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

Chapter 26

Nathan’s insight surprised me. He seemed to know me better than I’d realized.

“Have you been checking up on me?” My smile faded. The collapse of my marriage was painful enough without strangers poking through the remains.

“Sorry, I overstepped,” Nathan blurted out, uncharacteristically flustered. “Just heard some things in passing. No background checks, I promise.”

“Lovely meeting you.” I gave him my best polite dismissal and walked away.

Nathan stayed frozen where he stood.

Back at our table, Melissa was still nervously eyeing the handsome stranger at the other table, clearly working up the courage to talk to him.

“Melissa, ready to go?” I asked, already gathering my things. Nathan’s lingering gaze and that unsettling confession had me suddenly desperate for an exit.

She rose with obvious reluctance, just as Nathan came back inside.

I pulled Melissa forward. “Mr. Hallman, meet Melissa–legal genius and my best friend. Keep her number handy for when you inevitably need a lawyer.”

“Victoria…” Melissa hadn’t expected me to be so forward. She turned bright red, wishing she could vanish on the spot.

I shot her a reassuring look. “Don’t worry. Mr. Hallman and I know each other.”

Nathan handed Melissa a business card. “Ms. Jenkins, my company could use legal counsel. If you’re interested, reach out to my assistant, Zachary Chandler.”

“Hello,” said Zachary, the handsome guy across the table, raising his hand. He slid his card toward her. “Just give me a call.”

Melissa took both cards, her face burning. “Nice to meet you,” she murmured, and then yanked me out of the restaurant at lightning speed.

look at her tomato–red cheeks and burst

Melissa hissed, stomping her foot. “How could you just ask for their contacts like that? Now I can never show my

“You’ve got their cards now. It’d be a

on something strange and grabbed

you two meet?”

froze, caught off guard by

like you?” Melissa squinted. “Don’t even try denying it. I can

her. So

donation of yours created a tech mogul?” She’d seen his business

was killing it in the tech

then, people talked about this genius kid- how his family went bankrupt and how his dad died following their financial

time.

instincts

Jared’s money, not mine. If anyone

“This is perfect. Jared financed his own romantic competitor. Imagine

“Keep your voice down. If anyone hears you, we’re

you’re really divorcing Jared? Need me to handle the paperwork? It’s

expression made me laugh. “Alright,

give you half?” Melissa asked,

not. I don’t expect half. Even ten percent of his fortune would last me

never been stingy with you. Honestly, he’d probably hand over whatever you needed without you

that aisle, did you ever think it would end in divorce?” For all her

all in, picturing

we romanticized marriage too much,” Melissa interrupted. “Truth is, it’s just a partnership. Pick right, you’re

your losses early,”