The Ex-Wife’s Billion Dollar Comeback Novel

---- Chapter 178: Talk With Sage ~ Soraya ~ "Sir, we are here," Dante said as soon as they pulled over at the Montclairs' old mansion. Soraya and Jacob looked at each other. Her husband asked, " Are you ready?" Soraya nodded. "I'll stay in the car," Jacob said. "| have emails to send anyway." After reporting at Aegis Core Systems, Soraya met with Lyra, Emil, and Luca at the Summit Lounge. At exactly six in the evening, Jacob fetched her. It was now time to have that talk with Sage. Amanda had earlier revealed that both Calum and Rose were in the capital.

Thus, there were no chances of encountering them that night. When Soraya walked into the living room, Sage saw her right away. "Mommy!" her daughter screamed, running to her and giving her an embrace. The mother and daughter held each other for some time. When they pulled away, Sage frowned. "Mommy, your tummy is bigger." Soraya smiled. She didn't explain why. She simply said, "I missed you." "Really?" Sage asked, guilt flashing across her face. "Aunt Rose said you were too busy for me now and that-" "Sage? Let's talk somewhere else," Soraya encouraged.

---- Amanda and Cedric came down to greet her. Soraya said, " Mom, Dad, Jacob's outside." "Ill have a chat with him about the company. You and Sage take your time," Cedric said. Sage wasn't quite bothered by the mention of Jacob. It didn't give her any recollection yet, but Soraya knew... soon, her husband's name would sink into Sage's head. They found their way to the backyard. After settling at a coffee table, Sage asked, "Are you feeling better, Mom?" Soraya smiled.

"Better, but | still get sick sometimes, especially if | eat too much." She took a deep breath before starting gently, "Sage, you are my daughter. | love you very, very much, and that will never change. What your Aunt Rose said wasn't true." "But you've been so busy," Sage said softly. "That's because Mommy has been working," Soraya replied. " Do you remember when Daddy married Aunt Rose?" Sage dryly said, "Yes." "Since then, your daddy and | don't live together anymore," Soraya explained. "When parents separate, it means they live in different houses.

You've been staying with your daddy, so you're living in his home now." "Does that mean you're not part of Daddy's family?" Sage asked, frowning. "That's right," Soraya said gently. "But I'm still your mommy, and you will always be part of my family too." Sage's little face scrunched up. "Is it because of Aunt Rose?" Soraya squeezed her hand and said softly, "It's not just because of her, Sage. Grown-ups sometimes can't stay ---- together even when they try. It's something between your daddy and me." She paused, brushing Sage's hair behind her ear.

"That's why | don't see you as often anymore. But no matter where you live, I'm still your mommy. That never changes." Then Sage looked down at her hands. When she looked up, she asked quietly, "Mommy, is it because | didn't invite you to my birthday?" Soraya's heart ached, but she knew she couldn't avoid it anymore. She reached for Sage's hand and said softly, "That made me very sad, Sage. When you had your birthday with Aunt Rose and didn't want me there, | felt like you didn't need me anymore.

| know you didn't mean to hurt me, but it still made me feel that way." She brushed Sage's hair gently and continued, "When you stopped wearing the bracelet we made and started wearing Aunt Rose's, that hurt too. To make me feel better, | started doing things that made me happy. | returned to work and met someone who will love me too." A tear rolled down Soraya's face. She did not know if she did the right thing by Sage, explaining it the way she did. But she simply expressed herself and could only hope that Sage wouldn't blame herself entirely.

Because at the end of the day, this was all Calum's fault, his and Rose's. All of a sudden, Sage broke down into heavy sobs. She got off her seat and embraced Soraya. "I'm sorry, Mommy. I'm sorry." Her actions stunned Soraya, so much that she also cried her heart out. "Shhh. I'm sorry too. I'm sorry we couldn't keep our family together. But Sage-" she paused. "If you ever decide to stay with me, we can go back to the way things were." It took a while for Sage to soothe her emotions. When she let ---- go, she asked, "Daddy won't come with me?" Soraya shook her head.

"Your daddy is now with your Aunt Rose, and | have someone | love too. Your daddy and | can only be friends, and friends don't live together. Only married people do." Again, Sage cried. Her body trembled under the weight of her emotions. To ease her pain, Soraya diverted her attention. " How is school? What did you do while on break?" It took a while. Sage wiped the corners of her eyes with her hands. But soon, she responded, "I took an art class, but I'm back to school now. It's tiring, but my friends are great." Soraya forced a smile.

The art class was another reminder of Rose's influence on her daughter. She fixed Sage's hair and said, "You're in elementary now. School hours will be longer. Don't forget to take your inhaler with you, just in case, and bring a change of undershirt." "Mom?" Sage looked up, pleading. "Can you take me to school tomorrow, please?" As much as Soraya wanted to, she couldn't make the trip from Belridge in time. Moreover, she and Jacob were flying out to Burnell tomorrow. She smiled at her daughter and said, "I can' t, Sage. | live far away now. | won't make it in time to send you to school...

but, I'll call you." She hoped that Sage would understand, unaware that in doing so, her daughter's heart would begin to turn against someone she once adored.