Mission: From Divorcee to Millionaire

Ava stood off to the side, chuckling with a hint of sarcasm. "Seriously, using a kid to get your way? That's low, even for you!"

It was crystal clear to everyone that his motives were anything but pure.

She crossed her arms, ready to send him packing. "Trust me, Selena's not thrilled to have an ex like you hanging around. If you're itching to cook, find another kitchen!"

Just then, Selena came down, fresh from washing her face, and caught the tail end of their exchange.

Before Ava could voice her complaints, Everett jumped in, earnestly addressing Selena, "Mateo was craving some homemade food, so I figured I'd cook here instead of heading out. Is that cool with you?"

Mateo, who seemed a bit puzzled, thought to himself: Since when did I say I wanted homemade food? But if Dad says so, it must be true!

He clung to his dad's neck, adding his own plea, "Mom, can Dad cook here, please?"

Selena looked down at Everett with a knowing smirk.

She wasn't born yesterday; she could easily see through his little act.

Everett, though, showed no hint of remorse. His dark eyes held hers, burning with

an intensity that seemed to swallow her whole.noveldrama

Since their split, his gaze had only grown bolder and more daring.

Not wanting to sink to his level, Selena looked away.

Surprisingly, she didn't object, simply saying, "Just make sure you're out of here after dinner."

Ava was taken aback.

Everett couldn't help the smile spreading across his face.

That evening, he didn't push his luck, leaving right after dining with his son.

But Everett was nothing if not opportunistic. His visits increased from once a week

to every five days, then every three, until he was practically a daily fixture.

Selena kept her cool demeanor, yet Everett's time at Moon Bay kept stretching longer.

From leaving post-dinner to staying for dessert, and eventually even tucking Mateo into bed...

Ava was baffled and had a private chat with Selena to figure out what was going

on.

Could it be that persistence actually pays off?

Selena sat outside on the swing, eyes on the sunset, gently rubbing her belly.

After a moment, she spoke softly, "I'm pretty far along now, and moving around's getting tougher. This pregnancy is a real challenge I'm worried something happen at

at night. Evene

Everett and I have split, he's still the dad. He needs to step up.

"Why should he have all the fun while I deal with all the discomfort and pain?"

Ava got it right away.

Why should men get to bail after the fun, leaving women to handle the whole pregnancy ordeal alone?

The next day, when Everett showed up, Ava was ready to give him a piece of her mind.

Everett walked into the bedroom where Selena was relaxing on a chaise lounge, reading.

He approached slowly and knelt in

front of her, his large hand gently

caressing her rounded belly. He

promised, "I'm not going anywhere

until the baby arrives. I'll be here with

you every day, alright?"

Selena moved her eyes from the book to him, giving him a cool, indifferent glance.

"Really?"

Everett handed her his passport, "Here, you can hold onto this."

Selena tossed it aside carelessly, "If you really wanted to leave, a passport wouldn't stop you."

She hadn't teased him like this in a

while, and it stirred something inside Everett, making him crave more.

His lips curled into a playful smile, his voice smooth and enticing, "So, what do

you want me to do?"