THE BILLIONAIRE IS INFATUATED WITH HIS EX-LOVER

For over a week, Sara had barricaded herself within her room, shunning the outside world and desiring no chatting with anyone, feeling a tired lethargy within her mind. Mrs. Laly, deeply concerned for Sara's well-being, had summoned a doctor, but Sara refused to see him.

"Leave me be, all of you. I wish to see no one," Sara exclaimed angrily when disturbed.

"Miss, you've not eaten properly for days. Continuing like this could gravely affect your health. Please, allow the doctor to examine you for your safety," Mrs. Laly implored from outside the door, her voice warm with concern, bowing respectfully.

"I'm fine. I want some peace and solitude. Please, tell them to leave."

Knock... knock... knock...

"I said I don't need any help. Go away!" Sara snapped as she flung the door open, ready to unleash her frustration, yet her demeanour softened upon seeing her dear friend. "Jessica, what brings you here?" Sara stepped aside to let Jessica in, bearing a bounty of Sara's favourite snacks.

"Here, have some bubble tea to cool off your temper. I waited in line forever to get it, so even if it's not to your taste, please appreciate my heart," Jessica said, giving a large bubble tea from a renowned brand. Sara, though disheartened, accepted it.

"Sara, I know what you're going through. It must be a shock and profoundly upsetting, but now you know the truth of his heart, don't you? It's time to move on without regrets. Everything changes, but we must learn to love ourselves to live well. You still have your father, Henry, and me. Your father is very concerned about you. He informed me about your condition and asked me to come and offer comfort and encouragement. It's been many years; perhaps it's time to forgive him," Jessica, always considerate and kind-hearted, had always been looked after by Sara, who vowed to protect her.

"Jessica, You've grown up, haven't you? Knowing how to comfort others now?" Sara said, playfully ruffling her friend's hair.

"We're the same age; stop treating me like I'm still a kid."

The two shared a laugh before reclining on the large, plush bed, a wave of comfort soothing their backs, a delightful feeling enveloping them.

"I've spent these days in deep contemplation, realizing that the past isn't the most crucial. I need to cherish the present and our plans for the future. I'm still young, with a long road ahead, and perhaps a better person awaits me tomorrow. But then there's this matter..." Sara hesitated, unsure whether to voice her thoughts.

"What's troubling you?"

"It's nothing significant, just a minor issue."

"Oh, my dear friend, at last, you've seen the light," Jessica pinched Sara's tender cheek affectionately, treating her with the gentle care one would show a child.

Together, they set out for a day of shopping and enjoyment, immersing themselves in delights to erase the shadows of their recent gloom and embark on a new chapter of their lives.

Sara didn't return home that night, instead staying over at Jessica's. Upon her return the following day, she was greeted by the discomfort of her father, Mr Roberts, waiting in the living room, a foreboding expression on his face signalling the onset of significant developments.

Mrs. Laly stood beside him, a picture of silent distress, daring not even a whisper. Mr. Roberts's gaze upon Sara was fiery with anger as he bellowed,

"What is the meaning of this?"

Recognizing the familiar object in his hand, Sara knew she couldn't hide the truth.

"I'm pregnant."

"I know, but who is the father of the child?" Mr. Roberts's voice rose even louder, his shout echoing through the house, alerting everyone.

"That's none of your concern; I have my plans," Sara stated firmly.

"And what are your plans? Has he said he'll take responsibility for you?"

"What I need isn't responsibility. I'll be a single mother."

"This child of mine, do you realize how irresponsibly you're acting towards your family, your loved ones, and even this unborn child?" Mr. Roberts stood up abruptly, casting a look of profound sadness toward his unique and only daughter. "Have you ever been responsible for your family and loved ones? If you had been, perhaps my mother wouldn't have died?"

"Miss Sara, please don't..." Mrs. Laly attempted to intervene but was stopped by Mr. Roberts.

"Let her speak her mind."

"Your work, career, and ambitions have always consumed you. You had to be superior, respected and honoured. Have you ever come home for a meal with Mom and me during the week or on weekends? Have you ever attended a parent- teacher meeting or participated in extracurricular activities with me? You think throwing money at the school for some expensive gift absolves you, leaving me to be mocked by peers as a spoiled brat. Do you even know what I like or dislike? Are you aware of my dreams? You fear that everything I do might impact the company and your career, so you have me watch around the clock. Have you ever considered that such surveillance is an invasion of my privacy?"

Sara's tears streamed down her face, each drop revealing the long-suppressed feelings she harboured, which Mr Roberts had been unaware of. He always considered Sara immature, unable to discern what mattered; little did he realize the depth of her reflections.

"Isn't the money I make for the family? Isn't my success meant to ensure you live comfortably and lavishly? Isn't my focus on work to achieve accomplishments, to make our family proud before the world? Tell me, where have I gone wrong?" "I don't need those things. I want to live like everyone else, go to the park, celebrate birthdays, travel on vacations and outings, watch TV, and visit my grandparents... with my parents. Do you know how lonely it feels to watch my friends being picked up and cared for after school and asked about their day? I deliberately skipped classes and acted out just to see when you'd start to care about me, but time passed, and we remained distant."

Mr. Roberts's laugh was laced with bitterness, realizing that all this while, he had been the neglectful father in his daughter's eyes, driving her to resent him. The departure of his wife was a deep sorrow, yet the words of Sara inflicted even more significant pain as if someone was rubbing salt into his wounds, causing them to sting anew.

He asked softly,

"Do you understand that a mother's responsibility includes giving her child a decent father?"

This question struck Sara painfully, for she didn't know her child's father. She had tried to recall the events of that night, but her memories were clouded by the influence of drugs, leaving her unable to remember his face. The fragmented memories offered no clues to the truth.

"I will fulfil that responsibility," Sara declared defiantly.

"Your faith gives me some comfort," Mr. Roberts said resignedly, watching Sara as she hurried upstairs. He knew Sara was suffering but felt powerless to make her understand a father's heartache.