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

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

George took a sip of coffee. “Ms. Murphy has had a child and reached a certain age. Maturity was inevitable,” he said.

I glanced at George. He wasn’t wrong, but it was interesting he’d addressed me as “Ms. Murphy” rather than the casual “Victoria.”

Jared let out a tired sigh. “She was so easy when she was little. Now she’s a teenager who talks back constantly, and I don’t know how to deal with her anymore.”

Sandra smiled knowingly. “No one understands parenting like Victoria. She put her whole life on hold for six years to raise Yvonne–that kind of devotion shows.”

I smiled bitterly to myself. Morality wasn’t taught–it was something people were born with or without, plain as that.

Lunch was served amid pleasant conversation. Jared made a show of putting food on my plate–those carefully calculated husband gestures he’d mastered.

Sandra watched with undisguised envy while Wendell shoveled food into his mouth, completely oblivious.

Without Tracy, without Jared’s betrayal, I might have called this a happy marriage. But that illusion had shattered long ago.

After lunch, true to his word, Jared transferred the money. When he asked if I was going to the office that afternoon, I declined, saying I needed to visit the Harmonia Hotel site instead.

He arranged for his driver to take me while he left with George.

After six years of marriage, we’d settled into a comfortable routine–all the passion spent, our conversations as predictable as the tide.

Was this what happened to all marriages eventually? Or was ours uniquely empty?

*****

Hotel occupied two buildings in a prime location, though its aging facilities showed their years. While its reputation kept occupancy decent, the declining numbers

finished my inspection. I left with photographs

pony, though I’d resolved to

dinner in his usual suit, shrugging off his jacket

look up from the hotel documents spread across my lap until I felt his

to hang up while asking about dinner

couch. Jared waited a beat before taking his coat

at my drawing!” Yvonne called from the stairs. Then her voice turned sulky. “Mom won’t play with me. Is she really going back to work? But you promised she’d stay home

at her words. When had Jared ever made that promise to

murmured. “You’re

1/3

to do”

home. I’m still little, and

even fake a smile when I

my whole heart, all she wanted was to keep me prisoner in our home.

daughter had become–a clear parenting failure. “Your mother and I won’t always be

completely disregarded my words but perked up at her father’s voice, putting on that childish pout

You’re going to school tomorrow,” Jared declared before striding

documents in my

hesitation, I struck out, my hand connecting

doing?” Yvonne screamed. “You’re not

I were both calm

clicked. Jared’s sister–my sister–in–law–had the same explosive temper. Maybe it was in

outside for thirty minutes,” I said

split second before crossing her

knew