Mission: From Divorcee to Millionaire

Selena was at her wits' end with Everett's audacity. Her expression was icy as she pulled her robe tighter and cinched the belt snugly around her waist.

"Get out!"

She didn't want to waste another breath on him.

Everett acted like he hadn't heard her. He got up and strolled over, leaning in close, his handsome face looming large in her view. He noticed the slight puffiness around her eyes.

With a gentle touch, he brushed his thumb across the corner of her eye. "You've really had it rough, huh?"

Selena had enough. She swatted his hand away. "Everett, do I need to call security to get you out of here?"

She had let him come to see their child, but she hadn't signed up for him to parade in and out of her bedroom like he owned the place.

She was about to raise her voice and call for backup.

Everett didn't seem fazed at all. His long arms suddenly wrapped around her waist, pulling her firmly against him.

He lowered his head and playfully nibbled at her soft neck.

"Selena, do you think I'd mess up the same way twice?"

Last time, he came alone; this time, he came prepared.

Her bodyguards had already been neutralized by Bill and his crew.

Selena's anger flared, her chest heaving with the intensity of it. "Everett, what do you really want?"

He looked at her with an innocent face. "Selena, I'm not after anything. I just want to know what's wrong. Who's been giving you trouble?"

Selena let out a cold laugh at his words.

She wasn't going to play along. She called him out, "Everett, don't pretend you don't know who's been causing me grief. I'm sure you have eyes all over Newport, tracking my every move."

Everett paused for a moment but didn't deny it. He openly admitted, "Selena, you and the kids live here. I just have people looking out for you all."

Yeah, right.

Selena scoffed.

A leopard never changes its spots.

Everett gently pinched her chin, his voice soft. "Selena, you don't have to struggle so much. The project Blaine wants-just say the word, and I can take care of it."

Sure.

If she just asked, the project would be hers, no problem.

But the catch? She'd have to sell herself out to Everett again, let him walk all over her.

She'd been down that road before, and here he was, nudging her back onto it, claiming it was for her own good.

How laughable.

"Everett, you ask who's been bothering me."

Selena lifted her head, her slender neck reminiscent of a fragile, broken beauty.

Yet her expression was cold and

determined. "Let me tell you, the one

who's been troubling me is you

Everyone else who bothers me, it's because of you!"

"You're the last person who should be standing here asking me this!"

"You think I'll beg you? Everett, not in this lifetime! You're not worth it!"

Every word hit Everett like a punch to the gut, leaving him both furious and strangely hurt.

With all her strength, Selena pushed him out of the bedroom and slammed the door with a loud thud.

Everett stood there, glaring at the door with burning anger.

He had half a mind to have someone rip that damn door off its hinges.

He just couldn't wrap his head around why Selena was being so obstinate. After their argument, he had put the past behind him and come back to offer her an olive branch.

Why couldn't she just take it and move forward?

In Newport, as long as he was around, how could anyone possibly harm her?

She was his wife, for crying out loud, and the mother of their two kids. No way would he let anything happen to her.

Yet she couldn't bring herself to say a single kind word, not even one!noveldrama

Such stubbornness!

Despite the fury raging inside him, the image of Selena's tear-streaked eyes held him back.