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?

*****

facilities showed their years. While its reputation kept

finished my inspection. I left with photographs and blueprints tucked

with her new pony, though I’d resolved to send her

dinner in his usual suit, shrugging

documents spread across my lap until

greet him, taking his coat to hang up while asking about dinner and even

Jared waited a beat before taking his

sulky. “Mom won’t play with me. Is she really going back to

frowned at her words. When had Jared ever made that

should work if she wants to,” Jared murmured. “You’re a big girl now with

1/3

to do”

the steps. “I want Mom home. I’m still little, and taking care of me is

even fake a smile

but while I gave her my whole heart, all she wanted was to keep me prisoner in our home.

clear parenting failure. “Your mother and I won’t always be

her father’s voice, putting on that childish

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

with a scowl, and when she saw the documents in my hands, she grabbed them with

I struck out, my hand

Yvonne screamed. “You’re not my mom.

it stunned me. Jared and I were both calm people–so why did she fly off the handle over the

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

I said coldly, pointing to the

a split second before crossing her

dinner for you.” I knew I