<b>Chapter </b><b>193 </b>
felt like I’d changed, inside and out. My eyes were shining again. Instead of getting lost in my own feelings, I was talking shop with my coworkers, way more interested in work than my personal drama
Being <b>out </b>in the world and meeting all kinds of people, I finally understood that looks really mattered. Whenever I talked to guys, they’d instantly turm into perfect gentlemen, voices dropping a notch.
When I got <b>back </b>to the office that afternoon, I was wiped out from a work of traveling, but it was just my <b>body </b>that was tired. My mind and heartfelt refreshed.
All those new experiences and lessons made it feel <b>like </b>my <b>soul </b>had been uplifted. When I saw a flower in full bloom, I could just appreciate its beauty. instead of worrying about how quickly it might fade, twasn’t depressed anymore.
That afternoon, we had an important meeting Harmonia Hotel was getting renamed again, this time to something more evocative and romantic. The new name would be decided right there in the meeting.
I was sitting in the third seat at the table. When the office door <b>swung </b>open, I turned my <b>head </b><b>and </b>saw <b>Jared </b><b>walk </b><b>in</b>.
It had been a while since I’dst seen him. Dressed in a gray–blue shirt, he looked simmer and somehow even more attractive than before.
<b>When </b>he nced my way<b>, </b>his eyes lingered on me for a couple of seconds before he took his ce at the head of the table. “Let’s get started,” he said, his
tone cool and detached
“Victoria, why don’t you <b>take </b>this one?” one of the execs said, sounding a bit on edge. Maybe it was the pressure from Jared, but he clearly didn’t want to be the one up there, so he smoothly pushed the spotlight onto me.
Well, I guess it made sense. Being Jared’s wife did give my words <b>a </b>little extra weight.
Jared watched me in silence, like he was wondering if I <b>was </b>really up to running this meeting. In his eyes<b>, </b>I was probably still that woman who’d rather
stay in his shadow—too shy to ever step into the spotlight.
Trose from my seat and stepped forward as the projector cast the meeting’s key points onto the screen. With poise and an easy confidence, I began my presentation my voice smooth and unhurried.
Jared didn’t bother looking up, his eyes glued to the stack of papers in front of him, asionally flipping through them. He hardly nced at me<b>, </b><b>and </b>honestly, I had no idea if he was actually paying attention.
The meeting stretched on for more than an hour, with my team doing most of the talking. Jared and the other two execs kept quiet, nodding when they agreed, and only chiming in with a couple of short remarks when they had something to say
When the meeting wrapped up, we all started packing up to leave. <b>I </b>was gathering my papers, about to head out, when <b>Jared </b>finally spoke up, his voice
low. “Victoria, could you stay for a minute?”
<b>As </b>soon <b>as </b>he said that, everyone <b>gave </b>us these looks, like they thought we were about to <b>do </b>something we shouldn’t in the conference room.
Once everyone had left, I wanted to <b>ask </b>him what he wanted, but Jared reached out and pulled the door shut behind us.
I frowned. It would be easier to talk with the door open. Now that he’d closed it, <b>it’d </b>be even harder to exin <b>ourselves</b><b>. </b>
Jared looked at me, his gaze hard to read. “Wasn’t all that running around for work exhausting?”
Ishook my head. “Nope Honestly, I enjoyed it
Jared paused, a bit surprised, and then gave a quietpliment. <b>“</b><b>You </b>did a great job with the presentation. You’re reallying into <b>your </b>own as a professional woman. You’ve <b>changed </b>a lot.”
“is that so?” Larched an eyebrow. “Thanks for noticing”
<b>“</b><b>50</b>, the name you guyse up with–Dreamy Ripples–was that your idea?” Jared asked.
I shook my head. “No, it wasn’t me. We actually had a master pick it for us.”
For some <b>reason</b>, Jared broke into a genuineugh. “So you’re even getting into all that mystical stuff now?”
I nodded. “Hey, people pick wedding dates based on fortune–telling, right? for a hotel this <b>big</b>, of course, we have to turn to an expert”
Jared’s eyes grew intense, almost burning with emotion <b>as </b>he looked at me. “It’s been a long time since Ist saw you. Freally missed you
<b>AD </b>