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Jared had that unmistakable boss energy. He didn’t need to speak loudly–everyone could sense his determination to stand by me. The vibe in the room flipped in an instant, and people starteding over to toast me, tossing out lines like “young and talented” and “we believe in you.”
I handled all the small talk with ease, but inside, my emotions were all over the ce. Jared’s promise to make things right wasn’t just empty words.
While handing me real benefits, he was also guiding me to be stronger, one step at a time.
After dinner, everyone took the hint and left, leaving just Jared and me in the private room.
Only Jared and I remained in the private room.
Jared was a little drunk, his dark eyes clouded with an unreadable emotion.
“Thanks. This one’s for you,” I said, lifting my ss of red wine.
But Jared took my ss and set it back on the table. “Do we really need to be so polite with each other?”
I smiled. “If you hadn’t stood up for me, I wouldn’t even have this chance. Of course I have to thank you.”
“Victoria, like I said, I’m trying to make it up to the you from before. No matter what I do, it’s never enough,” Jared suddenly buried his face in his arms on the table.
I froze for a moment.
Right then, it was like my soul was dragged back to that previous life, weighed down by all that old pain and sadness.
“If that’s the case, I should head out. I’ve still got a bunch of things to take care of…” I said, getting to my feet.
But just as I stood up, his hand shot out and caught my wrist. “Victoria, can you stay with me a little longer?” he said.
I sat back down–might as well ask him about his ns to go abroad while I’m here.
“When did you make this decision? Going overseas isn’t exactly a small thing–why am I only hearing about it now?” I asked.
If thepany’s sending me, there’s no way I could say no.
Jared slowly lifted his head and leaned back in his chair. “I hadn’t gotten things settled with the school over there, so I didn’t mention it. Yesterday, I got word from them–there’s a spot, and it’s just right for you to go.”
“Wait, so… it’s really six months?” I asked.
Jared chuckled. “Rx. If you ever want to fly home for a break, thepany will pick up the tab for your flights.”
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<b>86 </b>
55 vouchers
“I didn’t mean it like that,” I said. “It’s not like I’m strapped for cash–I can buy my own tickets if I want.”
“So what else is bothering you? Is it Nathan you’re worried about? Or maybe Ryan?” Jared’s eyes grew darker, a trace of self–mockery in his voice. “Guess it’s not me, huh?”
I looked out the window, keeping my tone even. “Other than Yvonne, I’m not really worried about anything.”
Jared nodded. “Alright, but you still haven’t told me about you and Ryan.”
“That’s my business. I don’t want to talk about it,” I said, my heart racing.
Could Jared have figured something out?
“Didn’t you ask me to look into that charity? Turns out, I stumbled across a few other things too,” Jared said, his gaze burning into me as I kept my eyes down. “Want to hear what I found?”
“What is it?” I forced myself to sound calm.
“Ryan is getting engaged to an heiress from the Chen family,” Jared said, enunciating each word.
I turned to face him, keeping my expression calm. “That’s not news. I already knew.”
Jared held my gaze, searching my face for a long moment, then let out a softugh. “Alright, if you’ve moved on, I won’t bring it up again.”
Damn, Jared’s at it again. That sly fox is always trying to get a read on me. Seriously, he’s the worst.
I gave a littleugh. “Are you just here to watch me crash and burn?”
Jared shook his head. “I’m guessing you were just having some fun. I mean, how deep could a two–month fling really get?”
I couldn’t even fake a smile after that. It was like he was saying I’d only messed with Ryan to get back at him for cheating in our previous life.
‘Don’t overthink it,” I snapped, feeling a sh of anger.
Jared gave me a yful look. “Victoria, with the way you look, you really shouldn’t mess around with people’s hearts. You’re a total heartbreaker–trust me, that’s dangerous.”
I shot him a re. “Ryan and Nathan have seen way prettier women than me. Why would I even matter?”
Jared nodded. “Yeah, they might be into your looks, but it’s your strength and warmth that really draw them in. Compared to your previous life, you’re a lot more chill now.”
“That’s not really a plus. Women these days are pretty clear about what they want,” I said. Honestly, I had no clue what Nathan and Ryan liked about me. Maybe it’s just that they can’t ever really pin me down.
“No, women your age are usually all about locking down a guy and rushing into marriage. But you’re going the opposite way, and that’s exactly why you’re so irresistible,” Jared said with augh. “You gotta understand— what you can’t have is always the most valuable.”
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I couldn’t help but be impressed by Jared’s take on things. Guess living two lives really does give you some perspective.