Jared was really drunk, rambling as he stumbled toward me. I tried to dodge him, but his tall frame trapped me in the small space by the desk.

“I’m not drunk,” Jared insisted. “I just keep thinking. You loved me for years. There must’ve been something about me you liked. So why did I lose to him? Victoria, tell me. What do I have to do to win you back?"

“This is driving me crazy,” he rambled, looking at me with pained eyes. “I’ve been replaying everything in my head, trying to figure out where I went wrong. Why did you just turn away from me?”

I stared at him, stunned. Jared’s biggest issue was his ego. He believed he had made a mistake somewhere, but there were countless things he never even bothered to try. He could never know if they were right or wrong without making an effort.

“Jared, stop making a scene. People can see us out there,” I said, hoping he would get a grip, especially as the boss.

But Jared was too wrapped up in his own thoughts, ignoring everything around him. He was obsessed with finding out why I stopped loving him.

“Why am I not better than him?” Jared demanded, staring at me. “Tell me.”

I didn’t hold back. “Honestly, you have so many shortcomings, and I don’t even know where to start.”

Jared’s face stiffened, and he was clearly taken aback by my sarcasm.

“Victoria, you’re lying,” he said, shocked. “I know you’re still holding a grudge, still trying to get back at me.”

I just laughed, shaking my head. I shot him a cold, uninterested look. “If I wanted to mess around with someone, why wouldn’t I go for Nathan? He’s a lot more seductive than you.”

Suddenly, Jared lunged at me, as if he were about to fall over, and without warning, he grabbed me. His arms, stiff as steel, crushed me against his chest so hard that my forehead slammed into him, pain shooting through me. I fought back, yelling, “Jared, you jerk. Let go of me!”

“No way,” Jared muttered, acting like a shameless punk. He just squeezed me tighter, pulling me even closer, like he couldn’t get enough of me.

I was furious. If Jared still thought he owned me, I was going to make sure he saw just how heartless I could be. As I struggled, I couldn’t help but worry that people outside might be watching this.

Jared’s grip was like iron. I couldn’t break free. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone familiar walking through the door. It was Nathan, holding a small bouquet of flowers.

My heart lurched, and I fought even harder, but it was already too late. Nathan had seen everything through the glass window. He stopped dead in his tracks, staring at us, completely shocked.

I was so angry that I couldn’t think straight. In a burst of frustration, I bit Jared hard on the chest.

That finally snapped him out of it. He loosened his grip, stepped back, and stared at the fresh bite mark on his white shirt. I hadn’t held back, so he must’ve been in pain. I shoved him away and glanced toward the door, but Nathan was already gone.

I shot Jared a venomous glare. He looked at me, completely bewildered, and then he slumped onto the couch.

I reached for the door, ready to run after Nathan to explain myself. But then I paused, wondering why I was so eager to clear things up.

There was no need to rush. Sure, Nathan and I were together now, but I couldn’t let my emotions control me. Honestly, we were just two lonely people looking for a little comfort.

Maybe this mess was actually a chance to see what kind of man Nathan really was, and how he felt about our relationship. When two strangers got entangled, it was always a quiet game of strategy. If I wanted to take control of this relationship, I had to watch how Nathan would react.