Mission: From Divorcee to Millionaire

Selena watched him intently, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Mr. Everett, it's not that I wanted things to turn out like this. You made your choice."

"Everyone's got to deal with the fallout from their decisions. You're running a huge corporation, Mr. Everett, so you must get that."

She let go of his hand and adjusted her coat. "Drive safe."

Her words weren't really for him-they were more a reminder to Mateo's dad. Her message was clear: whatever they had was now done, and the only connection left was through their kids.

Everett felt a sharp pang in his chest. Without saying a word, he opened the car door, got into the driver's seat, and started the engine. The car moved away slowly.

In the rearview mirror, Selena's slender figure gradually disappeared from view. Looking closely, aside from the gentle curve of her belly, she didn't seem to have gained any weight from the pregnancy. If anything, she appeared slimmer.

Back during Christmas, when she came to see him, her face had a bit of fullness, a rosy glow. Now, her chin seemed sharper.

Stopped at a red light, he looked at his son through the mirror and suddenly asked, "Has your mom been okay these past few months?"

Mateo replied, "Yeah, she's alright." Then he tilted his head and added, "She just doesn't smile as much anymore.

Everett's grip on the steering wheel tightened.

Confused, Mateo asked, "Dad, why were you gone so long? Other kids' dads don't leave for that long." Everett was momentarily at a loss for words. "Do you not want me, Mom, and my sister anymore?"

"Of course not," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "How could I not want you all? I just...wanted to sort everything out so I could come back and be with you."

To settle all the past debts, leaving nothing owed.

Mateo, unaware of the complexities of adult life, just said what he felt. "But Mom's not happy. You made her unhappy, and that makes me unhappy too. That's not right."

"Yesterday, Mom said that from now on, it'll just be her, me, and my sister. No Dad."

Even though kids speak innocently, each word from Mateo felt like a stab to Everett's heart.

Selena wasn't messing around or being dramatic; she was seriously planning for divorce, aiming to cut

him out of their future lives completely.

The car pulled up to the school gates just as Jaime was dropping off Dylan and Cindy. The two men met at the entrance.

Seeing Everett Nooking so down,

Jaime found it interesting and

whistled. "Hey, Mr. Everett! You just

landed a major deal. Why the long

face? What happened, step in. something gross this morning?"

Everett gave him a cool glance. "If you can't say anything nice, maybe zip it."

Jaime jumped back dramatically, covering his mouth but still teasing, "Whoa, whoa, did you have some bad coffee this morning? I'm just showing some brotherly concern here!"

Once his son was inside the school, Everett turned to Jaime and said, "Let's grab a drink tonight."

Jaime raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Wow, the family guy who's usually impossible to drag out for a drink is inviting me? You're not getting any ideas about me, are you? Just so

you know, I'm easygoing but not that

easy!"

He clutched his chest, face full of mock sincerity, and declared, "Nothing doing with guys! I don't swing

that way!"

"Get lost-"

With that, Everett headed back to his car. Jaime could easily piece together what had happened, and as a good friend, he couldn't just stand by. So he decided to tag along and offer some support. noveldrama