Chapter 189
After lunch, Amy and Clint left ahead of us. Frode was with Jareil, and he asked when I wanted to go. I told him to drop me off at the Hannonia Hotel.
The car was quiet. The sun was blaring outside, but the AC was blasting, making me feel a little drowsy. When we stopped, Jared reached over and wrapped his fingers around mine.
I gently slipped my hand away without making a scene, just as the light turned green. Jared drove off in silence.
At a red light, Jared suddenly spoke.
“You like Nathan now, don’t you?” At the next red light, Jared finally spoke up. His voice was eerily calm, but I could feel the tension underneath. I froze for a second.
He continued, “Love doesn’t disappear. It moves on. You won’t let me touch you now, acting all chaste for another guy. I know how grown-up relationships work. I probably get it better than you. Is Nathan the reason you’re acting this way?”
“What does he have to do with any of this?” I asked. His imagination was something else.
“You women always say one thing and mean another, don’t you? Of course he’s involved,” Jared shot me a mocking look. “If he hadn’t shown up, you wouldn’t be treating me like this.”
I didn’t blame Jared for thinking that way. I mean, me suddenly falling out of love with him must’ve felt like some glitch in the system; it was something that just didn’t make sense.
He couldn’t accept it, so he was desperate to find proof.
“Jared, don’t be so naive. What, you think women can’t survive without love?” I shot him a sarcastic look. “Honestly, women can live for themselves and love themselves. Sometimes, men are just extra baggage. Ever thought about that?”
Jared’s fingers tightened around the steering wheel, his lips pressed into a thin, hard line.
We were still on the road, and I didn’t want to push him any further, so I kept quiet.
But Jared had other ideas. He jerked the wheel and pulled the car over to the side.
“So now you’re done with me, and you’ve got all these excuses? Do you really think you can just toss me aside?” Jared glared at me, furious.
“I don’t want to explain myself, Jared. It’s you who’s keeping me trapped.” I stared him down, my eyes blazing with anger. “I used to think splitting the assets after a divorce was the best option. Sure, money matters, but so does how I feel.”
“Victoria, I’ve always made sure you had everything you wanted. Even if you want a divorce now, I’ll make sure you get what you deserve. Just tell me, did you fall for someone else?” Jared demanded, his voice tight with frustration.
“No,” I said, meeting his gaze head-on. “I’m not in love with anyone.”
Jared’s breathing quickened, his eyes reddening at the corners. He raised his hands and slammed them down hard on the steering wheel twice, and then he rested his head on the wheel.
I was startled by his reaction. This was the kind of thing women usually did–breaking down and crying on the steering wheel. Turned out men would do the same.
Jared’s voice came out rough and broken. “Are you really never going to get over what happened between me and Tracy?”
His timing seriously threw me off. “You have every right to find someone better. I’ve never tried to hold you back,” I replied, detached, like I was just some bystander.
“Other wives would step in when their husbands start acting up, but you just let me do whatever. Are you saying you never really loved --" He tried to twist my words, giving me that wounded, accusing look.
“You’re something else. You screw up, and now it’s my fault for not keeping you on a leash? Why don’t you admit you shouldn’t have messed up in the first place? I’m your wife, not your mom. Seriously, how old are you? You still need me to keep you in check?” I was absolutely furious.