Alle Kapitel von The Billionaire's Regret: Chasing His Discarded Bride: Kapitel 11 – Kapitel 20

|| Isabella’s POV ||One year went by in a blur and Sophia seems to be growing more every single day…which was really one of my greatest joys.It’s been a year.A whole year since that terrible night at Victoria’s birthday party. A whole year since Aaron had made his cruel promise—that my life would become hell.And yet, here I was, standing in the kitchen at dawn, making breakfast for our daughter.I cracked eggs into a bowl, whisking them with practiced motions, my mind on autopilot. The kitchen was quiet except for the soft sizzle of butter in the pan and the distant sound of Sophia babbling in her high chair in the dining room.My marriage with Aaton for the past one year has been a little bit peaceful. Not that we were a perfect or romantic couple…far from that. But at least we didnt fight or argue anymore.We simply existed in the same space, neither interfering with the other’s lives. He went to work, came home late, slept in his separate bedroom. I took care of Sophia, cooked,

|| Aaron’s POV ||After agreeing with Isabella not to divorce, my dislike for her had actually lessened considerably over the course of the year.It surprised me, if I was honest with myself. I’d expected to hate her more as time went on, expected the forced proximity to make everything worse. But instead, something strange had happened.She didn’t cause any more trouble. Didn’t make dramatic scenes or beg for my attention. She stayed home to take care of Sophie, managed the household quietly and efficiently, and didn’t cause me any more problems.The house ran smoothly. Sophie was happy and well-cared for. And there was always breakfast waiting for me in the morning—perfectly prepared, exactly to my taste.In addition, I had to admit that Isabella’s cooking was actually to my liking. More than to my liking, if I was being completely honest. The sandwiches she made, the way she seasoned the eggs, the coffee brewed just right—it was better than anything the professional chefs at my rest

|| Isabella’s POV ||Aaron dropped Sophia and me off at the old house and left.I watched his car disappear down the long driveway, the red taillights fading into the evening gloom, and I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what was coming.Victoria’s sarcastic remarks. Her cutting comments. Her thinly veiled insults that always made me feel two inches tall.For the past year, I had been trying to avoid Victoria as much as possible. I’d made excuses, claimed illness, found any reason not to attend family dinners or events at the old house.But I couldn’t stop Victoria from liking Sophia very much and wanting to see her often.My daughter, at least, had won her grandmother’s affection. Victoria adored Sophia—showered her with gifts, cooed over her, wanted her around constantly.And Sophia was too young. Only a year old, still so small and vulnerable. I worried about her constantly, couldn’t bear the thought of sending her to Victoria’s house alone with a nanny.So I always followed.

|| Isabella's POV ||I tried to calm myself down, taking deep breaths, forcing my racing heart to slow, my trembling hands to still.Stay calm. Stay calm. I repeated the words like a mantra.I couldn't let Victoria's pressure and Aaron throw me off balance. Couldn't let them see how close I was to breaking, how the cracks were spreading through every part of my carefully constructed facade.I only wanted Sophia. That was all that mattered.And I had to endure until I was capable enough to leave Aaron. Until I could stand on my own two feet, support my daughter, build a life where we didn't need the Styles name or money or anything else.Just endure. Just survive.So I went to work at school as usual, forcing myself through the motions—teaching, demonstrating, smiling at my students even though my face felt like it might shatter from the effort.I was in the middle of reviewing knife techniques with my morning class when there was a knock on the classroom door.Mrs. Park, the school sec

|| Xander’s POV ||I was overjoyed to see Isabella again.Even with the angry red mark blooming across my jaw where Aaron Styles had punched me, even knowing I’d just been thrown out of that office like some unwanted intruder—seeing her face again, hearing her voice, had made it all worth it.I’d met Isabella several times before the engagement had been called off, and I’d been actually quite satisfied with her. More than satisfied, if I was being honest. She wasn’t like the other socialites who’d been paraded in front of me over the years—calculating and ambitious, speaking in carefully crafted sentences designed to impress.Isabella would always smile shyly at me, her cheeks flushing pink when our eyes met. And her eyes—those bright, expressive eyes—were deeply etched in my heart. They’d sparkled when she talked about cooking, about her dreams of opening a restaurant someday, about wanting to create dishes that brought people joy.I had once been very happy with the marriage arrange