After being reborn, I make up my mind to stop chasing after my husband and daughter

Chapter 5

I knew Yvonne was faking her stomachache to manipulate Jared and me. She was young, but already such a schemer, and had totally played me for a fool in my previous life.

I texted Jared back: [Take her to the hospital yourself.] Then I tossed my phone aside and turned back to the movie’s ending.

Jared didn’t bug me after that. When the credits rolled, a couple of guys pushed their way towards me. One bumped into me, and his face went bright red.

Melissa was about to give them an earful, but I squeezed her hand gently and said, “It’s fine.”

The guy stammered an apology, smacked his friend, and they hightailed it out of there.

Melissa grinned and nudged me. “Guess pretty girls make guys go brain–dead. Victoria, Jared’s seriously lucky. Bet the second he laid eyes on your face and body, he was dying to get you into bed, huh?”

My cheeks heated up–I was the one dying for it. Too embarrassed to say that, I just smiled and said, “You’ll get it when you have a boyfriend.”

“Get what?” Melissa blinked.

“Time passes, and even the hottest girl stops turning her man’s head eventually. Don’t pour your whole heart into love,” I said softly.

“I get it. Lately, I’ve been handling several divorce cases. Those wives are all stunners, and yet the guys still strayed. Can you believe that?” Melissa bit the words out.

I let out a bitter laugh. “Don’t pin too much hope on men.”

Melissa must’ve picked up on something, her face etched with concern as she asked, “Jared… has affairs?”

about it. As his wife, I didn’t want word getting out. Though I no longer cared about him, I had to

and yet the living room light was

was half–asleep but perked up when she heard the car. She slid off Mom’s back and darted to the door, waiting

let me help you get to bed.

my mom away. “Grandma, go upstairs and

parked the car and walked into the living room. Yvonne bolted over and latched

smacked her lightly. “Who taught you to say that

spilling over. “You hit me?” she sniffled, lips trembling as she stepped back. Then she

“Victoria, why did you snap at her the moment you

Mom. “Did you hear her? A kid that age saying stuff like that? She needs a little discipline, and then

what ‘cheating‘ even means,” Mom said, sounding stern. “Kids have feelings

total reset. Better she resented

a sobbing

father–daughter duo. A faint smile played on my lips, but it didn’t reach my eyes. “What, she’s

cheek hurts so bad,” Yvonne whimpered, clinging tight to Jared’s neck. With a

little slap could kill you,

said. Then he set Yvonne down, crouching to comfort her. “Go to your room. I’ll

Jared coddling her, Yvonne shot me a snooty glare, then stomped into her bedroom and

Instead, I went straight to

dress. My thick, long hair cascaded down my back–no styling, no fancy

me. In my previous life, I’d tried so hard to be sweet, but he’d just brush me

over my shoulder, I caught him staring off into