Chapter 83

Jared suspected me, but he probably had no evidence, so there was nothing he could do.

Being a proud man, Jared knew I had loved him hopelessly for six years and only recently started behaving oddly. Before this, I was always obedient and sweet towards him.

Jared believed I wouldn’t dare cheat on him. He likely thought his neglect had upset me, causing a rebellious streak.

He knew exactly how to soothe my emotions—some sweet talk, a bit of money, some grand promises, and extra attention at night would keep me compliant.

But now, it seemed I wasn’t as easy to pacify anymore. He needed to put in more effort, which annoyed him.

“Victoria, you’re a married woman with a child. Behave with the dignity expected of you. The company’s eyes are watching. You won’t embarrass me, will you?” Jared stated sternly, explicitly reminding me not to break marital laws.

My emotions had been stable, but now, I couldn’t hold back. I immediately fired back. “You want peace of mind, but do you give me respect? Can you keep things low-key with Tracy?”

Jared’s face froze. He expected me to yell and throw a fit. But to me, real despair was calm.

I took a deep breath and turned my back to him. “Jared, please keep your distance from Tracy at work. And if you go to a hotel, choose one far away. That’s my biggest concession.”

Without waiting for his response, I prepared to leave. But the next second, Jared angrily grabbed me back. My head hit his chin; pain radiated through me as he twisted me around.

“Victoria, how many times do I have to say it? There’s nothing between Tracy and me!” Jared shouted furiously.

“Just because there’s nothing now doesn’t mean there won’t be in the future.” I had endured enough of their nonsense in my previous life. This time, I wouldn’t tolerate a single bit of pain from love.

“There won’t be in the future either,” Jared said, breathing heavily, his eyes blazing as he glared at me. “Stop fantasizing about me cheating; it’s really tedious.”

His grip on my arm hurt, and I struggled to break free. Suddenly, Jared lowered his head and kissed me fiercely.

I froze, realizing what was happening, and tried to push him away. But Jared, seemingly fueled by anger, became more relentless and pinned me to his desk, continuing to kiss me.

I wanted to scream at him, thinking, ‘What kind of forced romance is this? Who enjoys that?’

“Hey, you two-“ The half-open office door swung wide as Tracy stood there, eyes wide in shock. Behind her, two high-ranking executives looked equally stunned.

Jared’s face briefly showed embarrassment. His handsome face turned red as he pulled me up and said to Tracy and the others, “Wait for me in meeting room one. Close the door on your way out.”

Tracy complied. My lipstick was smudged all over my lips, making me look disheveled.

Jared, both angry and amused, gently wiped a bit of lipstick from my lips. “Victoria, you’ve been more rebellious lately, but you’re also more vibrant. We’ve got a long life ahead. Let’s make it work.”

Furious, I slapped his hand away and stormed out of his office, thinking, ‘Who wants to make it work with you? All I want is a divorce as soon as possible. My youth is precious too. I won’t waste it on a self-proclaimed gentleman!’

As I stepped out, I came face-to-face with Tracy. Her gaze was no longer calm.

Holding her documents, she paused, and as I walked past her, she suddenly said, “Next time, make sure to close the door properly when you’re in Mr. Holcomb’s office. I don’t really want to see you two flirting.”

I turned to look at her, thinking, “Tracy thinks I left the door ajar on purpose so she’d walk in and watch? It ended up stabbing right into her heart. It feels pretty good.”