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

Chapter 19

My morning dance class left me drenched and pleasantly loose–limbed.

Come noon, I called Sally about whether Yvonne was coming home.

“Yvonne’s at the amusement park with Tracy,” Sally informed me. “You should give Tracy a call.”

Tracy had become like a second mother to Yvonne–genuinely devoted and always making time for her.

Not that I hadn’t been that mother once. There was a time when my world revolved around parent–teacher conferences and bedtime stories too.

I didn’t call Tracy. If my daughter smiled more with her, who was I to interfere?

I was about to eat alone when my phone buzzed with an unknown number.

“Hello. Is that Victoria Murphy?” The male voice on the line was warm and unfamiliar.

“Speaking,” I answered automatically before catching myself. “May I ask who’s calling?”

“I’m the student you sponsored years ago.” The earnestness in his voice prickled my skin. “I was hoping we might have lunch today.”

The pause stretched too long. I’d never wanted gratitude, and now wasn’t the time to revisit the past–not when I had my own reasons to keep my distance.

In my previous life, I’d seen enough online stories about scholarship recipients turning on their benefactors to last a lifetime.

“It’s just lunch,” he said, lowering his voice when he caught my hesitation. “No strings attached.”

“I’m married,” I said quickly. “Meeting men alone… it wouldn’t look right.”

“Bring a friend then,” he offered.

Though I could hear the genuine gratitude in his voice, I calmly refused. “Meeting isn’t necessary. The best repayment is you succeeding,” I said, and hung up before he could argue.

the afternoon, Jared called. “Yvonne fell. Her leg’s hurt. Meet us at the hospital,” he

“How?” My stomach dropped.

he finished, the hospital location appeared on my

mother, I knew

at the hospital, Yvonne was curled against Jared, quietly crying with her leg bandaged. Tracy sat nearby,

Yvonne immediately reached for me, her small

edge of the hospital bed and cradled her

1/3

remorse. “I should

all know how Yvonne is, always climbing where she shouldn’t. This wasn’t

grew red

to exhaustion. She fell asleep

quickly, “Tracy was just trying

he really think I’d play the

so sorry, Mrs. Holcomb.”

my reaction. In my previous life, when Yvonne was my entire world, I would have torn Tracy apart for letting Yvonne get

Tracy. “Thank you for

stunned silence was

when I didn’t give her the dramatic scene

her act in my previous life–playing the fragile victim while needling me into outbursts that only

was entirely my fault,” Tracy said with theatrical remorse, tears streaming as she made a deep,

her shoulders mid–bow, forcing her upright. When she snapped her head up, I saw the frustrated realization in her eyes–her performance had

don’t you take Tracy home now? I’ll stay

toward Tracy clearly caught Jared off

you should go now,” Jared said. Whether out of guilt or self–reproach, he sent her away

leave, though not without one last resentful look in

against the raised hospital bed, I closed

take her,” Jared offered

opened my eyes to find Jared leaning in