Housewife Gone Wild

Chapter 5

I knew Yvonne was faking her stomachache to manipulate Jared and me. She was young, but already such a schemer, and had totally played me for a fool in my previous life.

I texted Jared back: [Take her to the hospital yourself.] Then I tossed my phone aside and turned back to the movie’s ending.

Jared didn’t bug me after that. When the credits rolled, a couple of guys pushed their way towards me. One bumped into me, and his face went bright red.

Melissa was about to give them an earful, but I squeezed her hand gently and said, “It’s fine.”

The guy stammered an apology, smacked his friend, and they hightailed it out of there.

Melissa grinned and nudged me. “Guess pretty girls make guys go brain–dead. Victoria, Jared’s seriously lucky. Bet the second he laid eyes on your face and body, he was dying to get you into bed, huh?”

My cheeks heated up–I was the one dying for it. Too embarrassed to say that, I just smiled and said, “You’ll get it when you have a boyfriend.”

“Get what?” Melissa blinked.

“Time passes, and even the hottest girl stops turning her man’s head eventually. Don’t pour your whole heart into love,” I said softly.

“I get it. Lately, I’ve been handling several divorce cases. Those wives are all stunners, and yet the guys still strayed. Can you believe that?” Melissa bit the words out.

I let out a bitter laugh. “Don’t pin too much hope on men.”

Melissa must’ve picked up on something, her face etched with concern as she asked, “Jared… has affairs?”

anyone knew about it. As his wife, I didn’t want word getting out. Though I no longer cared about him, I had to save my face. “I don’t think so,” I

home late, and yet

was half–asleep but perked up when she heard the car. She slid

her. “Honey, let me help you get to bed. Your mom still needs to

shoving my mom away. “Grandma, go upstairs and

bolted over and latched onto my leg. “Mommy, you’re home so late. Were you

lightly. “Who taught you to say

clutched her cheek, tears spilling over. “You hit me?” she sniffled, lips trembling as she stepped back. Then she turned

the stairs. “Victoria, why did you snap at her the moment you walked in? She was waiting for you.

age saying stuff like that? She needs a little discipline,

probably picked it up from the TV. She’s too little to know what ‘cheating‘ even means,” Mom said, sounding stern. “Kids have feelings too, you

deep down, I knew Yvonne’s upbringing needed a total reset. Better she resented me or ignored me now than

the top, holding a sobbing Yvonne. It looked like he’d been

head to look up at the father–daughter duo. A faint smile played on my lips, but it didn’t reach my

whimpered, clinging tight to Jared’s neck. With a pitiful pout, she accused me, “Mom’s trying

climbing. “If a little slap could kill

crouching to comfort her. “Go to your room. I’ll be there in a minute to read you a

Jared coddling her, Yvonne shot me a snooty glare, then stomped into her bedroom

to our bedroom, sat at the vanity, and started

thick, long hair cascaded down my back–no styling, no fancy updo, just natural loose curls that exuded an effortless

I’d tried so hard to be sweet, but he’d just brush me off, saying he was worn out from work

white chair, looking sultry and confident. Glancing back over my shoulder, I caught him staring off into space. “What did you want to talk

did you hit Yvonne today? She’s just a little kid. Even if she did something wrong, a few words would’ve been enough. You