MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE

(ARIELLE'S POV)

Before me was a well-decorated hall stretched out, with a reddish carpet leading up to a podium at the far end. The hall was grandly decorated with balloons, steamers, and a stunning chandelier that hung from the ceiling, casting a vibrant glow over the entire space. At the center of the wall, a large poster caught my eye-a picture of myself with the caption "Happy birthday, Culinary Queen" engraved in bold, glossy, silvery letters.

On either side of the red carpet, every one of my loved ones stood beaming with smiles. My mom, the Harrisons, Maverick, Meredith, Stephen, Rebecca, Dwayne, and hold on, even Jared-everyone I cared about was there, their faces filled with affection.

I was utterly stunned, my body rigid for a moment as I took in the breathtaking scene before me. Then, an overwhelming urge to cry hit me, and I covered my mouth with my hand, muttering "Oh my God," repeatedly. Tears of joy pricked at the corners of my eyes as I struggled to process the sheer magnitude of the surprise.

Maverick, looking dashing in his suit and tie, walked up to me, a bright smile on his face. He held out his hand and looked down at him in surprise before taking it, wondering what he was up to. And then with a gentle tug, he led me through the red carpet as cheers and applause rose in the air. We walked together, Maverick beaming with pride, until we reached the podium where a throne-like chair awaited me.

"Happy birthday, Mommy," he said, his little voice filled with love as he gestured for me to sit.

My heart turned molten, and I pulled him close, crushing him in a tight hug. The crowd "aww" ed at the moment, and I felt even more emotions overflowing.

After the hug, Ashley mounted the podium, and took the microphone as she began speaking. "Ladies and gentlemen, the birthday girl has arrived! I, hereby, officially declare this party OPEN!"

The hall erupted in cheers and applause as I sat on my chair, feeling like the luckiest person alive.

Ashley's voice echoed through the hell once more, "And now, to start this incredible celebration, we have a special performance by a very talented young man. Please welcome Maverick, who's here to serenade his mommy with a special song!"

The crowd applauded as Maverick was called upon. He boldly mounted the podium, his strides confident. The microphone was handed to him, and he grasped it firmly.

"Hello everyone," Maverick began, his voice clear and bold. "Thank you for honoring my mom's birthday party invitation. And now, I'm going to sing a song specially dedicated to her, to show how strong and a good mommy she is."

The crowd cheered, and my eyes grew misty as I watched him. That was my little bit, acting all mature. I felt a swell of pride and love.

Maverick took a deep breath and began to sing. His voice was soulful, pouring out his heart and soul into every word. The hall fell silent, captured by his performance. I fought hard not to cry, but it was impossible. By the time he finished singing, my eyes were glistening with tears.

The crowd erupted into applause, cheering, and clapping. I beamed with pride, my heart threatening to burst from the overflow of love and gratitude for my little boy.

After the noise died down, Maverick blew me a kiss and descended from the podium. Ashley was back on the microphone again. "And now, let's take a walk down memory lane right with a heartfelt video montage displaying Arielle's childhood, accomplishments, and fond memories with family and friends."

The lights dimmed, and a large screen projector behind the podium came to life. The video montage began, and I felt my emotions stir. Pictures of my childhood, my family, and my friends flashed on the screen. I saw images of videos of my kindergarten days, graduation days, prom, my first cooking job and days as a junior chef, and my culinary school days. Even my days in Italy were not left out.

As the video progressed, I saw pictures of my pregnancy, Maverick's birth, his first steps, and his first day at school. Images of family time with Mom, Ashley, Dwayne, and Jared. The video was set to music that perfectly captured the essence of each moment. I couldn't help the lump that formed in my throat as I took it all in. Tears streamed down my face as I relived the memories. The crowd was silent, and I could sense their emotions, too.

When the video finally came to an

end, the hall erupted in applause once more. But I was too dazed to do anything. I just sat there, unable to get over the thoughtfulness of everyone. That video montage was a result of the collective efforts of everyone in that room-Mom, Ashley, Dwayne, Jared, The Harrison's, Stephen, and Rebecca. It was like every moment of my life was

captured.

If there was a word stronger than " love," I'd gladly use it to describe how I feel. I felt loved and appreciated, and it was the best feeling ever.

"And now, it's time for the personalized speeches and birthday wishes from everyone. Who's first?" Ashley announced, breaking into my thoughts.

I sniffed back my tears, bracing myself for the next round of my mind-blogging experience.

Mom was the first to step forward and accept the microphone from Arielle. "Arielle, from the moment you were born, you brought joy and light into my life. I'm so proud of the strong, independent woman you've become. Happy birthday, my baby."

Tears pricked my eyes as I listened to her heartfelt words. Next, the Harrisons spoke, sharing our first encounter and how I had saved their monarch from choking to death. Stephen and Rebecca took their turns too, narrating how much of a good boss and friend I was. My heart swelled with gratitude as I listened to the speeches and wishes. Every person shared their favorite memories, and their words touched my heart.

As the speeches and good wishes came to an end, I felt overwhelmed. I was grateful for the love and support and I knew this birthday was one I would never forget.

The rest of the event was a whirlwind of fun activities and celebrations. We played birthday trivia, and I was surprised by how much my loved ones knew about me. Then, we had a karaoke concert, where Dwayne stole the show with his impressive singing skills. Next, we had the cake-cutting ritual, where I made a wish and blew out my candles. The cake was a masterpiece, designed by Meredith. Who would have thought that the Maverick's nanny was a good baker, too?

After the cake-cutting, it was time

for gift presentations. Mom gave me

a beautiful silver necklace with a pendant that read "Culinary Queen." Maverick gave me a resin key fob with "Super Mommy" on it. The

Harrison's gave me a cookbook net

signed by my culinary idol. Stephen and Rebecca gave me a gift certificate for a cooking class in Paris. Meredith gave me a custom-made apron with my name embroidered on it. Dwayne gave me a wine and cheese basket with a jersey of my favorite football club and my name engraved on it. And Ashley gave me a spa day gift certificate.

Finally, it was Jared's turn to present his gift. I swallowed hard as he approached me, the wrapped gift in hand. I had been mad at him earlier, but seeing how invested he was in the success of the party, I forgave him. He was probably busy with something and couldn't make it to my cabin in the morning like the others.

"Hey," he said, stopping in front of me.noveldrama

"Hi," I replied slowly.

"Happy birthday," he said with a broad smile, handing me the package. "Here's your gift."

I accepted it and flashed him a matching smile. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

And then I proceeded to unwrap the gift just like everyone else's. After tearing at the layers of wrappers, the gift finally came into view. A low whimper escaped my lips when I saw it. No, this can't be...