The Ex-Wife’s Billion Dollar Comeback Novel

---- Chapter 240: Birthday & Anniversary ~ Veronica ~ The entire ballroom of the Belridge Grand Suites had been transformed into a tiny jungle, created for two little boys who had just turned one. It was the day of Aiden and Sawyer's birthday. Veronica happily studied the ballroom. Lush green vines hung from the ceiling. Life-sized stuffed lions, elephants, and giraffes stood proudly in the corners of the room. A massive balloon arch in gold, sage green, and earth brown framed the entrance like a welcoming gateway to the safari. In the center stood two pieces of one-inch safari-themed cake.

A large wooden cutout that read WILD ONE stood beside the photos of Aiden and Sawyer in their Zookeeper costumes. Guests had settled in their seats. Veronica sat with Emily and Philip Azar. With them were her best friend, Nora, Angela, and the twins' caregivers. Beverly and her husband were with them too. On the other hand, Cedric and Amanda settled at another table with Calum and Sage, along with executives from the Montclair Group. "Aunt Veronica, where are Soraya and Jacob?" Lyra happened to arrive with Silas, along with the rest of Soraya's friends and business partners, Emil and Luca.

"They are about to have the grand entrance." Veronica motioned to the other table. "Take your seats." ---- Finally, the lights dimmed. A host announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome our birthday celebrants, Aiden and Sawyer, with their parents!" The double doors slowly opened, and soon a band with three vocalists began singing the upbeat song, '| Just Can't Wait To Be King. Dancers in safari costumes suddenly emerged from the crowd, moving in synchronized steps while giving way for Soraya, Jacob, and the twins to walk down the aisle.

Soraya entered first, walking hand-in-hand with Aiden. She was dressed in a soft cream gown with subtle gold accents. She carried a bright, gentle smile that showed every bit of pride she felt. She looked radiant, confident, and completely in her element as a mother. Behind her, Jacob stepped inside, tall and composed. He wore a white shirt and khaki slacks topped with a light brown jacket. He held Sawyer's hand. Often, Jacob and Soraya let the twins walk on their own, and they managed it well. In fact, they could already run short distances, thanks to their daily walks outside the mansion.

Because everyone was clapping and cheering, the twins smiled brightly at the crowd of over a thousand guests. When Soraya and Jacob reached the frontmost part of the venue, smoke machines went off and confetti flew. Without missing a beat, the band went straight to singing the twins a Happy Birthday. "Happy Birthday to you!" "Happy Birthday to you!" ---- "Happy Birthday, happy birthday, Happy Birthday to you." Angela and Sage walked to the front and picked up the small one-layer cakes. They were the ones who handed the cakes to the twins.

Right as the song ended, they encouraged the twins to smash their cakes. "Go, Aiden!" Angela cheered. "You can do it, Sawyer!" Sage said eagerly. "Do it like this!" Sage demonstrated, pretending to grab the cake and smash it. Sawyer leaned in first, but instead of breaking the cake, he took a bite out of it. He said, "Yummy!" The crowd laughed. Veronica was especially teary-eyed at her grandson's reaction. Then Sawyer grabbed a piece of the cake by hand and passed it to Sage. "Yummy!" Aiden caught on. He also grabbed a piece of cake and stuffed it into his mouth.

Then he smiled brightly at Angela and then at his parents. It was such an adorable sight that even Emily and Philip were in tears as they laughed. "Oh, Veronica, you are so lucky. You got twins for your second set of grandkids!" Nora commented. "They are a handful," Veronica said. "Thank goodness I'm rich." Emily and Philip laughed. Emily said, "Honestly? | don't know how you manage them by yourself. When the twins were with us for just one weekend, even with their nannies, | couldn't take a breather!" ---- "They are adventurers," Philip commented. And just like that, a food fight began.

The twins started chasing after each other, wanting to put cake on one another, even on Angela and Sage. "Mommy! Mommy, help!" Angela screamed. Sage was laughing at how it all unfolded, hiding behind Soraya's frame. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's give it up for Aiden and Sawyer!" the host said. It was a day filled with fun and laughter. Sage and Angela danced Golden for the twins. There were many performers in safari costumes to entertain both the guests and the celebrants. One of the best parts was the opening of gifts because it truly made the twins excited upon seeing their toys and clothes.

But what made the day truly special were the photos captured. Every laugh, every messy little hand grabbing a toy, every wide -eyed stare at the giant safari mascots was preserved in photos. There were shots of the twins sitting on Jacob's lap with matching smiles, and a precious one of Soraya kissing each boy's cheek as they giggled. There were candid images of Sage and Angela dancing with joyful abandon, and even Jacob laughing so hard his head tilted back. Each photo held a piece of the day that would one day fade from memory but never from the walls of Jacob and Soraya's home.

These snapshots would soon be framed, arranged neatly in hallways and living rooms, telling the story of Aiden and Sawyer's first year. They were keepsakes of love, growth, ---- and the small but priceless moments that made their family whole. It was more than a birthday. It was a collection of memories they could look back on years later, each picture a reminder of how far they had come and how deeply they were loved from the very beginning. And Veronica was glad to be a part of it.

ee ~ Soraya ~ Shortly after the twins turned one, Jacob and Soraya celebrated their second wedding anniversary. Although they had their public wedding after she gave birth, they had always celebrated the original date of their marriage. Jacob and Soraya took two full days off. On day one, they went to the spa together and enjoyed several treatments. Then Jacob took Soraya shopping, closing the entire Titan Plaza mall in the evening just for his wife. Of course, Angela and Veronica joined the shopping spree.

On the second day, Jacob took Soraya out for an early dinner, and in the evening, he brought her to Belridge Park. "We are going to watch the light show?" Soraya asked. "Why not, hon? This is where it all began for us," Jacob said, smiling. Well, technically, he was right. If it were not for the light show at the park, she would not have met Angela. To Soraya's surprise, it looked like the entire park was closed for them as well ---- A special bench awaited them, right across the huge LED screen. Then the light show began, and to Soraya's astonishment, it told a familiar story.

It was the same story she had watched with Jacob in the past. It was a story of a phoenix rising from glowing embers, its wings stretching wide as dawn's first light bathed the sky in soft gold and amber hues. This time, the story continued. The phoenix flew higher, breaking through its limits and reaching a new stage of awakening. "You're the phoenix in the story, hon. You rose from everything that tried to burn you down. You rebuilt yourself. Every time life pushed you to the ground, you came back stronger, brighter, and more beautiful. That's what a phoenix is," Jacob said. Soraya cried.

"You did this for me before." Jacob wiped the tears from her eyes and said, "Yes, | did. Because | wanted to show your strength." "| thought it was just a random show, Soraya cried harder, embracing her husband. "Did you really?" Jacob hugged back, chuckling. "Well, | guess | had a feeling, but | didn't know how you felt about me at the time, and | didn't want to assume," she said, sniffing her tears away. She looked up at him and kissed his lips. "Thank you, hon. | love it. And | love you so much. Thank you for believing in me and loving me the way you do." Jacob kissed her back.

He also kissed both her cheeks, saying, "I love you too. Happy Anniversary." ---- "Happy Anniversary," Soraya said, beaming. After sharing a long hug, Soroya asked, "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me? Like how you invested a billion dollars into my uncle's company?" Jacob stilled. He gulped and said, "For the record, | earned from that investment." Soraya just chuckled. She said, "It's okay. | have learned to accept your help, but you are right. You got your investment back, plus the dividend."