Jilted Ex-wife Billionaire Heiress

Chapter 31 Carpe Diem

Ryan belched.

Micah, frowning, moved further away from him.

'Come on. Ryan reached for another bottle of wine. 'Let me drown my sorrows.

He took a swig, his cheeks flushed red. 'My old man grounded me. Can you believe it?"

He pointed at himself. 'I, an adult, got grounded by my dear old dad just because I made a mistake

'Your mistake cost your dad's company twenty million dollars,' Micah pointed out.

The proof for Mendez Enterprise's tax evasion was solid.

Eugene Mendez had to pay the fine to avoid jail time.

In Micah's view, Ryan had gotten off easy.

'Not my fault.' Ryan pouted. 'I didn't ask him to cook the books."

'But you picked on the wrong person.'

I didn't pick on her!' Ryan protested. 'I was just trying to teach that woman a lesson. Darya Miller's-

Ryan swore. 'Speak of the devil.'

He rubbed at his eyes. 'Micah, look!'

Micah followed the direction of Ryan's pointing finger.

Darya was making her way to a booth not far from theirs.

Heads turned as she walked past, her lithe figure clad in a mini party dress in hot

pink, complemented with a fire engine red clutch bag and matching pumps.

Her long hair was done up in an effortless top knot.

She wasn't the tallest among the party of five, but she was the most eye- catching.

Ryan downed another glass of wine, then he lurched to his feet.

'What are you doing?' Micah grabbed Ryan's elbow.

'To settle the score!' Ryan slurred.

'Don't.'

Ryan shoved away Micah's hand. 'Why are you always defending her?'

'I'm not.'

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Chapter 31 Carpe Diem

Ryan snorted.

"Take another look, Micah said in a low voice. Look at the group the

Ryan blinked and tried to focus Who?

The woman sitting next to her is Bianca Zimmermann, the eldest daughter of the Timmermann family. The one to the left of Bianca is Harley Stevens, the designer. The two men

brothers'

the opposte sofa are the greate

Ryan sank onto the sofa. 'What are they doing hanging out with a woman like Darya Mer

Micah said nothing

They weren't just hanging out with her, he thought

Darya was the centre of the group,

She looked right at home among the young heirs and heiresses from some of the most prominent Semilles in

Hagen.

She was in her element.

Ryan slapped his thigh. 'I know! She must be hunting for her next target! She must have somehow wormed her way into the party. I wonder which of the two Barrett brothers she's set her sights on."

Micah frowned.

The music in the club was too loud for him to hear what they were saying, but from their body language, he could tell that Darya wasn't trying to put the moves on the Barrett brothers.

In fact, it was likely the opposite.

Micah's frown deepened as he watched Timothy Barrett pour a drink and offered the glass to Darya

'Where's her new beau Avery McAllister?' Ryan wondered out loud. 'Is she done with him? Or is she two-timing

him?'

He fumbled for his phone. 'Maybe I should give him a call. Catch them in flagrante!"

Micah narrowed his eyes as he observed the group's interactions.

They seemed familiar with each other.

When did Darya make friends with them?

Was it before or after the divorce?

He was acquainted with the Barrett brothers, who were friendly enough, but

tended to stick to their small clique of mates.

When did Darya become one of them?

Micah lost all interest in the drinks.

In the two months since his divorce from Darya, he'd come to know more aboutnoveldrama

her than in the past three years combined.

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As he waved away another girl who was making eyes at him, he pondered just how much more about his ex-wife he had yet to discover.

Less than ten metres away, Timothy Barrett tilted his head. 'Do you want me to do something about that?"

They'd all spotted Micah and Ryan when they came in, and Micah had not stopped staring at their booth.

Timothy cracked his knuckles. 'I'll go talk to him, give him what for."

Winfred shot down his brother with a warning look.

While Timothy had the temperament of a firecracker with a short fuse, Winfred possessed the cool, composed

air of a college professor.

Timothy shrugged.

He leaned forward and deliberately raised his voice. 'Dolly! Welcome back! I'm

glad you got rid of that cheater!"

He looked pointedly in Micah's direction.

Darya clinked her glass against Timothy's. 'Thanks, I guess.'

'You know what's going to make you feel better?'

'What?'

Timothy jumped up from his seat and circled the glass table.

He stood in front of Bianca. 'Switch seats with me.'

Bianca rolled her eyes. 'Why?'

'Come on. Just do it.'

Bianca stood up and went to sit next to Winfred.

Timothy plonked himself down next to Darya and bumped shoulders with her.

He leaned in and whispered in Darya's ear, 'Now smile.'

Darya did.

Timothy watched, out of the corner of his eye, as Micah scowled.

Smiling smugly, he murmured, 'See? The best way to get back at your ex is to find someone ten times better

than him.'

Darya laughed. 'Modesty is not one of your strong suits.'

Timothy drew back and preened. 'Just calling a spade a spade.'

On the other side of Darya, Harley snorted with laughter. 'You are incorrigible!"

She raised her glass. 'Here's to friendship.'

'And to singlehood!' Bianca added.

'Carpe diem!' Timothy drained his glass of wine.

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Chapter 31 Carpe Diem

It was open mic night at The Hideout.

One of the raised stages was reserved for patrons to showcase their talent if they

were so inclined.

As a girl with rainbow-coloured hair was booed off stage for her drunken slurred

rendition of Taylor Swift's 'Anti-Hero,' Timothy stifled a yawn.

He said to Darya, 'I haven't heard you sing for a long time."

'That's right!' Harley chimed in. 'Come on! Show them how it's done!'

Darya smiled as she recalled their ragtag band back in middle school.

Harley was the bass guitarist.

Bianca played the drums.

Darya was the vocalist, who also filled in as the occasional keyboardist.

Bianca shot to her feet. 'I'll grab the next spot for you!'

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