It was like someone smashed open a jar full of secrets right in front of me—panic, confusion, and fear all came flooding in at once. I stared at Jared, stunned. Those eyes of his, always so deep and sharp, looked right through me, just like they always did.
But I snapped back fast, throwing on a sarcastic smile. “You must’ve got it wrong. There’s nothing between me and him.” On the outside, I looked totally calm, even though inside I was freaking out. No one in their right mind would ever tie me to Edward, especially since he’s Uncle Ryan. That connection was both a dangerous boundary and the very thing that proved there was nothing between us.
“Is that so?” Jared replied with a question of his own, dodging mine completely. He didn’t bother to show any evidence—just tossed the question right back at me. That old fox, with two lifetimes of experience, was as cunning as ever.
My expression turned cold as I said, clearly annoyed, “You just said you wouldn’t meddle in my business, so why are you butting in again? Jared, I’ve made up my mind.”
Jared froze, his face stiffening. “What decision?”
“I’m cutting you out of my life for good,” I said angrily. “Now that I know you’re the one I hate, there’s no way I can keep getting tangled up with you.”
Jared swayed a little, his long fingers bracing against the table for support. There was a hint of desolation on his handsome face.
“Do you really hate me that much?” Jared’s eyes were deep and somber as he looked at me. “I never expected you to forgive me, but… Victoria, before I returned to this life, I remembered everything. You never treated me like an enemy—you just slowly drifted away from me…”
I lowered my head, fidgeting with my fingers. “At least it proves I have more morals and better manners than you. I’m human. You aren’t.”
Jared was stunned for a second, then let out a laugh. “Yeah, having memories from two lifetimes has made me understand you even more. Kindness is just who you are. Even though I hurt you so deeply in our previous life, you never tried to get back at me. People say folks with depression are usually the kindest—they forgive everyone else, but never themselves.”
“Just shut up,” I snapped. I didn’t want to hear any more of his regretful talk—it all just sounded so fake to me.
Jared dropped the subject, pulled up a chair, and sat right next to me. He leaned back, his tall frame stretched out, just quietly watching me without saying a word.
“I’m going to write my resignation letter right now,” I said, getting up and heading straight for HR.
But before I could get far, a big hand caught my arm and gently pulled me back. “Victoria, you told me before—adults shouldn’t be reckless.”
I tried to shake him off, angry, but his words made me freeze in place.
“Just sit with me for a while. Let’s talk a bit more,” Jared said, his voice back to that usual calm and warmth.
“Now that I know you’re the bastard who wrecked my whole life, there’s nothing left for us to talk about,” I snapped.
“Was it really just my fault?” Jared tilted his head back to look up at me, his eyes searching mine.
I gazed down at him, and with his face angled up like that, his sharp features looked even more striking. The way his neck stretched, his Adam’s apple standing out, made him look almost heartbreakingly attractive. All those memories I thought were dead and buried came crashing back in an instant. No matter how angry I was, the marks left by loving him still lingered, refusing to fade away.
“Victoria, if you keep letting your emotions get the best of you, your fate might not turn out any better than it did in your previous life,” Jared said, his voice low and steady.
My heart skipped a beat. If he was going to talk about that, well, I was wide awake now. I quickly sat back down in my seat.
“What, you didn’t jump into the next life already, did you? Did you see what happens to me?” I gritted my teeth and shot him a twisted grin.
Jared shook his head. “No, I didn’t see how things end for you, and there’s no next life. Victoria, we both ended up back here. Don’t you think that’s fate, too?”