Chapter 99

I pouted, “I feel like I’m just some eye-candy you brought along, with everyone sizing me up and making comments.”

I let my feelings show, thinking Jared would brush it off like before and tell me not to be so petty, that it was just his friends joking around.

But instead, Jared shot a stern look at the other three guys. “Don’t joke about Victoria like that anymore. She’s sensitive.”

I was stunned for a moment, but the three guys at the table got the hint and immediately apologized to me.

“Sorry, Victoria. We were just being jerks, no offense meant.”

“Yeah, you’re Jared’s wife. We’re happy to have you here.”

“Jared, I bet Victoria’s bored. Why don’t you give up your seat and let her play a couple of rounds?”

Jared caught my wrist with one hand while drawing a card with the other. “Sit down. You’re not eye-candy.”

He gently tugged me back into my chair, but his words kept echoing in my mind. ‘You’re not eye-candy. Is he fooling me again?’

Just then, Jared’s phone rang. He stood up right away and said to me, “You take over for me.”

I quickly waved my hands. “I don’t really know how to play.”

“If you win, the victory’s all yours. If you lose, I’ll take the blame,” Jared said, really knowing how to sweet-talk me.

Since he put it that way, of course, I had to give it a try. Maybe it was just beginner’s luck, but I actually won two rounds in a row. The guys immediately got all fired up, eager to win their money back.

Jared showed up at some point, and instead of asking me to move, he braced himself beside me, leaning in close.

His body cast a shadow over me, and there was something undeniably flirty in the way his cool, faint scent lingered in the air.

I had to admit, when it came to getting a girl hooked, Jared really knew what he was doing. I got hooked the moment I saw that charming face of his.

When we first dated, he was lavish, showering me with expensive gifts on every holiday and booking romantic restaurants for every meal. Within three months, he had bought me cars and apartments.

I now lived in the new marital villa he purchased, yet I still owned three other properties he gave me. The first was a four-bed, two-bath flat downtown, handed over exactly three months after we became official.

The second, a retail storefront, showed up the day Yvonne was born. The third was pure impulse. One New Year, driving home from his mother’s, I’d pointed out a high-rise and said the view must be amazing.

On New Year’s morning, I found a ribbon-tied key on my pillow. He’d bought the top-floor unit overnight.

He broke down my defenses with his money. So sure, maybe I could call him a jerk, but he was never stingy.

“Should I play this one?” I muttered, rolling a card in my palm, still debating which to throw.

Suddenly, Jared reached over, plucked a card from my hand, and tossed it out for me. “Nice luck with the cards,” he said.

“Jared, Victoria’s luck is off the charts. Don’t think we’re letting her win just because she’s with you.”

“Yeah, she’s bound to bring her man good fortune. Jared, you really hit the jackpot.”

I paused, and suddenly, I remembered years ago when I went hiking with my parents on Jowain Mount. We ran into a fortune teller who read my fortune and said I was destined to marry a rich man.

I never really thought much about it before, but now, I turned to glance at Jared.

He lowered his gaze to meet mine, and for a moment, our eyes locked. A faint smile played at the corners of his lips.

“You play. I’m tired,” I said, feeling restless.

I couldn’t help but imagine Jared had probably done the same thing with Tracy before, letting her play while he sat beside her, giving her tips and acting all attentive. It made me feel even more annoyed.

“Come on, just two more rounds. Looks like luck’s on your side tonight,” Jared coaxed.

‘No, I’m done. I need some air,” I said, and without another word, I strode out the door.