บททั้งหมดของ He Chose His Ex, I Chose the Billionaire: บทที่ 21 - บทที่ 30

The journey to Horghen City stretched on.Ariana gazed quietly out the window, watching the cityscape blur by. Only now did she truly feel the distance between Emerson City and Horghen City—far longer than she had anticipated.She turned her head and noticed Caleb, eyes fixed on the road, though the fatigue etched across his brow betrayed how long he had been driving.Over such a long distance, Ethan had personally come to Emerson City to discuss their marriage arrangement rather than waiting for her to return to Horghen City. Did this mean he valued the engagement seriously, and that it wasn't just a casual proposal?Her thoughts drifted, as the face of that man from her dream kept flashing across her mind. Eventually, she closed her eyes and rested briefly.After an indeterminate time, Caleb's voice came from her side, "Ari, we're here."He switched off the navigation and, eyes wide with awe, looked up at the towering skyscraper outside.In a place like Horghen City, where eve

Ethan remained silent for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the screen. Just as Ariana began to think he truly didn't care, he said, "Does it matter if I do?"Her body stiffened, and she immediately replied, "Of course it matters. If it bothers you, I can stop interacting with him."As the words left her lips, she noticed the cold edge in his eyes soften slightly. But he still emphasized one point. "I only care about reputation. How you conduct yourselves, I don't."The meaning was clear enough. Yet, his true thoughts remained elusive, hidden beneath that controlled composure.After the afternoon meeting, Ariana told Charmaine about the exchange. Her friend's expression was one of disbelief:"What? That's clearly caring! Any man would care—especially since he's your fiancé. And he's pretending to be magnanimous? Ethan really is something else."In a short span, Charmaine had pieced together the whole story: Caleb's little drama, Ariana's true identity, and her connection to Ethan.

Ariana stared at Ethan in surprise. Meeting his usual cold, detached gaze, she quickly looked away, saying nothing. In her mind, however, her thoughts had already shifted.Since Ethan had been appearing at the company more frequently lately, she needed to seize the opportunity to work, learn, and exchange ideas seriously. Gaining experience from him would be invaluable.As the heir to Horghen City's premier Skye family, with assets in the tens of billions, head of a top-tier company, and an investor in numerous cross-industry enterprises, Ethan's abilities far exceeded anything she had imagined.For a brief moment, his eyes seemed to linger on her, before finally shifting away. The sound of his footsteps gradually faded as he left.By the time she was ready to leave work, Ariana tidied her desk, grabbed her bag, and headed toward the elevator.She had just pressed the button when the doors slid open—and there he was.He stood like a sculpture, posture perfect, features sharp and

Selene stood by Caleb for a moment, and seeing no reaction, she couldn't help speaking up."Your mom criticized me at the dinner table again today… she said the food I bought wasn't fresh, that I wasted money, and… and she even compared me to Ariana." Her voice quivered with restrained sobs."I know I made mistakes in the past that earned her resentment, but I'm trying now. Why does she always have it in for me?"Caleb let out a deep, weary sigh. The endless pressure from work combined with the invisible tension between his mother and Selene had drained him completely. He reached out and pulled her into his arms, his voice heavy with exhaustion."Selene, Mom's old. Her mindset won't change overnight. She doesn't have it easy either. Try to understand, see things from her perspective. Don't take it to heart, okay?"Those near-dismissive words were like the final straw, snapping Selene's patience entirely.She looked up at him, seeing the bloodshot eyes and the exhaustion etched in

Ariana stepped out of the study. Sandra was still frozen in place, her face as pale as paper, opening her mouth as if to speak, then stopping.Ariana didn't give her the chance. She let out a soft sigh and said, "I have other matters to attend to. I'm leaving."Watching Ariana's resolute back, listening to the soft click of the door closing, Sandra panicked completely.She was terrified that Ariana had guessed the truth. She was also terrified of losing Ariana, who had genuinely cared for her and devoted herself to the Miller family.Frantically, she pulled out her phone, dialing Ariana's number again and again. But all she got was the cold, automated voice, "The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable.""It's over… she definitely knows…" Sandra muttered, panic rising in her chest. With no other choice, she called her son.At the same time, Caleb, exhausted from an endless stream of documents and back-to-back meetings at the office, received his mother's call.As he li