BILLIONAIRE’S REGRET: After My Rebirth のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 30

|• DELORES I walked into the restaurant and headed straight for the table he usually reserved for us. The restaurant looked the same. It was almost as if nothing had changed. It has beautiful red plush seats, the sunlight filtering through the window giving the restaurant a golden glow. I saw Jared, sitting by the window, exactly where I suspected he would be. His dirty blonde hair tousled. He looked up at me, his expression hardening. A shiver ran down my spine at the way he looked at me. Somehow he still had that effect on me. Jared wasn’t just any agent, he was one who didn’t take bullshit from any actor or actress, especially his star actress. I summoned the last bit of courage I had and stopped in front of him. I knew he wouldn’t let me hear the end of what I’d done, but if that would earn me his forgiveness and make us work again, I’d be glad. I forced a smile. “Hi, Jared. It’s been a while.” “Am I smiling, Delores?” he asked, his voice ice cold. Any hope of forgiv

|• AARON I leaned back in my chair, letting out a long breath after Delores stormed out of my office. My hands rested on the arms of the leather chair, and for the first time in hours, I let myself just think. She had never lost her cool like that with me before. Never. I’d known Delores was stubborn, soft , and fierce when she wanted to be but that fire… that anger she’d thrown at me today, it had taken me by surprise. Part of me wanted to get up and chase after her, tell her she didn’t have to be so angry, that I wasn’t trying to control her, that I just… cared. But I didn’t. I let her go. I needed to be patient. I had to. Helping her with her costumes, working with her through Lumiére Studios… that was my way in. That was how I’d get close to her again. How I’d slowly, carefully, fix what was broken between us. I hadn’t told her the full truth—how much I’d regretted everything, how much I’d wanted to protect her even when she hated me, how it wasn’t even her role that made m

|• DELORES “Are you taking your drugs, Mrs. Aaron?” Doc. Richard asked, and I pressed my lips into a thin line, knowing there was no way I’d lie and he wouldn’t find out. I’d just been too busy trying to get back on my feet that I’d totally forgotten the most important thing I needed to check at all times — my health. I lowered my head and let out a breath. “No, Doc.” I heard him sigh, not one of tiredness but frustration. “Your kidneys are damaged, Delores.” I looked up at him. Whenever he called my name like that, he was about to get serious. “You need to take your medication and rest while we try to find a matching donor,” he finished gently. Matching donor. The words echoed in my head like a ticking clock. I fought a grimace and straightened my back. “I have rehearsals next week,” I said quietly. “A lead role.” He removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Delores, this is not about a role.” “It is to me.” Because that role wasn’t just a role. It wa

|• DELORES The drive home was long and awkward. I was almost tempted to bite my fingernails out of old habit, but I quickly shook my head to dismiss the thought. How did I forget that Aaron’s name was also on my emergency contact list? He was the last person I’d want to come see me in that situation. The throbbing in my head had dulled to a hum. I tried to think of an excuse to give him when we got home but fell short. And him glancing at me, probably to make sure I was fine, wasn’t helping matters either. We finally got home, and I reached to remove my seatbelt, but Aaron stopped me. “What?” I asked, my eyes narrowing. “I want us to talk in the car, Delores,” he said, and I cocked a brow. “I know that when we get in, you’re going to try to avoid me.” I shrugged. “It’s not like there’s anything to talk about.” I removed the seatbelt. “Thanks for driving me home.” I reached for the door, but he held my hand. When I turned to look at him, I hated that he had the right to

•| DELORESMum didn’t look like she wanted to leave. My head suddenly thrummed, a wave of dizziness washing over me. I took a step back and placed my hand on my head.My vision blurred and I shook my head to clear it.“Delores, are you okay?” Sylvie asked, and I nodded.“Just ask them to leave.” I forced the words out and took another step back.“Auntie, I don’t think she is feeling too well,” Sylvie began. “Please, can you come back tomorrow?”“What we need can’t wait for tomorrow, Sylvia,” Mum began in that condescending tone of hers. “We need two thousand dollars to settle some debts immediately. Leaving it until tomorrow will only worsen the whole issue. Victor might get arrested.”“Mum is right, Delores,” Victor agreed. “We need to settle the debts today. Do you want me to go to jail?”I wasn’t surprised. Not at all. My legs felt like they were about to give out. I’m damn sure they saw the pain on my face, but there was still nothing to care about except money. How did I end up w