All Chapters of The Billionaire's Regret: Chasing His Discarded Bride: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

|| Isabella's POV ||I was feeding Sophie in the nursery when my phone buzzed on the side table.A text message. From an unknown number.I almost ignored it, focused on getting Sophie to finish her bottle, but something made me reach for the phone with my free hand.The message contained a single photo with no caption.When I opened it, my breath caught in my throat.Anastasia.She was standing in what appeared to be an exclusive jewelry boutique, the kind of place with velvet-lined cases and private viewing rooms. Her smile was radiant, triumphant even, as she posed with one hand extended toward the camera.On her wrist sparkled a diamond bracelet that caught the light like captured stars.And behind her, deliberately visible in the background, was the price tag. I could make out the numbers even in the photo: $47,000.My hands started shaking.I stared at the photo for a long time, my heart sinking lower with each passing second. Sophie had finished her bottle and was making soft co

|| Anastasia's POV ||I watched Aaron's car pull away from the mall parking lot, maintaining my sweet, grateful smile until his taillights disappeared around the corner.The moment he was out of sight, my smile vanished.I was absolutely furious.Despite everything I'd done today—the shopping trip, the expensive bracelet he'd bought me, Aaron agreeing to attend Mother's birthday party—he still chose to go home to that pathetic Isabella."I have to go home," he'd said, shaking off my hand like my touch burned him.Home. To her.How did that woman still have such a hold on him? What did she possibly offer that I didn't? I was beautiful, educated, sophisticated. I understood his world, his business, his family's expectations. I was everything Victoria Styles wanted for her son.And yet Aaron couldn't wait to get away from me and rush back to his mousy little wife who'd trapped him into marriage in the first place.It made me want to scream.I pulled out my phone, my fingers trembling sli

|| Aaron's POV ||I didn't actually go home after leaving Anastasia at the mall despite telling her that's where I was headed.Instead, I found myself driving to my grandfather William Styles's estate on the outskirts of the city. The sprawling property sat on twenty acres of manicured grounds, far enough from the city center to feel like a different world entirely.I needed answers. And William had always been better at providing them than anyone else in my family.The butler showed me to William's study, where my grandfather sat in his favorite leather chair, reading the afternoon paper with a glass of scotch at his elbow."Aaron," he said, looking up with genuine pleasure. "This is an unexpected visit. What brings you out here?""I need information," I said, closing the door behind me. "About the Collins family."William's eyebrows rose, but he gestured to the chair across from him. "Have a seat. This sounds serious."I sat down, suddenly unsure how to phrase my question without so

|| Aaron's POV ||The threat finally seemed to penetrate Linda's delusion. Her face crumpled, tears streaming down her cheeks as she scrambled to find her clothes scattered around the room."I love you," she sobbed, pulling on a dress over the negligee with shaking hands. "I just wanted you to love me back. I thought if you saw me, really saw me—""Time's up," I said coldly, cutting off her pathetic explanation. "Get out."Linda grabbed her purse and shoes, still crying, and ran from the room. I followed her down the stairs to make sure she actually left, my head pounding from the whiskey and the sheer absurdity of what had just happened.I watched from the doorway as she stumbled out into the night, her sobs echoing in the quiet darkness. The security guard at the gate called my phone almost immediately."Sir? Ms. Linda just left the property. Is everything alright?""Add her to the banned list," I said, my voice hard. "She's never to be allowed on the property again. If she shows up

|| Aaron's POV ||It was nearly midnight when Sophie finally finished her IV drip treatment.I'd been sitting in that uncomfortable hospital chair for hours, Isabella curled up on my lap, both of us watching our daughter sleep. The nurses had come and gone, checking vitals, adjusting the IV flow, offering us coffee and blankets that we'd accepted numbly.Sophie's fever had come down significantly over the course of the evening. The medication and fluids had done their job, bringing her temperature back to something closer to normal. But she was still weak and sleeping, her little body exhausted from fighting whatever had made her sick.She looked so small in that hospital bed. So vulnerable with all the medical equipment surrounding her.A nurse came in to remove the IV, and I watched as she carefully peeled away the tape from Sophie's arm. Our daughter stirred slightly but didn't wake, too exhausted to do more than whimper softly.Isabella tensed against me, and I tightened my arms a