<b>Chapter </b><b>508 </b>


    3


    Sally was stunned. “Jared, is that guy really such a big deal?”


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    Jared leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, giving me a resentful look. “If he wasn’t, why would she have dropped everything and gone to Braylin for him?”


    Everyone’s eyesnded on me. I just kept eating, then smiled and said, “People always want to move up in the


    world–it’s just how it is.”


    +13


    “Mom, so next time I see Ryan, should I start calling him Dad?” Yvonne piped up, her eyes full of mischief. She was


    just like when she used to sneak around calling Tracy “Mom” when no one was looking, and Jared never breathed


    a word to me.


    I nced at Jared, and sure enough, his face totally fell.


    He let Yvonne secretly call someone else “Mom,” so I figured it was only fair to let her call someone else “Dad” right


    in front of everyone.


    Turnabout is fair y, right? Jared shouldn’t have anyints.


    “Yvonne, don’t say things like that,” Jared said, his voice stern. “I’m your dad.”


    “Okay!” Yvonne went back to her food, not daring to joke around anymore.


    Quinn’s gaze went dull as she looked at me, all the light gone from her eyes.


    Seeing the room go quiet, Sally tried <i>to </i>break the ice by bringing up Jared’s love life. “Victoria, now that you’vended on your feet, maybe you should nudge Jared to settle down too. He needs someone in his life.”


    I said coolly, “He’s got eyes, he can pick for himself. No need for me to y matchmaker.”


    Jared gave a self–deprecating chuckle and nursed his drink.


    Yvonne said she needed to use the restroom, so Sally took her out. Quinn, feeling down because of Ryan,


    immediately announced she was full and stormed out.


    That left just me and Jared in the private room.


    I teased him, “Your mom’s set you up with so many dates–why haven’t you settled for one yet?”


    Jared replied honestly, “Once you get older, you just don’t care about chasing romance anymore.”


    “Old? You’re only thirty,” I shot back, then snarked, “You know, I saw on TikTok ages ago that guys basically turn sixty after twenty–five. Looks like it’s true.”


    Jared just let me roast him, then said in a low voice, “Victoria, before I came back from my previous life, we had


    some pretty passionate encounters. Honestly, I’m starting to forget what that even felt like.”


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    My heart thumped twice. Right before the divorce, we did sleep together a few times, but it was all just for the


    cash.


    After that, he tried a few more times, but I always turned him down.


    I had no idea when Jared started remembering his previous life, but after that, he definitely acted way more


    mature.


    “I may only be thirty, but my soul’s already old. After everything–life and death–I just don’t have that passion anymore,” Jared lowered his head, a self–mocking smile on his lips. “But if it’s you… maybe I’d reconsider.”


    “Keep dreaming,” I replied coldly. “There’s no chance for us in this lifetime.”


    “Oh?” Jared’s eyes glinted with a hint of challenge, maybe even a little possessiveness. “I’m betting there’s still a


    chance for us.”


    I froze, surprised. “How can you even gamble on something like that?”


    “I’m all in,” Jared said, squeezing his fist on the table. “I’m putting my whole life on the line.”


    “Jared, don’t lose it,” I blurted out, startled.


    Jared bit down on his lip, a dark, almost brooding look on his face. “Getting reborn was already crazy enough. Then Ie back, get hit with a divorce, and suddenly every guy in town is after my ex–wife. This world’s nuts. But I’m still betting on that slim chance you’lle back to me. No one gets you like I do–no one else knows how to…


    patch up those scars in your heart.”


    I