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

Jared froze mid–pour. “And which one are you?”

Leaning back, I smirked. “Oh, I’m neither. At best, I’m the one you forget and ignore eventually.”

He studied me for a long moment, then exhaled sharply. “Overthinking leads to hair loss, you know.”

The jab hit its mark. Annoyance flared–I’d walked right into his game. Psychology books call this deactivation: the moment you stop feeding someone’s emotional hooks, their power over you collapses. Yet here I was, scrambling to counter him.

Silently, I sipped my tea, stewing. Jared, meanwhile, looked unbearably pleased with himself.

Then my phone buzzed. A notification flashed-$3,000,000.00 deposited–Current Account. I glanced at the screen, then up at Jared. At least

the man kept his word.

He smirked, reading my expression. “Need to count the zeros to be sure?”

I set my phone down, refusing to play. “I trust you,” I said flatly.

The amusement drained from his face. Bored, he stood. “Dinner at my mother’s tonight. Need a ride?”

“No. I’ll drive myself.”

His jaw tightened, but he said nothing else. Finishing his tea, he left without another word.

That evening, the Holcomb estate was conspicuously missing one small, chaotic presence. No Yvonne. I didn’t ask. If my daughter wasn’t

here to scream at me for existing, all the better.

Sally, ever the gracious hostess, offered an explanation unprompted: “Quinn took Yvonne to some concert.” She waved a manicured hand.

“Teenagers.”

I nodded. Maybe distance was best. Without me–the “failed mother“-weighing her down, Yvonne would thrive differently. Better.

Dinner unfolded like a corporate negotiation. James, Jared’s father, had come to lobby for another round of funding for his latest “surefire” investment. Sally needled him between courses, but James just chuckled, unfazed.

the proposal with clinical detachment. His parents‘ toxic dynamic might as well

him from his

real strength looks like, I realized. Unshakable focus. No emotional

The roar of his Ferrari faded into the night,

silence.

phone. “When’s

yourself. I tried earlier, probably too loud

he checked the caller ID, then

headed for the door. As I passed Jared outside, he hadn’t noticed

tense.

1/3

Wed, 13

Chapter 141

ug 83

you? I’ll come pick up Yvonne. You just got off a flight. I appreciate you looking after her.” A pause. “Yeah, stay there.

way.”

see me standing there. A flicker of discomfort crossed his

home.”

of joining him anyway. But that fleeting unease

concert. Maybe Tracy was there too. And that was why Jared didn’t insist I come along. Because

marched to my car, slid in, and sped off. I didn’t hear them come home. By the time Jared and Yvonne returned, I was

her eyes dramatically. “Daddy, my tummy hurts. I can’t go

Mommy and I have work. If you’re really sick, we’ll go

classes.

me a shot?” Her

“Possibly.”

scrambled upright.

1 descended the stairs. Yvonne immediately bolted from Jared and latched onto my leg. “Mommy, skip work today! Take me to the

Mosquito bites dotted her cheeks, angry red welts against her skin. Normally, I’d fuss over her, applying ointment until the swelling faded.

busy.” My voice

anymore!” she wailed. “Tracy would never-” She caught herself, but the damage