I was in the middle of explaining something about work when Jared suddenly threw that question at me. I subconsciously took a sniff and shook my head. "I don't smell anything."
But Jaredโs expression changed in a flash. His eyes turned razor-sharp, and the next second, he reached out and brushed my hair aside from my neck.
"Jared, what are you doing?" His action crossed the line for meโI instantly got angry, stood up, and backed away a few steps.
Jaredโs eyes were like a brewing storm. He was breathing hard, and it looked like his legs could barely hold him up. He propped himself up on the table with one hand, glaring at me, furious and embarrassed.
"Victoria, which random guy did you spend the night with last night?" His voice was burning with rage, like he wanted to devour me whole.
I froze. I didnโt understand why Jared was out of his mind and how the hell he knew I spent the night with a guy. I thought he might pick up on something just from a scent. He was like a bloodhound.
I frowned, my voice icy. "I have no idea what youโre talking about. Are you even interested in my proposal or not?"
But Jared seemed not to care about it at all. He just went on, ignoring my question. "I know that scent of yours better than anyone. Itโs not perfume. Itโs something I only ever catch from you."
My face went bright red, and I glared at him, both angry and embarrassed. "Stop being ridiculous. If youโre not here to talk business, Iโm out."
Jared squeezed his eyes shut, and when he opened them again, he was still fuming, still glaring at me. "Youโre feeling guilty, huh? So, you really slept with someone last night."
"Mr. Holcomb, youโre such a thoughtful boss, so worried about your staffโs private lives. But youโre way out of line. My life has nothing to do with you," I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
Jared just stood there in a daze, staring at me, unable to snap out of it. "How could you do this? Victoria, do you even remember the promise you made?"
"You said youโd only ever love me in this life. Youโre such a liar." Jared was so furious that he was shaking, pointing at me, and yelling.
I shot back with a cold sneer, "Those vows were just something I said in the heat of the moment. Weโre both adults, Jared. Can you please be reasonable about this?"
"If you need a woman, go ahead. Tracyโs practically throwing herself at you. If you feel like youโre suffering losses from me, just go to her."
Jared looked like heโd just been blindsided, completely shockedโbecause my words were an indirect admission about what happened last night.
"So, you reallyโฆ" Jaredโs eyes flared red with rage. He snatched up my carefully printed documents and hurled them to the floor with a violent slam. "Victoria, youโve crossed the line."
I stared at my scattered papers, my voice angry. "Mr. Holcomb, if youโre going to keep flying off the handle like this, maybe I should just submit my resignation."
"I have no interest in working for a boss who throws tantrums and screams at his staff."
With that, I walked over, shut my laptop, and got ready to leave.
"Who is he?" Jared sounded like heโd just taken a punch to the gut, his voice low and shaky. "Tell me, who is he?"
I turned back to glare at him, my expression frosty. "I donโt owe you an answer." Then I walked away without even glancing back.
After leaving the hotel, I went straight home. There was a man at home who knew how to keep his cool, waiting for me.
When I got back, Nathan was still there. He opened the door, and for a split second, his face lit up with surprise at seeing me. "Victoria, I thought you were going to have lunch out," Nathan said, sounding a little put out.