It felt like Ryan was purposely making things messy between us, probably just waiting for me to confront him so he could use it as an excuse to get even closer.

“I really underestimated him,” I muttered. I never thought a guy his age could catch me off guard like this.

Kids who grow up with power are something else–Ryan’s got way too many layers for anyone to figure out. Those clear eyes of his might look innocent, but when it comes to scheming, nobody does it better.

Jared’s earlier outburst replayed in my mind. He’d changed so much–what exactly was he so unwilling to let go of?

“Is he really trying to pull that whole ‘tragic groveling to win his wife back’ routine?” I thought, rolling my eyes.

Real life isn’t some web novel, and I’m not about to play along with his over-the-top drama. If he’s got that much energy, he should put it into helping our kid with her schoolwork.

Honestly, Jared’s just a means to an end for me now. The only thing I need from him is to love our daughter–nothing more.

Thinking about last night–how he kissed me so roughly at the hotel, the way our bodies pressed together in front of the mirror, and all those countless tangled memories that kept replaying in my dreams at midnight….

I propped my hand against my forehead, got up, and went to make myself something to eat. Just to stop my brain from spiraling, I turned on the nightly news broadcast. Listening to all that stiff, official reporting actually helped clear away my anxiety.

The next morning, when I got to the office, Jared was already gone. Yvonne called to tell me he’d headed off to Gordezin for a business trip. She started chattering away about all the funny things happening at school, her voice full of excitement.

Listening to Yvonne talk about exploring new places and diving into fresh experiences, I could really feel she was changing for the better, step by step. It made me genuinely happy–she was finally starting to blossom.

In my previous life, she’d turned into someone so cold and heartless. Sure, a lot of that was on me, but Tracy definitely played her part in it too.

Kids are so easily shaped by the adults around them. Tracy always resented me, and honestly, I wouldn’t put it past her to twist my daughter’s mind behind my back.

This time, I swear I won’t let Tracy or anyone else warp Yvonne’s personality. I want her to grow up into someone as outstanding as Jared–nothing less.

Nathan hadn’t texted or called me after that, and honestly, I just wanted to draw a line under our relationship for good.

As for Ryan, that scheming little devil, all I could do was sigh. He once told me I couldn’t even keep up with his mind games–and yeah, compared to him, I really was outmatched.

Three days flew by in a blur. Neither Jared nor Nathan had reached out to me, and I was buried in work. Most nights, I either cooked for myself or grabbed a meal out if I had some business dinner to attend.

On top of that, I’d been getting a flood of messages from guys trying to shoot their shot–some even bold enough to just confess right away.

Thanks to Jared, I’d always had this vibe of being classy and untouchable. Not many guys actually dared to get close–most just talked a big game but never followed through.

Still, there were always a few who waited for the perfect chance to swoop in if they thought I was off my guard.

That night, I ended up staying at the office past ten, caught up with a renovation project.

Just outside was a tea garden, and beside it stood a row of vintage-style buildings. My car was parked in the lot behind those buildings.

By ten, most of the lights around here had already been switched off. I grabbed my bag and started heading toward my car.

Suddenly, someone who’d been hiding in the tea bushes sprang out at me.

I never thought something like this could happen here. Terror shot through me as he roughly yanked me and dragged me toward one of the pitch-black old buildings.

“Help!” I tried to yell, but he was ready for me. Out of nowhere, he whipped out a white cloth that stank of chemicals–something that burned my nose. My whole body started trembling.

I held my breath and fought like hell, desperate to break free.

Just then, I saw a bright beam of headlights swing around the corner in the distance. The guy behind me cursed under his breath, flung me away, and bolted.

I’d breathed in some of that nasty chemical, and my head was spinning. My body went limp–I couldn’t even force myself to get up.

“Victoria…” In my terror, I heard a familiar voice rushing toward me.