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

Jared had a point. With my newfound perspective, parenting no longer felt like a suffocating trap, so I didn’t outright reject the idea.

ை

“I’ll teach her when I have time,” I conceded. Yvonne’s progress was the real reason for my shift. Had she remained the spoiled, disrespectful child from my previous life, I would’ve walked away without a second thought.

But now, she was improving daily, reaching out to me willingly. I could meet her halfway, though my heart, once broken, remained guarded. No matter how much I played the part of a mother, I couldn’t love her as recklessly as before.

Jared smiled. “Thank you.”

I lowered my head to eat, ending the conversation there.

Jared didn’t eat much. His assistant, ever perceptive, brought him a glass of red wine and offered me a fruit cocktail. I eyed the drink but didn’t touch it.

Jared glanced over, amusement in his gaze. “What? Afraid I spiked it?”

Honestly, the thought had crossed my mind. Jared was like a starving predator right now. Who knew what he was capable of? The fact that he’d once asked me about paying three million for one night proved he was bordering on obsession.

“Tell me the truth,” I said, shifting the topic to something that would really grab his attention. “Did you transfer me to Shaville because you knew Nathan and I were getting close?”

His gaze locked onto mine, unreadable for a long moment before he finally admitted, “Yes. That was part of it.”

“Since when did you become so petty?” I scoffed.

Jared swirled his wineglass, his tone deceptively light. “I’ve always been petty. You just never noticed before.”

“Now that we’re divorced, you still think you can control me?” I smirked.

The words seemed to hit him. He let out a self–deprecating laugh. “Human emotions are complicated. I don’t want to keep orbiting around you, but… sometimes I can’t help it.”

lingered on my face. “You’ve changed, you know. Your insights, your mindset, your decisiveness… It’s

have to love yourself first before

a slow sip of wine. “The day we signed the divorce papers, I

ever have one wife, that she’s where my fortune

man who’d never believed in God, consulting a priest? That was almost laughable. “Oh? Then

something raw in his gaze. “So now I want to treat you better. Will you

“I’m afraid Nathan might get jealous. He’s

exactly what

barely steady. “You never cared about love. You said you wanted to play the field.

and one foot out. When

emotions.”

veins bulging visibly beneath his skin. “Victoria, is he really that much

1/3

23

Chapter 306

me for

left for myself. I’d backed myself into a dead end

༥ . 83%B

by the roadside. Offers shade when I’m weary, support when I stumble. Even blooms flowers

my new wristwatch. “His

timepiece with deliberate grace.

loud thud, Jared slammed down his whiskey glass and stormed out.

ex–mother–in–law Sally called. It was her first contact since the divorce. Worried something might have happened to Yvonne, I answered immediately. Instead, I got an earful

company yet? How much more blood

disbelief. Since when did earning