<b>Chapter </b><b>72 </b>
Those two <b>days </b><b>were </b><b>the </b>weekend. <b>Besides </b><b>supervising </b><b>the </b><b>site </b><b>at </b>Harmonia Hotel, I went out for dinner with Melissa<b>. </b>Then <b>Sally </b><b>called </b><b>and </b><b>asked </b>the three <b>of </b>us to eat together.
That afternoon, Yvonne <b>stayed </b>at Sally’s. When <b>she </b>was dropped off at night, she carried a big bag of toys, including some <b>cute </b><b>silver </b>jewelry. As soon <b>as </b>Yvonne got home, she grabbed <b>scissors </b>and sat in her room stringing beads.
I knew she <b>was </b>making a gift for Tracy. She was focused on it. When I brought her some fruit, Yvonne seemed a little guilty
and hid it at first.
Unexpectedly, the beads <b>she was </b>stringing spilled all over the floor halfway through. She shouted in frustration, <b>“</b><b>It’s </b>your fault, Mom, you’re distracting me from making my bracelet<b>!</b>”
Then she knelt and crawled around picking up beads one by one. I sat nearby, popped a cherry tomato in my mouth, and asked, “Who’s this for? You’re working so hard.”
“None of your business<b>,</b><b>” </b>Yvonne replied, not telling the truth, and quickly told me, “Mom, please go away. Don’t bother me.”
I had no choice but to <b>leave </b>her room. Inside, it felt like someone stabbed me in the heart. I didn’t understand why Yvonne liked Tracy <b>so </b>much, but resented me as her mother.
‘I must have messed up somewhere. Or maybe that’s just how people are–loving the distant but resenting the close<b>,</b><b>‘ </b>I thought.
Tracy ttered her easily, and Yvonne was happy. I cared for her day and night and managed her life, but I became the person she hated.
Late at night, Iy in bed when my period suddenly started. I went to the bathroom to handle it. When I came out, Jared <b>was </b>sitting on the other side of the bed.
I froze. Then I remembered we had been giving each other the cold shoulder for three days. But I hadn’t gone to apologize to him yet tonight.
Since tomorrow night was going to be Tracy’s birthday, I figured that Jared had probably prepared a gift for her.
I turned on my side and saw Jared toss his phone down hard beside him. The next second, hey down too. “I’m on my period.” I knew what he was waiting for, so I crushed his hopes right away.
Not long after, Jared got up and closed my bedroom door. Since we couldn’t have sex, he left. So he came to my room just
for that.
The next morning, I noticed Wendy had made some desserts for breakfast. “Mrs. Hob, Mr. Hob asked me to make these for you. Here’s chocte pie and rice pudding.”
“Thank you, Wendy,” I said gratefully.
Wendy smiled and said, “Mr. Hob really cares about you.”
I didn’t take <b>that </b>seriously. If just asking a maid to cook meant caring, that was pretty cheap care. “Mr. Hob already took Yvonne to <b>ss</b>,” Wendy added.
I nodded. It was Monday. After breakfast, <b>I </b>had to head to work. At the office, Tracy said she wanted to treat us to lunch. She <b>even </b>asked if I <b>was </b>free <b>because </b>it was her birthday and she wanted to gather the higher–ups.
She didn’t <b>have </b>enough <b>status </b><b>yet </b>to bring me along, so I didn’t go. Not only did I skip it, but I went to thepany cafeteria
and <b>asked </b>the <b>kitchen </b><b>to prepare </b>a <b>special </b>meal for me, my favorite salmon and beef steak.
<b>I </b><b>sat </b>alone<b>, </b>enjoying my meal, when the door suddenly opened. Jared appeared in front of me. I froze and thought, ‘Why is
he <b>here</b><b>?</b><b>‘ </b>
Jared asked <b>the </b>kitchen for a knife and fork and sat down. <b>He </b>openly started eating my lunch. “<b>Tracy </b>said it’s her birthday and invited a lot of people. Why didn’t you go?<b>” </b><b>I </b>asked casually.
“I promised her a dinner tonight, so I didn’t go for lunch,” Jared said inly.
“Oh.” I thought there <b>was </b>no point in asking more. I didn’t think I was more important than Tracy.
“Youe with me tonight,” Jared suddenly said.
A cold feeling spread through me. Jared definitely spoiled Tracy. She was having a birthday, and he brought me, his wife, to show everyone that his wife and his mistress got along perfectly. He was even attending her birthday personally.
“I already have ns with friends tonight, so I won’t go,” I said coldly.
“Thatwyer again?” Jared seemed annoyed with Melissa. “What’s the point of you two women eating together all the time?”
“She’s Melissa, a longtime friend,” I answered seriously.
Jared nced at me and smirked. “I know her name. I just want to warn you not to get too close. Be careful. Don’t let her use you.”
Hearing <i>that</i>, I mmed my fork down on the table. “Jared, can you be reasonable? First, I’m a person. Second, I’m your wife.
“People are social creatures. I have my friends. So what? Don’t you have your group of guy friends? Have I ever interfered with your private life?”
Jared looked at me oddly. Then he said casually, “Friends of the same sex are fine. But opposite sex friends? No.”
“Why not?” I had <i>to </i>stand up for myself.
Jared looked me up and down and said bluntly, “Honestly, any guy trying to get close to you just wants to sleep with you.”
AD
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