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

I watched Jared’s back, my mind a whirlwind of thoughts. “I don’t want to talk about this. Let’s focus on work,” I said.

Jared’s voice dropped, rough and low. “I knew this would happen.”

His weird comment made me stop in my tracks. “What do you mean?”

Jared finally stood up and turned to face me. His face was half in shadow, but his eyes were bright and clear. “Someone else will take you away from me.”

I froze, feeling like I was being treated like a piece of property.

Jared walked up to me, towering over me, sizing me up. “I wanted to keep you all to myself, hidden away so no one else would even know you existed. But now, everything’s spiraled out of control.”

“Jared, if you’re crazy, go see a doctor. Don’t use me for your entertainment,” I shot back, my anger flaring. In my last life, I let him hide me away, but when he got bored, he just went looking for someone else. So much for wanting to keep me–he just wanted to own me, then tossed me aside like I was nothing.

Jared took my rant in stride, not even getting mad. Instead, he actually laughed. “You’ve hitched your wagon to the Jennings family now. Who knows, you might end up way ahead of me. Maybe when I write my memoirs, I’ll have to mention my ex–wife who was out of my league…”

I almost laughed out of sheer frustration. I stood up from my chair, feeling tall in my heels. I used to look up to Jared, thinking he was untouchable. But now? Other than that cold, handsome face, he’s really not all that special.

“From your lips to God’s ears. Maybe one day my daughter will write in her essay about her confident, successful mom…”

he stopped and looked at me with a deep, lingering affection. “Victoria, maybe this is the real you–fun, vibrant, not meant to be kept on display like some

far, I guess I owe you some credit. Every step in life matters. If meeting Ryan is my destination, then you were just the bridge I crossed to get there. Without you, I wouldn’t be

expression shifted through a storm of emotions, like

a bridge? Victoria, your heart changes faster than the weather in June,” he snapped,

are always changing, that’s just how we are. You never really tried to understand me, Mr. Holcomb.” I hugged my papers and

We were actively seeking business partners and investors, and we’d already connected with several major local tour groups to

noon, Jared invited everyone out for

09:11 Fri, 29 Aug

Chapter 449

87%

by all that old–school charm, and everyone was in high spirits. Glasses kept clinking, drinks kept coming, and

+38

knocking back drinks, and I had a few myself. Once I

switched to

suddenly came over. “Hey, I want to chat about Nathan’s investment deal. You got a

talk in

shook my head. “Not happening.