Chapter 415

I looked out the window, pretending I didn’t notice. Jared looked a little helpless, giving a wry, self-deprecating smile and kept his eyes on the road. Yvonne said she was tired and pulled out a game console to play. I took the opportunity to glance at my phone and scroll through my Instagram. Maybe because I had just messaged Jared, my finger slipped and I accidentally tapped into his Instagram profile. He’d updated his bio with a new quote: “Knowledge cannot be gained in haste; let the echoes linger in the sorrowful wind.” I couldn’t help but be surprised at his poetic choice of words. This really wasn’t his style–Jared was never one for dramatic quotes.

Wait, that’s not right. I remembered that in my previous life, when Jared hit his forties, he suddenly got obsessed with calligraphy. He and Tracy started training with a master, putting in the work every single day. After that, Jared would write out all sorts of beautiful poems and classic verses. Tracy would show off his work on her Instagram, giving him all the hype and compliments he could ever want.

My eyebrows knitted. ‘Did Jared’s Instagram get hacked or something?’ I wondered. The car pulled into the restaurant’s parking lot. Jared opened the door and reminded Yvonne to watch her step as she got out. I watched as Yvonne grumbled, “Last time, I faceplanted because my hat slipped over my eyes.” I was taken aback. “You fell?” Yvonne quickly held out her arm for me to see, and I noticed a scar that hadn’t fully healed. Jared let out a helpless, doting sigh. “Good thing your face didn’t get hurt. A girl’s face is everything, you know.”

“Oh, come on! I’m tough–nothing can mess up this face,” Yvonne teased, grinning. Jared couldn’t help but laugh, then shot me a warm look. For a split second, my heart fluttered. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen Jared smile so genuinely.

I cast my gaze downward, pretending not to notice the look he gave me, and took Yvonne’s hand as we walked into the restaurant. I had booked a small private room, but even with just the three of us, it still felt a bit too spacious. Jared blinked in surprise at the private room. “Victoria, we always used to just sit out in the main hall, remember?”

I nodded. “Things aren’t like they used to be. Let’s just roll with it for now.”

“What’s changed?” Jared insisted, not ready to drop it.

I gave him a faint smile and said casually, “I just think it wouldn’t be good if Nathan saw us out there. He’d probably get jealous.” Jared’s breath grew heavier; he looked like he was about to lose it, but just didn’t have the energy to actually get mad. Yvonne glanced up at us, didn’t say a word, and went right back to her game.

“So why did you always want to sit out in the main hall before?” Jared asked, a bit of irritation in his voice. I just gave a small laugh and didn’t say anything. Jared got a little paranoid, starting to mull it over. In the end, he went quiet. I couldn’t tell if he’d figured it out or not. Back when I loved him, I wanted everyone to see how close we were. Now that I don’t, I just keep it to myself. It’s really that simple.

The food arrived, and Yvonne was all about keeping the mood light, serving me and Jared some dishes. Jared seemed to have figured things out, and his expression softened a lot. Halfway through dinner, Nathan called me, saying he had to head out to Braylin for a couple days–something urgent came up. I knew he was fighting a tough battle lately, and if he pulled through, he’d finally get his career back on track. I was really rooting for him. Jared noticed me putting down my fork and got busy texting. He asked the waiter for a beer, popped it open, and took a few sips.