Jared opened his deep eyes just a little, studying me intently, like he was trying to figure out who I really was all over again.
“Victoria, do you think I’m a player?” Jared sounded a little pissed by my words, his voice low and serious. “You know me. That’s not who I am. I don’t want meaningless flings, and I definitely don’t want complications. I want a woman who understands me, someone to build a life with. Why would I need a crowd?”
I couldn’t help but smirk at his excuses. “Oh, right. You’re not that young anymore. Heard once men hit twenty-five, it’s downhill. Can’t keep up those days, huh?”
“Victoria,” Jared’s handsome face flushed bright red, “Who says I’m not up to it?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Sorry, sore subject? But according to what you said, Tracy counts, right?”
“Let’s not talk about her anymore. She’s overseas now,” Jared said, sounding irritated.
“Alright, let’s talk about ourselves. Getting divorced is good for you. Maybe your next wife will give you another kid,” I said. I remembered his old disappointment at only having Yvonne.
“I’m not living just for kids,” Jared said, frowning. “Yvonne is my daughter. We’re blood-related. She is my next generation. That’s enough. Victoria, if you don’t want more children, we won’t. Yvonne can be our heiress. Alright?”
I almost wavered, then steadied myself, “No. Maybe you don’t want more kids, but I do. Just not with you.”
The words hit Jared hard. His breathing sharpened, anger palpable. “Victoria, are you trying to drive me mad?” He grabbed his suit jacket and stormed out.
Watching him lose composure gave me a twisted satisfaction. Jared really could get mad. He wasn’t always the ice-cold type after all.
I’d pushed his buttons again. Maybe the divorce was finally within reach. But the next day at noon, Jared asked me out to lunch, saying he had someone he wanted me to meet.
I figured it was probably someone connected to the hotel. When I arrived, I saw a stylish, elegant couple at the table, deep in conversation.
Just one look, and I instantly pegged them as Shaville locals. Only people from that city dressed with such impeccable taste, and their accessories always looked effortlessly classy.
“Mr. Holcomb.” The woman immediately stood up with a smile as we walked over.
I gave Jared a puzzled look.
Jared suddenly reached out, pulled me close by the waist, and introduced me, “This is my wife, Victoria.”
The poised woman smiled at me. “Mrs. Holcomb, lovely to meet you. I’m Amy, this is my husband, Clint. I join the company tomorrow. Looking forward to working with you, Mr. Holcomb.”
I shot Jared a surprised look, and he gave my waist a gentle pat.
Clint stood, shaking Jared’s hand. “Amy always admired your company culture. Glad she’s joining your team.”
I shifted into professional mode, a polite smile in place. Sipping water, I understood Jared’s play. He was reassuring me, introducing me to his new VP, making it super clear she was happily married and totally off limits. Basically, he was saying not to worry about office drama or sketchy stuff with subordinates.
But I was married too, and I knew for a fact that when married women decided to let loose, they were even crazier than the single ones.
Amy was super chatty, while Clint seemed pretty quiet by comparison. Jared discussed business briefly, then Amy gave me a surprised look.
“Mrs. Holcomb, you actually have your own career? I assumed with Mr. Holcomb’s success, you’d enjoy life at home,” Amy said with a bright smile.
Jared looked at me with a gentle warmth in his eyes. “Honestly, I always pictured her home with our child.”
“You have a kid?” Amy looked genuinely surprised, clearly not up to speed on Jared’s personal details. “Mr. Holcomb, you and Mrs. Holcomb look younger than we do. How old is your kid?”
Jared chuckled. “She’s just over ten. We got married pretty young.”
Clint reached over and squeezed Amy’s hand. “Amy and I are planning to stay child-free.”
Amy nodded, “Yeah, kids are cute and all, but we’d rather just enjoy our lives.”
Back in my old life, I’d have seen their choice as a waste given their excellence and backgrounds. Now, I understood it.
Jared nodded respectfully. He wasn’t caught up in all that macho nonsense. He was warm, classy, and sharp as a tack. Like he always said, he cared more about quality than quantity when it came to relationships.
Too bad I was not the high-caliber woman he wanted. There was just no soul connection between us. I rested my chin in my hand, watching Jared. In my previous life, I’d hated him utterly.
But now, I refused to cling to that hate. I trailed behind him, acknowledging my own part in our past. I couldn’t claim the moral high ground and blame him entirely. I wanted distance.
From now on, he’d walk his own road, and I’d search for my own future. In the end, our lives just wouldn’t intersect anymore.
Jared saw me spacing out and reached over to ruffle my hair. “Are you full?”
I nodded and got up. “I’m gonna hit the restroom.”
I left the table and made my way down the long hallway to the restroom. Finishing washing my hands, someone pressed against me from behind.
It was Jared. His cool, minty scent surrounded me. I went rigid on the spot.
“Victoria, I just realized having you with me at these events is actually really enjoyable,” Jared murmured, his voice low and way too close for comfort.
He leaned in, a little lost in the moment, and pressed a lingering kiss to the back of my neck.
“Stop flirting here. Someone could walk in,” I teased, pushing him off and turning back to the sink.
Jared looked a bit deflated when I pushed him away, his voice burning rough and low. “How about I take you with me everywhere from now on, yeah?”
I faced him, realization striking. Jared had once wanted me for my looks. Now I’d reclaimed myself, he seemed mesmerized anew. His eyes lingered, that familiar spark igniting.
“No need,” I said. “What you want at twenty doesn’t matter at thirty. I’ve changed too. What I wanted months ago means nothing now.” I turned to leave.
But then, Jared grabbed my wrist and yanked me straight into his arms, holding me tight against his chest. “Victoria, can we start over?”