Chapter 167

Jared wasn’t a fan of my snarky attitude. He lowered his voice and said, “You’re her mom. What’s so uncommon about that? Honestly, I think you just don’t want to come.”

I nodded. “I’ve got a ton of work, really don’t have the time. So, I’ll have to ask you to spend more time with her.”

“It’s kind of awkward for me to hang out with my daughter all the time. Luckily, Tracy’s on vacation and back in Shaville. Yvonne’s with her now. They went out to have some fun. I’m just stuck at the hotel handling work,” Jared explained.

I blinked in surprise. Jared had already brought up Tracy being in Shaville before I could even ask.

“I know how your mind works. It’s just easier to tell you straight,” Jared said calmly.

“What a coincidence. You’re in Shaville, and Tracy just happens to be back too. Did you two plan this or something?” I said with a teasing grin.

“Victoria, don’t start drama. It really is just a coincidence,” Jared replied, his tone serious.

“Yeah, sure. How many coincidences do you think I’ll buy? You think I’m stupid? Anyway, go ahead, have your little family time. I really don’t care.” Honestly, I just hoped the three of them would stick together and leave me out of it.

I hung up before Jared could say anything else. After half an hour of yoga, I crammed some Englysian. Next week, I had to take my crew to Falansia to talk business.

By midnight, I was dead tired. Just as I was about to crash, I saw someone had sent me two photos.

It was Tracy. She’d snapped a couple of shots of Yvonne passed out after a long day and sent a message. "Don’t worry, Mrs. Holcomb. Yvonne was super well-behaved today, just tired out from all the fun."

I just went to sleep. I figured Jared and Yvonne would be in Shaville for at least three days, but they came back the very next afternoon.

Yvonne looked totally beat, like a deflated balloon, and kept insisting her legs were sore and wouldn’t stop asking me to rub them. Jared came over after his meeting. I was rubbing Yvonne’s legs with one hand while working on my laptop with the other.

Jared frowned, probably thinking I was half-assing the whole parenting thing. He scooped up Yvonne, who was half-asleep, and glanced at my laptop screen. “You’re going to Falansia too?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I want to check out the quality myself.”

“Your Englysian sucks, and you’ve never even traveled. Forget it,” Jared said, shutting me down without hesitation.

I looked up and met his gaze. “No, I am going, whether you like it or not.”

“I’m the boss here, and I won’t allow it,” Jared replied, his face serious.

I glared at him, stubborn as ever. “You always say you want me to be free and support my career, but clearly, that’s just lip service.” Jared’s expression soured as I used his own words against him.

“I’m just worried something might happen to you if you go abroad,” he said.

“You travel all the time, and you always come back just fine,” I shot back.

Jared bit his lip. “It’s different for men. And you’re the kind of woman people worry about.” I couldn’t believe how ridiculous he sounded.

“You love admiring flowers, but you’re scared to let them bloom in the sun. Jared, is that really all you’re capable of?” I said, standing up.

Jared was left speechless. He just picked up Yvonne and walked out without another word. I didn’t care whether Jared agreed or not. If the company didn’t cover my ticket, I’d just buy it myself.

Around four in the afternoon, Tracy suddenly texted me, asking if I wanted to grab a coffee downstairs. I curled my lips into a cold smirk. So, she finally couldn’t hold herself back—looks like she was ready to go on the offensive.

Guess being pregnant means she doesn’t have time to play games anymore. When I showed up, Tracy had a glass of lemonade in front of her. I couldn't help but think she was craving sour stuff.

Tracy clearly expected me. She smiled warmly, “Mrs. Holcomb, do you have a favorite drink? I went ahead and ordered you a latte. Hope that’s alright?”

“That’s fine,” I replied, settling into the seat across from her. Sunlight poured in, making Tracy look a bit pale, but her eyes still sparkled with ambition and confidence.

“Enjoying your time off, Tracy?” I took a sip of the coffee she ordered and smiled. “Weren’t you supposed to be on vacation today?”

“Yeah, I came here just to invite you for coffee,” Tracy said, straight to the point. She wasn’t one for small talk or playing mind games. “I’ve got something to say to you. It’s about Jared.”

When she called him by his name so openly, I knew exactly what she was up to. She was laying her cards on the table, staking her claim right in front of me.

I kept my tone cool. “You think you really know my husband?”

Tracy met my gaze, a trace of jealousy flickering in her eyes. “I know him better than you ever could. Do you believe that?”

I didn’t say a word, just sipped my coffee in silence, watching her quietly.