Chapter 26

Nathan’s insight surprised me. He seemed to know me better than I’d realized.

“Have you been checking up on me?” My smile faded. The collapse of my marriage was painful enough without strangers poking through the remains.

“Sorry, I overstepped,” Nathan blurted out, uncharacteristically flustered. “Just heard some things in passing. No background checks, I promise.”

“Lovely meeting you.” I gave him my best polite dismissal and walked away.

Nathan stayed frozen where he stood.

Back at our table, Melissa was still nervously eyeing the handsome stranger at the other table, clearly working up the courage to talk to him.

“Melissa, ready to go?” I asked, already gathering my things. Nathan’s lingering gaze and that unsettling confession had me suddenly desperate for an exit.

She rose with obvious reluctance, just as Nathan came back inside.

I pulled Melissa forward. “Mr. Hallman, meet Melissa–legal genius and my best friend. Keep her number handy for when you inevitably need a lawyer.”

“Victoria…” Melissa hadn’t expected me to be so forward. She turned bright red, wishing she could vanish on the spot.

I shot her a reassuring look. “Don’t worry. Mr. Hallman and I know each other.”

Nathan handed Melissa a business card. “Ms. Jenkins, my company could use legal counsel. If you’re interested, reach out to my assistant, Zachary Chandler.”

“Hello,” said Zachary, the handsome guy across the table, raising his hand. He slid his card toward her. “Just give me a call.”

Melissa took both cards, her face burning. “Nice to meet you,” she murmured, and then yanked me out of the restaurant at lightning speed.

I took one look at her tomato-red cheeks and burst out laughing, nearly choking.

“Victoria, that was mortifying,” Melissa hissed, stomping her foot. “How could you just ask for their contacts like that? Now I can never show my face around them again.”

I grinned and nudged her. “You’ve got their cards now. It’d be a waste not to use them.”

“Wait a second…” Melissa picked up on something strange and grabbed my arm. “You know Mr. Hallman? How? Where did you two meet?”

I froze, caught off guard by her rapid-fire questions.

“Victoria, does Mr. Hallman like you?” Melissa squinted. “Don’t even try denying it. I can see it in his eyes–the way he looks at you isn’t just casual.”

Melissa was my friend, and I didn’t want to hide things from her. So I told her everything–about volunteering at the charity and the donation.

“Wait, that donation of yours created a tech mogul?” She’d seen his business card–the same guy I’d helped was now Nathan Hallman, a 27-year-old rising star who was killing it in the tech world.

I shrugged. “I’d never actually met him, and I didn’t even know who he was. Back then, people talked about this genius kid—how his family went bankrupt and how his dad died following their financial ruin.

“I was helping out with the Holcombs’ charity work at the time. When I heard his story, I donated 250 grand to him.”

“Victoria, you’ve got a real gift for investments. Your instincts are spot-on,” Melissa said, giving me an impressed thumbs-up.

I gave a wry smile. “It was Jared’s money, not mine. If anyone deserves credit, it’s Jared.”

Melissa burst out laughing, slapping her knee. “This is perfect. Jared financed his own romantic competitor. Imagine how pissed he’ll be when he finds out.”

I quickly covered her mouth. “Keep your voice down. If anyone hears you, we’re through as friends.”

Melissa leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. “So… you’re really divorcing Jared? Need me to handle the paperwork? It’s what I do best–my treat.”

Her serious expression made me laugh. “Alright, draft something up for me to review.”

“Do you think Jared will give you half?” Melissa asked, her eyes alight with curiosity.

I shook my head. “Probably not. I don’t expect half. Even ten percent of his fortune would last me a lifetime.”

“Jared’s never been stingy with you. Honestly, he’d probably hand over whatever you needed without you asking.” Melissa studied me, her usual teasing tone softening.

“But Victoria… when you walked down that aisle, did you ever think it would end in divorce?” For all her blunt humor, she asked with genuine care.

“Who goes into marriage thinking about divorce?” I said bitterly. “We were all in, picturing silver anniversaries, matching rocking chairs, a house full of kids…”

“Maybe we romanticized marriage too much,” Melissa interrupted. “Truth is, it’s just a partnership. Pick right, you’re golden. Pick wrong…”

“Cut your losses early,” I finished.

She nodded with a knowing smile. “Exactly. We’re still young enough to try again.”

I shook my head. “I’m done with relationships. Men and women are all the same. The magic always fades. Why not just keep dating? Always have someone new to love and be loved by.”

Melissa stared at me in disbelief. “Wow, since when do you talk like that, Victoria?”

“I didn’t use to,” I said, pulling her toward my parked car. “Now I do.”

A sleek Maybach stood out just a few parking spots away–unmistakably Nathan’s car.

We’d barely buckled up when Nathan and his assistant approached. I hit the gas before they could reach us.

That afternoon, I returned to the company to discuss the hotel handover when Jared summoned me to his office.

I kept my expression carefully blank, refusing to meet his gaze.

“About last night… I was out of line.” So this wasn’t about work, but an apology.

I turned my face away, pressing my lips together in silence.

Jared stood and extended a navy blue box toward me. “I got you this.”

I glanced at it but didn’t take it.

He grabbed my hand and pressed the box into my palm. “It won’t happen again.”

I gripped the box tightly, willing my eyes not to turn red.

Jared leaned against his desk, his deep-set eyes studying me. When I remained silent, he sighed. “I’ll invest one hundred million in your business. Will that help?”

My reddened eyes darted to his face. “You’re serious?”