Chapter 78

I relaxed and immediately messaged the detective I hired: [Have you found anything recently?]

The detective was professional and sent me a batch of photos right away. Sadly, they all showed Jared and Tracy arriving or leaving around the same time, or Jared opening the car door for her. No photos of hugs, kisses, or hotel entrances.

[I paid you 30,000 dollars for this?] I got mad and asked: [Are you even professional?]

The detective sent a voice message: [Mrs. Holcomb, I did my best. My apprentice and I watch Mr. Holcomb’s mistress twenty hours every day, sometimes outdoors. It’s not easy. This is all we got.]

I rubbed my aching temples and thought, ‘How could this be?’

According to the timeline in my previous life, Jared and Tracy should already be involved. Tracy should have gotten pregnant and aborted by now. But now there was not a single photo of them hugging or kissing.

There were only two possibilities: the detective was slacking off, or Jared’s security was tight. To keep the cooperation going, I didn’t blame them harshly. I told them to keep watching and get me real proof.

They agreed quickly, and I deleted all our messages. The next afternoon, I got a call from Yvonne’s teacher. She said there’d be a parent–teacher meeting and asked me to attend on time.

Lately, Yvonne’s school had lots of activities. She loved school more and more. Every day, she asked me to braid her hair nicely and even sneaked to use my makeup at night. At six, she was already starting to care about how she looked.

That night, Jared didn’t come home for dinner. Yvonne quietly asked me, “Mom, do you have to work on Thursday?”

I nodded, “Yes, what?”

“Nothing. Then work,” Yvonne said with a sly blink.

Thursday was the day of the parent meeting. She asked about it. Soon, I figured it out. She did not want me to go.

“Yvonne, your teacher told me about the meeting, but I’ll be busy at work that day. You should let your dad go,” I guessed what she was thinking and said.

“Okay, but Dad might not be free. And Dad doesn’t like being in front of people,” Yvonne pouted. “Mom, if neither you nor Dad can go, can I ask Tracy to go?”

Hearing that, a cold feeling spread inside me. So Yvonne was waiting for me to say yes. “If you want her to go, then let her. I’ve been busy at work lately,” I said.

I gave up trying to control Yvonne. She would grow up into whoever she was meant to be. If she wanted Tracy to attend the meeting, I wouldn’t ask why.

She was six and knew what was right or wrong. She’d learned a lot about people, too. Time flew. Thursday came fast. At noon, I planned to take some managers out for lunch near the hotel.

Jared suddenly showed up in the hallway and stopped me. “Got lunch plans?” Since our quarrel, he had been indifferent to me for days, and so had I. But today, he made the first move. I guess the silent treatment was about to end.

“Yeah, I’m taking some hotel managers out,” I said.

“Good, I’ll come too,” Jared said, then turned and headed to the elevator. I frowned, watching him walk away. To my surprise, Jared was coming too.

Chapter 79