MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE

ARIELLE'S POV)

As I slowly roused from sleep, I was momentarily disoriented, my mind foggy and blank. I tried to recollect where I was, and looking around, it dawned on me that I was in my room in the cabin.

I sat up immediately, rubbing my eyes to get rid of the remnants of sleep. While at it, memories came rushing back like an open dam. I had been resting in my room with Ashley and Maverick when Jared came in, and Ashley had excused us. He had apologized about Sofia's antics earlier, and surprisingly, I wasn't mad at him because I was being honest with myself-it wasn't his fault. Sofia made her choices and I can't keep blaming him and letting him bear the brute of them.

Even though I had earlier refused everyone's audience, Dwayne especially, citing that I wanted to rest, it was hard to ask Jared to leave. Having him sit beside me on the bed afterward, listening to me and Maverick talk, and the happy glow his presence brought out in Maverick made my hands tied. Maverick and I chatted for a while, with Jared watched in silence, a broad smile on his face.

Unfortunately, that was all I could remember now as I scanned the room and its emptiness. I probably fell asleep, and they all left to avoid rousing me from sleep. Well, I had had the much-needed rest, and it was time to get out of bed.

Throwing the covers off, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, feet dangling in the air. I couldn't tell why, but I woke with an unusual, bubbly spirit, one that I had not had in a long while. Glancing at the wall clock, I saw it was a few minutes to 7 am.

But just as I stood, trying to slip my legs into my flip-flops, a sound, a melodious one, suddenly filled the air, seeping through the door. I paused, startled, and wondered what it was. Just then, my curiosity was satiated because the door swung open, and a man with a saxophone stepped in, playing the popular "Happy Birthday" song. The music was soulful and lively, suddenly filling the room with a joyful atmosphere.noveldrama

I gasped, hands flying to my mouth. Today was my birthday! I had completely forgotten. Different emotions immediately enveloped me-surprise, happiness, and gratitude. I felt a lump develop in my throat as I looked around the room, taking in the scene unfolding in front of me.

Behind the saxophonist, Maverick came skidding towards me, and into my arms. I squatted and embraced him, as he placed a tender kiss on my forehead. "Happy birthday, Mommy, the best mommy in the whole wide world." His eyes sparkled with excitement, as his small hands cupped my cheeks to place more kisses all over my face.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I hugged him tightly, a feeling of love and warmth overwhelming. "Thank you, baby. I love you so much," I managed to whisper after we disengaged.

Behind us, more people trooped in. Ashley, Mom, Dwayne, Margaux, The Harrisons. Thru stepped forward, wishing me a happy birthday, they'd faces filled with love.

"Happy birthday, Arielle," and good wishes rented the room.

I was completely overwhelmed with emotions as I looked at the sea of smiling faces before me. Tears clouded my line of vision, and I fought hard to keep them from falling. I had never been celebrated this way all my life. What did I do to deserve these amazing people? I felt seen, loved, and appreciated, and it was a feeling I wanted to keep reliving.

"Thank you, everyone," I managed to croak, my voice trembling with unspoken words of appreciation. "This means so much to me." I just didn't know how to put the words as my heart felt like it was going to burst with happiness. But the reassuring smiles they all gave me conveyed that they understood how emotional I was.

But as I stood there, surrounded by the people who loved me, I made a sudden observation. Out of the people that were here, someone was missing. A pang of disappointment hit me when I figured out who. Jared.

The realization hit me hard, and my smile faltered. I tried to process why he wasn't here. But then a voice in my head scoffed. What was j expecting? He had probably returned to his fiance's yacht to be with her and her family. Spending a few hours with me yesterday didn't mean anything.

I tried to shake off the feeling of hurt, but it was hard to ignore. Dwayne's concerned voice broke through my thoughts, and turned to face him, realizing he had closed the distance between us and was now standing right beside me.

"Are you okay, Ostrich?" he asked, his brow furrowed with worry.

I was slightly embarrassed as I forced a smile into my face. I thought I was just having a deep thought, but clearly my emotions must have mirrored in my face to have gotten Dwayne's concern. "Oh, of course, I am. I'm just wondering how I got lucky to have you all around me."

It was awful to lie, but I couldn't possibly tell them that my mood was slightly ruined because Jared wasn't here. That would be ungrateful, and I felt awful thinking about it because their presence was more than enough. I should be appreciative of the people who were here, celebrating me.

But Dwayne didn't seem convinced as he gave me one of his signature one-over "I don't believe book," looks. But he let it slide. "All right, but the birthday girl should have a smile on her face all through today."

I smiled again, trying to make it more genuine this time. Ashley stepped forward at this point, looking all excited.

"All right, birthday girl, it's time to get you prepped for your big day." She turned to shush everyone away, her voice firm but gentle. "You all can go now, she has to get ready."

They all obeyed, with Maverick coming to give me a goodbye peck and the room slowly emptied. I was soon left alone with Ashley and I turned to her, my expression curious. "You, silly girl, what are you up to?"

She smiled mischievously, eyes sparkling with excitement. "You wait and see." And then she snapped her fingers, and the door went open, revealing three smartly dressed ladies.

I gasped in surprise, my eyes widening as I took in their strange faces. They weren't people I knew, and I turned back to Ashley. "What's going on?" I mouthed in a whisper.

She winked at me, her smile growing wider. She was clearly enjoying this. "Relax, and enjoy the ride," she whispered back.

One of the ladies stepped forward now, a broad smile on her face. "Good morning, Ma'am. I'm Nadia, and these are my colleagues, Hayley and Sandy. We're here to give you a birthday treat- a body massage, exfoliation, and skincare."

I felt a surge of excitement with a little bit of nostalgia. The last time I had a spa date was years ago with Jared, and the thought of being pampered again that way was both thrilling and nostalgic. I looked back at Ashley, and she nodded, reassuring me. Turning back to Nadia, I nodded, a smile of approval spreading across my face. "I'd love that, Nadia."

Nadia nodded, a warm smile still plastered on her face, and then she signaled to her colleague. Sandy, the lady with a box in her hand, stepped forward. "Excuse me, ma'am," she said, her voice soft and polite "Could you please tell me where the

bathroom is?"

I pointed to the door on the far side of the room. "It's right there."

Sandy smiled and walked towards the bathroom, the box in hand. I watched her go, my brows slightly furrowed. I wasn't sure why she needed to use my bathroom, and a tiny spark of concern ignited within me.

Nadia seemed to notice my concerned look and stepped forward, a reassuring smile on her face. "Don't worry, Ma'am. Sandy is just preparing the bathtub and getting things ready for your treatment."

I nodded, feeling a little relaxed. And when I turned to look at Ashley, she smiled brightly and I was reassured even more. I trusted my best friend and whatever she was planning. I will just relax and let things unfold. A few minutes later, Sandy emerged from the bathroom, a satisfied smile on her face. "All done," she informed Nadia.

Nadia thanked her and then turned to me. "Okay, Ma'am. It's time for your treatment. Please, come with me."

I got off the bed and followed them

into the bathroom, and my eyes widened in amazement. The room had been transformed into

something spectacular. A temporary massage bed had been set up in one corner and the tub was bubbling with a mix of water, fragrances, and spices. The air reeked of the sweet scent of essential oils. A small music player was even set up in a corner, and the slow tempo of

soothing music crowned the whole

ambiance of the bathroom.

Nadia gestured to the tub. "Please, get in. The warm water will help relax your muscles and prepare your skin for the exfoliation treatment."

I nodded, excited about the

experience. Slowly, I unbuttoned my

pajama shirt Sandy stepped

forward, helping me out of the

clothes and handing me a towel to

wrap around myself. Carefully,

stepped into the tub, the warm water

instantly welcoming me. It was like floating into cloud 9, and let out a contented sigh as I slid comfortably into the water.

Nadia nodded in approval. "Relax, ma'am. Let the warmth of the water seep into your muscles. We'll take care of the rest."

As I lay there, I felt my body gradually relax. Sandy began to gently exfoliate my skin with a sugar scrub to remove dead skin cells. The feeling was heavenly, and I felt my skin tingling with pleasure and satisfaction. Hayley worked on my hair, massaging my scalp with nourishing hair products. The whole sensation was divine, and I felt my body relaxing completely, letting go of all the tension and stress it had pent up. As they worked their magic, I felt myself drifting into another world and didn't realize when they finished up. It wasn't until Nadia gently spoke, that I returned to reality.

"Ma'am, we're done," she announced. "You can get out of the tub now.

I slowly opened my eyes, feeling a slight sense of disappointment that the treatment was over. But I knew it was inevitable because everything had an end, and this was the end of the spa session.

Nadia handed me a towel and helped me get out of the tub. I smiled at her, impressed at not just her professionalism, but her kindness, too. "Thank you, Nadia. You and your colleagues outdid yourself. If you have a physical spa, I'd love to visit one day." That seemed to brighten their moods and their smiles widened. "Thank you for your kind words, Ma'am. We look forward to your visit.'

I nodded and walked towards the door that led to the room. On opening it, I was stunned to see new faces with Ashley. Instinctively, I reached for my towel to pull it down a little more while questioning Ashley with my eyes.

"Relax, the spa people are done with their job, these ones are here for theirs," Ashley said, her eyes gleaming with amusement. She seemed to be enjoying the whole show.

I relaxed a bit as I took in the looks of the two newcomers. They were ladies in their primes and looked harmless.

"Come have your breakfast before we get into the next item on our itinerary today," Ashley beckoned me. On following her hand gestures, my eyes landed on the tray of food placed on the table.

"Is that not too much food for one person?" I asked, eyeing the number of plates lined out in the tray.

"Nothing is too much on your birthday. Now come on, and stop wasting time."

A smile broke out on my face as I walked to the closet, and pulled out a robe. I slipped into it and walked over to the table. I took a seat and uncovered the first plate, and a palatable aroma hit me. Smiling, I turned to Ashley and whispered in a conspiratorial tone. "Just what else do you have planned for me today?"

"A lot," she whispered in return. "A lot more than you can get your head around. And it's not just I, but everyone else."

That caught my attention. "Everyone else?"

"Shhh... I'm not allowed to tell. Just sit calm and pretty and let things play out, will you?"

I nodded reluctantly, even though I was dying of curiosity. Just what else do these people have planned for me?