Jilted Ex-wife Billionaire Heiress

Chapter 16 Act Two

Regina's face burned with humiliation when she caught the murmurs from the guests

They must have known by now that she wasn't properly invited.

'See that origami lantern hanging from the lamppost over there?' Darya pointed helpfully. 'It's a minicamera And that gorgeous-looking bird feeder facing the pool? Another camera.'

Her smile turned lethal. 'I happen to know the organiser. If you insist on claiming I pushed you into the pool

the first time, why don't we go take a look at the security footage?"

Regina shrank back, using Micah's body to shield herself from view.

Beyond mortified, she wished she could faint right now.

Darya's phone started vibrating in her purse.

She checked the message.

A mysterious smile slowly spread across her face.

'Don't worry. Show's not over yet. This is just Act One.'

With that, she strolled away.

Some curious guests followed her at a distance, eager to find out what Act Two would be.

Micah stood where he was, face dark, lips pursed.

Regina waited for the crowd to disperse before speaking.

She put some distress in her voice. 'Micah, I'm cold.'

He'd picked up the tux jacket but made no move to hand it to her.

Standing at 185cm, he towered above Regina and could easily pin her with one icy glare.

'Darya'didn't push you.'

It was a statement, not a question.

'She did...the second time,' Regina kept her eyes on the floor, mumbling.

Her hair was still dripping wet, and her rented gown was ruined, but she had more important things to worry about right now.

'I'm not talking about today.' Micah's voice was cold enough to freeze the air around Regina.

Maybe that was why she was feeling light-headed.

'I don't...I don't know what you are talking about.'

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Micah thought back to three years ago.

He had to attend a business dinner party the day after he was coerced into marrying Darya

He didn't bring her along, of course.

He was still wary of the stranger who pushed her way into his life.

But Darya had somehow found out about the party and invited herself there.

She introduced herself as 'Mrs Cavanaugh, Micah's wife, which was probably why the hotel security did not

throw her out.

He ignored her mostly, but had to send her home after she pushed Regina into a pool.

Darya insisted she hadn't, but Regina made it clear she had.

Between a woman he barely knew and a woman he'd promised to look after, Micah didn't hesitate in choosing

a side.

He made Darya apologise to Regina, and didn't forget the tears shimmering in her eyes when she did.

But now he was starting to question his judgement.

'Micah, 1-achoo!' Regina sneezed loudly, then hastened to cover her mouth. 'Excuse me. I didn't mean to...'

She rubbed her bare arms. 'It's just that I'm so cold...'

Her lips and cheeks were bloodless.

Which reminded Micah of her medical condition.

He held out the jacket to her. 'Put this on. Let's go inside.'

Regina nodded, secretly heaving a sigh of relief.

'Hey! Mr Cavanaugh! Miss Fischer!' Darya shouted from the balcony of the second floor.

Micah looked up.

Darya didn't speak again and just waited for more guests to stream out of the ballroom into the patio.noveldrama

She'd made the call to her assistant-assigned to her at Avery's insistence- twenty-five minutes ago.

It wasn't easy for Vania Apple to get what Darya asked for, since most of the banks were closed for business

machine. and the ATMs held just a few hundred thousand dollars per

But the Cavanaugh name opened doors, including the door of a closed bank

vault.

Vania entered the hotel via its back entrance four minutes ago, handed Darya the silver Montblanc briefcase, and finally exhaled.

On the drive over here, she'd half expected to be robbed at gunpoint.

'Good work, Vania, thanks.' Darya opened the briefcase, scanned the contents, then snapped the lid shut.

'Is there anything else you need, Miss McAllister?'

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Chapter 16 Act Two

Just call me Darya.' She checked out her new assistant

She'd known Vanis for less than four days and was already impressed by her competence and resourcefulness, but then, those were prerequisite qualities for anyone handpicked by Avery

Is your phone camera any good?' she asked,

Vania produced her iPhone 14 Pro Max. 'Three rear cameras and one frong

'Use the rear telephoto camera with three times optical zoom,' Darya said. I'm going to give you the contact number of Wallace Collins. He runs the Paragon Shopping Mall. I want you to transmit the video you are about

to shoot to him.'

'Understood. Vania didn't bother asking what Darya intended to do with the video.

Darya would have told her if she wanted to.

Vania scanned the balcony for an optimal position to set up, while Darya texted instructions to Wallace, who technically worked for Avery,

Then she settled back to wait for the crowd to show up.

Once she counted about fifty, she said to herself, 'Time for Act Two.'

Then she said to Vania, 'Roll camera.'

On the patio below, Regina grew increasingly uneasy.

She'd whispered to Micah, pleading with him to go inside, but Micah stood his ground.

He wanted to know what Darya was up to.

Darya stepped closer to the balcony, swept her eyes over the audience.

She spoke in a voice loud enough for everyone present to hear, 'I understand that the Cavanaughs may be a little cash-strapped recently, which is why they felt compelled to ask for the wedding ring back from me, though later, it was made clear that the ring was actually pawned off by Felicia Cavanaugh when she got caught short at a casino. Which further proves the point about the financial straits the Cavanaughs are in.'

Micah balled up his hands into fists.

Decorum prevented him from shouting out a rebuttal in public.

Besides, what Darya said was true-not the part about the Cavanaughs in money trouble, but the part about the false accusation levelled at her. "Though I'm no longer involved with the Cavanaughs, Darya continued, 'I'd hate

to see the family be brought to their knees. So here's your money back.'

She picked up the silver briefcase, opened its lid.

Inside was wads of neatly stacked cash, $100,000 per bundle.

'Over the past three years, Mr Cavanaugh paid me ten to fifty thousand dollars

per blood transfusion. Blood he claimed was urgently needed for Miss Fischer, the

woman standing next to him.'

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She ignored the collective gasp from the crowd.

"The total amount adds up to twenty-eight point six million dollars. I'll round it up

call it an even thirty fast. Here's your money back.'

She tipped the open briefcase over the balcony tailing

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