. 'Wallace called me to confirm. I told him to do whatever you asked.'

'I'm suddenly famished. Darya rubbed her tummy. 'Who knew throwing a briefcase full of cash can be a strenuous activity?"

Brother and sister sauntered back into the ballroom.

On the patio below, Micah stood rigidly.

But he was no longer the centre of attention.

The money was.

Regina bit her bottom lip, indecisive.

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Chapter 17 Blood Money

The money belonged to Micah, to her

The rubberneckers had no right to touch it.

But she couldn't just shout at them to back off, could she?

Not while her reputation was cast under a cloud by everything Darya did and said tonight.

That woman was so infuriating!

Regina gritted her teeth

Why couldn't Darya Miller just leave her and Micah alone?

And where the hell did she get her hands on thirty million dollars?

Did her new sugar daddy give her that much cash just to throw away?

Resentment coursed through Regina's veins, making her temporarily forget about her drenched dress and dishevelled state.

Micah unlinked his arm with hers. 'Wait here.'

'Wait, where are you going?'

Micah ignored her protest, strode into the ballroom and headed for the stairs.

He found Darya lounging on a sofa in the second-floor parlour.

She was digging into a chocolate caramel shortbread square, while Avery sat next

to her, holding a cocktail glass of Moët Golden Glamour.

Four bodyguards in black suits stood unobtrusively in a dark corner behind the sofa, but came to attention when Micah approached.

Darya was concentrating on her dessert and didn't seem to notice the newcomer.

Like a pampered princess, she took an occasional sip from the glass when Avery held it up to her lips.

Their intimacy shot another sharp pang into Micah's heart.

He cleared his throat. 'Mr McAllister.'

Avery looked up with the hint of a smile, half amused, half bored. 'Yes?'

'About what happened earlier...'

'What about it?'

Avery's question was posed as a challenge.

Micah frowned.

He, like Regina, had drawn the inevitable conclusion that Darya's money came

from Avery.

After all, Darya Miller was a broke, unemployed housewife.

Where would she have acquired thirty million dollars in cash?

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Chapter 17 Blood Money

But Avery seemed entirely unconcerned, as if Darya had just tossed away three bucks of has money, not thirty mil..

Micah drew another deep breath, turned to Darya, who dismissed him with one glance before returning to her

dessert

'Mr Cavanaugh, Avery cut in before Micah could say anything. If you don't hurry back there, your money's going to end up in someone else's pockets."

'It's not my money,' Micah retorted.

'Oh but it is. Darya has decided to return it to you.'

Underneath his pleasant smile, Avery was seething-

It made his blood boil to think that his sister had served as another woman's mobile blood bank for three years

When he learned how much blood Micah had forced Darya to donate-no, not donate-sell, he was so mad, he started drafting a revenge plan based on the principle of 'an eye for an eye and involved the word 'exsanguination."

But Darya talked him out of it.

Micah did not miss the hostility emanating from Mr McAllister, but he had not achieved his purpose in coming

here.

So he spoke to Darya directly, 'I would like to expl-'

Darya stabbed her fork in the air, a signal for him to stop talking.

She looked up. 'Mr Cavanaugh, we are no longer married. I don't care what you

would or would not like to do. I have nothing more to say to you.'

At a gesture from Avery, two of the guards in the background stepped forward, flanking Micah.

'She doesn't want to talk to you, Mr Cavanaugh,' Avery said dismissively. 'A gentleman should know when not to push.'

Micah glared back at the guards.

He could take them down, but it would lead to a scene.

Darya's disregard hurt his pride more than Avery's rebuff.

Insulted and fuming, he spun on his heel and left, having completely forgotten

what he'd come for-to explain his relationship with Regina.

Avery handed Darya a serviette.

She wiped her mouth.

Avery shook his head. 'I still don't get what you saw in him.'

'Everybody makes mistakes.' Darya shrugged.

'Are you over yours now?'

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'I am

Theh it's thirty million well spent Avery patted her head. Femme on You've tested

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dance

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Dancing is not exercising. Avery took her hand and led her ch of the par. Yey c

If not for her, he would not have spent almost town home talking to a bunch of people he barely key

Micah didn't get to see Darya's waltz with Avery, as he left the party early But the fallout from the confrontation tonight was far from over