The Ex-Wife’s Billion Dollar Comeback Novel

---- Chapter 200: His Parents Knew ~ Calum ~ Calum no longer lingered in Burnell. He just couldn't face Jacob and Soraya. Instead, he took Rose back to Cedar Heights. Only Melvin and Luke remained at Nexa Power to enjoy the scenery of the plant and whatever excursions Burnell had to offer. The entire trip back, Rose kept asking him what went on during his conversation with Jacob. He said nothing. On the flight, Rose said, "You shouldn't be like this. You seem like a bitter person. Do you know how this hurts me, Calum?

You're making me think that you've developed feelings for Soraya." "We could have just stayed back and taken a vacation like we planned," Rose added. "I was planning to, you know, make up for everything with Soraya and get to know Angela a little better-ah!" Calum suddenly grabbed her arm, alerting the other people in business class. He said, "Leave Angela alone!" "I-" Rose's lips quivered. "I was just trying to be nice." Calum's jaw clenched. He pulled back and shut his eyes, ignoring Rose throughout the flight. They returned to Cedar Heights in the evening.

He didn't have the energy to fight with Rose or confront her. He meant to go to the café tomorrow and speak to the manager. Then, he planned to visit Claire in prison. ---- To him, it was possible the manager only felt threatened and admitted to something he didn't do. Still, the cellphone text messages were already damning. But he had to be sure before completely breaking it off with Rose. When they arrived at the old Montclair mansion, Amanda was waiting for them. She was beaming while addressing Rose. "So, how was Jacob's new home? Why did you return early?" Calum said nothing.

He meant to dismiss his mother and just head up to rest. However, her next words caught him off guard. "I'm really curious to know, Rose, what your reaction was after meeting Ara. Weren't you excited to meet her? Tell me." Amanda asked, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "I-I-" Rose stuttered. "Cat got your tongue?" Amanda said, laughing mockingly. "I bet she was never someone you expected to meet. Haha!" "Mother!" Calum snapped. His hand trembled against the laptop bag he was carrying. "You-you knew!" "Of course | knew!" Amanda calmly said. "| was Jacob and Soraya's number one fan club.

Don't you remember I'd been pushing them together since you decided to divorce my dearest daughter-in-law?" "We attended their civil wedding. We visited them occasionally when they were still in Belridge, and even met up with Emily and Philip." "|-we, me and your father, support Soraya and Jacob's relationship!" Amanda motioned to herself. "In fact, your father and | will be their principal sponsors for their wedding. We treat Jacob like family. Why do you think it was easy for ---- your father to decide to hand leadership of the company to Jacob? Because we knew he had good intentions.

He and Soraya were already together then." "Mother, how could you?!" Calum raised. "Don't you dare question your mother, Calum." Cedric walked down the staircase. "There is nothing wrong with Soraya and Jacob's relationship. We kept it from you, yes, but we had a good reason. You kept putting Soraya down, and we wanted her to grow her relationship peacefully without you or Claire trying to break them apart. Later, it just got harder to tell you." "But all in all, there is nothing unlawful about their relationship," Cedric concluded. Calum felt his chest tighten.

Then, he remembered his assistant, Greg. Clearly, he also knew. Who else knew about Soraya and Jacob's marriage? Yet no one ever told him! "But-" He felt his face burn with anger. The betrayal hit hard. His parents had sat at family dinners, smiled at him, listened to him speak, all while keeping the truth locked away. A bitter thought surfaced. 'Did they all see me as the villain? As the man who didn't deserve his own wife or daughter?' Just yesterday, he discovered that he had lost Soraya for good. But now, he felt like he had also lost his parents.

He wanted to scream at his parents, and at himself, but all that escaped was a trembling breath. eee ~ Rose ~ Calum slept in another room. She was all alone to console her own anger about Soraya. When morning came and she stepped out of the room, she learned from the maids that ---- Calum had left early. Cedric was at the office, while Amanda took Sage to school. Rose didn't feel like going to work either, because she knew her marriage was falling apart. When the afternoon came, Amanda did not return home with Sage. Belinda said that Amanda was instead at the Montclair Group with Cedric.

Seeing Sage alone, walking up the staircase, made Rose's blood boil. Sage was looking more and more like Soraya every day, and Rose hated it. "Hi, Aunt Rose," Sage greeted dryly. She wasn't as thrilled to see her, not like before. Rose forced a smile and said, "Sage? Sweetie? How have you been? Your Aunt Rose misses you." Right now, Sage was the only thing that could hold her marriage together, so Rose knew she had to play her cards right. Sage walked past Rose, saying, "I'm okay. I'm going to my room to study." Rose followed behind Sage and said, "Can | help you? | can help you.

| can be like your mom." "I've thought about it. Since your dad and | are already married, you should call me Mommy," Rose suggested, just as Sage entered her room. Sage stilled. She turned to Rose and said, "No. Grandma said Mommy Soraya is my only mommy. | can only call you... Aunt Rose." Rose's veins felt like they were on fire. She didn't know what ---- came over her when she walked into Sage's room. "Your mother?! Soraya is a good-for-nothing slut! She's a bad woman! She's nothing compared to me, you hear me?!" "Don't say that about my mommy! At least she knows how to cook! You don't!

Mommy is smart and good with computers, and all you do is make dresses!" Sage retorted, frowning. "You said that Mommy doesn't love me the same anymore, but she still doees-Ahhh!" Rose grabbed Sage's face firmly, digging her fingers into the little girl's delicate cheeks. "I don't want to hear anything more about Soraya! | am your new Mommy! And you have to remember that! If you mention Soraya again, I'll make sure to tell your father never to let you see your mother again!" But just as Rose said that, a loud voice echoed behind her. " Dare!

Go ahead and dare tell me!" When Rose turned around, she saw Calum standing there, and not too far behind him were Amanda and Cedric.