<b>Chapter </b><b>186 </b>
But the scars from my previous life can way too deep. Those waves of anxiety and grief would crash over me out of nowhere, leaving mes cold, and that feeling haunted me for the rest of my days.
Honestly, I <b>was </b>just way too obsessed with trying to win him back, and in the end, I was the one who couldn’t let myself go
Jared set down his ss and stood up, speaking in a low voice, “Sorry, Yvonne didn’te back with me, so I figured I’d drap by your ce.”
I nodded and teased, “Good thing it <b>wasn’t </b><b>a </b>burr”
Jared <b>seemed </b><b>at </b>a loss for words
I set my bag down and headed to the kitchen to brew myself a <b>cup </b>of tea. When I turned around, I saw Jared standing by the doorway, watching me with an unreadable look on his face.
Today, I was dressed in a chic, professional Chanel–<b>inspired </b>dress that gave me <b>a </b>touch of sophisticated femininity
Jared’s gaze was like a mirror; if I changed for the better, I could always see it reflected in his eyes.
“Victoria, can we postpone the <b>divorce </b>for a while? Mypany’s in the middle of a few big projects, and all the major shareholders are watching ma closely
“If we get divorced now, I’m worried they’ll think I’m up to something shady,” Jared said in a low voice.
“How long?” I turned to look at him. “If it’s going to take too long, then forget it
Jared looked a bit stunned, clearly not expecting me to be so particr about the timing. He gave a wry smile. “Am I really that bad?”
I looked at him and shook my head. “No, you’re a great guy. But we’re not right for each other anymore.”
“Is this all because of Tracy? Just because I had a thing with her for a while, you’re ready to write me off?” Jared put on a wounded, innocent look “Come on, <b>every </b>adult messes up sometimes. Isn’t that <b>just </b>normal?”
“Normal for who?” I snapped, clearly annoyed. “That’s on you. Don’t give me that adults do this crap
Jared let out a helplessugh, leaning against the ss and staring up at the ceiling. “Do you really not love me anymore? Why did your love <b>suddenly </b>
vanish?”
I <b>gave </b>a coldugh. “It <b>wasn’t </b>sudden. It was years and years of disappointment, Jared. You always knew I loved you, so <b>you </b>acted like you could do whatever you wanted
“<b>When </b><b>you </b>went public in Aurelia, Tracy was the one by your side, cheering you on. And me? I was stuck at <b>home</b>, <b>raising </b>the kids. We were never truly
partners.
“I was just the babysitter locked away in your ce. When you were happy<b>, </b><b>you’d </b>reward me with <b>some </b>spending money or a ne. When you weren’t, you’d just say you were under <b>a </b>lot of pressure and disappear for weeks at a time”
Jared’s face trombled because I’did bare the truth.
He must have remembered how, when he was riding high, Tracy was always <b>there</b>, pping for him, looking all sweet and devoted.
Maybe back then, his whole world was just Track, and I’d already been forgotten in some dark corner.
“Don’t say anything, and don’t try to exin, Don’t make me lose even more respect for you,” I said
Iraised a hand to cut Jared off when I saw that look on his face, like he was about to start making excuses, “I don’t want to hear it.”
Jared <b>looked </b>awkward and cleared his throat. “So our hearts have been apart for a long time, huhd I was just for slow to retira ia untai
“Jared, honestly, divetce might just be the best thing for you” I curved my liptinto a teasing smile, “I mean, look at you, med–looking 17,
loaded.
“Once we’re done, you’ll be like a fish set loose in the ocean the whole sea’s yours to explore. No and will be holding you back.
“you could have women lining up for you, living out that bachelor king fantasy, sampling the harem life if you want. Doesn’t that sound tempting
y shocked
I tossed out those words half jokingly, and Jared looked genuinely s
Girls like me, raised in bookish, cultured families, were supposed to be graceful, well–mannered, and conservative, to me talking like this mont’ve fitt like a total curveball to Jared.
AD