Billionaire's Regret のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 41 - チャプター 50

"The fool bought it, he's going to pay the money."Irene paced the living room with her phone pressed to her ear and a smile curling her lips.Matt's cruel laughter echoed through the line. "You are the devil himself. You would even kidnap your own son for money?""I wouldn't have done it if you hadn't given me such an ultimatum." She snapped angrily and started pacing in agitation. "You wanted your million dollars, you just get yours and I'll take the rest.""In everything you do, make sure my son doesn't get hurt or you'll pay the consequences." Matt's voice turned hard. "I mean it, Irene. Not a scratch."The line went dead and Irene stared at her phone and then threw her head back and laughed.The sound was high and cold, nothing like humour could be heard in it."If only you'd chosen me, Jeff." She whispered softly into the silence, her voice shifting from amusement to something darker. "I wouldn't have had to put you through this. But for every moment you loved Claire, every sec

Jeff pushed through the hospital entrance and headed straight for the elevator.He'd called the office and Amber's assistant said she had a family emergency at St. Mary's Hospital, so he'd come here hoping to find her because he didn't have time to wait around.He got the hospital room number from reception and he went straight to the children's emergency ward.It was at the end of the hallway and the door was slightly open, so Jeff knocked once but got no answer.He gently pushed it wider and stepped inside.A small boy lay in the hospital bed hooked up to machines and IV lines, his dark hair messy against the white pillow.Jeff's breath caught, why was he seeing himself in Amber's child?He also had the same feeling the first time he saw him in the park with Amber. Jeff stepped closer without meaning to, drawn by a force he couldn't fathom and as he looked at the small figure in that bed, something in his chest tightened painfully and he fought the urge to hug him.The shape of the

Jeff stood alone in the hospital hallway staring at the spot where Amber had disappeared.Her words echoed in his head. "I don't hate you, Jeff. I just don't care about you or anything that concerns you."He sighed and stared into space looking like someone who the world had really delt with.He pulled out his phone and checked the time.Damn it, he still hadn't gotten the money for the ransom, what the hell was he supposed to do now?His hands were shaking as he scrolled through his contacts. He started calling old friends but by the time he was through, none of his rich and influential could help him.Did he really have a friend in the first place to start with? He was so messed up.He'd called every investor, every business contact he had and they'd all said the same thing. Not enough time or too much risk. It's funny just how people you think you can trust and rely on will suddenly turn their back on you when you needed them the most. He had made so many mistakes in the past and

Zane was discharged from the hospital two hours later with nothing more than minor bruises and instructions to rest.Jeff carried him to the car and buckled him in carefully, his hands still shaking slightly from the adrenaline of finding his son in the middle of the street."Where's Mommy?" Zane asked suddenly.Jeff looked around the parking lot and frowned because Irene had been right behind them when they left the examination room but now she was nowhere to be seen."I don't know, buddy. Maybe she went to get something outside, we'll pick her up on our way out."But when Jeff pulled up to the entrance, there was still no sign of her.He tried calling her phone but it went straight to voicemail.Jeff's jaw clenched as he left her a voicenote telling her to go straight home because they are no longer in the hospital.He drove home with Zane dozing in the back seat and by the time they got home, Zane was fully asleep and Jeff carried him upstairs to his bedroom, tucking him in and bru

Jeff stood in the empty conference room with his hand still pressed to his cheek where she had slapped him, the sting was fading but the confusion wasn't.He'd caught her to keep her from falling and she'd reacted like he'd attacked her."What the hell". He muttered.For that brief second before she'd pulled away, he had felt her body relax into his and when her hands had gripped his shirt, she had fit against him in a way that felt oddly familiar.Jeff shook his head and dropped his hand, why the hell would she slap him when he was only trying to help her? Why was she always so angry with him?Even saving her is an offense to her, he decided to go to her and maybe apologize for his recent crime of saving her.He left the conference room and took the elevator to the top floor where her office was positioned.Jeff knocked once before pushing the door open.Amber was standing at the window with her back to him, her posture straight and stiff. she had pulled her hair into a ponytail tha