The Housewife's Return To Her Alluring Prime - Chapter 10: Chapter 10

The scene in those photos looked warm and cozy, but to me, it was nothing short of humiliating.
I knew exactly why that woman had posted them—I'd blown off the event she organized, and now she was getting revenge by exposing my messed-up family situation and making me look like a total joke. What a low blow.
I didn't let her get away with it. As soon as I saw those photos, I called her.
"Victoria?" she answered, sounding all smiley.
"Delete those photos from your Twitter," I said, my voice cold.
Her smile vanished from her tone, and her voice oozed with fake innocence. "What? I was just sharing some cute pictures of the kids baking cakes together."
"But your little feel-good moment doesn't give you the right to mess with someone's marriage. I know your husband does business with the Holcombs. Jared might be easy-going, but if he catches wind of these photos..." I trailed off.
"I'll delete them right now." She caved fast. But before hanging up, she snickered, "Heard Mr. Holcomb chatting about kids—sounds like he wants a son. And his assistant gets along well with your daughter. Be real, Victoria—doesn't that scare you?"
I let out a cold laugh. "If you think your marriage is too perfect, go ahead and check your husband's phone. Bet you'd find some interesting stuff."
She hung up with a sharp click.
From what I'd seen, rich guys were always restless. Their wives all knew the deal, and not one of them got to have the last laugh. But me? I didn't love Jared anymore. Nothing he did could hurt me now.
I took a shower, did my skincare, then did a few quick bed exercises to stay toned before finally falling asleep. That night, Jared didn't bring Yvonne home again.
The next morning, I was eating breakfast when Sally, my mother-in-law, walked in. She was in her fifties, a little plump, with that obvious money vibe. Her hair was a bold burgundy color, way trendier than mine.
"Hi, Sally," I said, standing up to greet her.
She shot me a glare. "What's your problem? Yvonne says you hit her lately. And you didn't even pick her up from school. How can you be so mean to your kid?"
A cold sweat broke out as I suddenly remembered how sneaky Yvonne was. She'd go around spreading rumors, getting everyone to call me out. And Sally was her most powerful ally.
Faced with Sally's scolding, I couldn't argue. It was true, after all.
I smiled and explained, "Yvonne's six now—she's a big girl. I just want her to learn to be independent. It's not as serious as you thought. How could I not love her?"
Sally frowned, "She's way too little for that 'independent' stuff. She needs your love more than anything. And listen, girls are sensitive about their appearance. You can't keep hitting her—what if you leave a mark? She's the only granddaughter in the Holcomb family."
Yvonne wasn't a boy, but she looked and acted so much like Jared. So, Sally had always spoiled her.
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind," I said. I didn't want to pick a fight with anyone, not before I got my fair share of the divorce settlement.
Sally plopped down on the couch. I made her a cup of coffee myself. Since she was here, I might as well bring up what was on my mind. "I want to get a job," I said straightforwardly.
Sally froze mid-sip. "You've been a housewife for six years. What do you think you can do?"
A sharp pain stabbed my heart. But fortunately, it was only six years. If it had been sixty, I would have completely wasted my entire life.
"I don't want to get left behind. Things change fast these days, and women have real opportunities. I'm not interested in being a kept woman in the Holcomb family," I said firmly, letting just a hint of vulnerability show in my eyes.
Sally stared at me, her eyes wide. After a long pause, she said, "So you're not gonna give our Holcomb family a boy?"
I knew I couldn't dodge the whole "having a son" talk. But since she'd brought it up, I figured I'd link work and pregnancy in my answer.
"I can work and still try to get pregnant," I smiled. "It's been six years, and nothing's happened. Maybe being cooped up at home has been weighing me down. Getting a job might lift my mood, and who knows? Maybe that'll help things happen faster."
Sally's face soured. "I wanted you to relax at home, living the easy life as a rich man's wife. But you got all stir-crazy from boredom. Guess luxury just isn't your thing."
"Since I'm not pregnant anyway, let me try working for a bit, huh? Just test the waters," I said, quickly moving over to rub her shoulders. I knew
Sally was easy to sway. Show her some respect, and she'd ease up. And since all she really cared about was getting a grandson, she'd go along with anything that might help.
She sipped her coffee, nodded, and said, "Fine. Talk to Jared about it. If he's on board, sure. But one thing—you two really need to hurry up. He'll be turning thirty next year."
"Got it." I nodded along, but inside I was stone-cold calm. Having a son was never going to happen. Divorce was my next move.
Sally had her social life and didn't really bother much with me. After a short chat, she got up and left.
Not long after she left, my phone rang. It was Melissa, saying some college friends were having a reunion tonight and asking if I wanted to go.
College reunions sounded sketchy and flirty, but the reality was way worse. They could actually break couples apart—one after another.
Back in school, few cared about jobs or backgrounds. But once we started working, everything changed. Suddenly, everyone had a role, and the social gaps became crystal clear. It wasn't about having fun anymore—it was all about networking, showing off, and climbing the corporate ladder.
Still, I nodded. "Why not? I'm bored out of my mind. I'll swing by." I'd turned down every reunion for years, but this time, I wanted to see what it was about.
"Cool, I'll catch you later," Melissa said. She was always slammed with work. Even through the phone, I could hear a woman crying and guys shouting in the background.
I went studying like usual. Around noon, Yvonne called. "Mom, where are you? Can you come pick me up? Daddy's office is so boring—I hate it here." She dragged the words out, whiny.
Only then did I remember it was Saturday, and Jared had taken Yvonne to work with him. "I'm having lunch with my teacher. Can't leave," I replied, my voice flat.
"I wanna eat with you," Yvonne said, switching to her cute, begging tone like she always did. "Please, come get me."
Just then, Jared's voice came over the line. "I'm flying to Shaville for work this afternoon. You need to pick Yvonne up."
I had to head to his office. When I pulled up, the father-daughter pair was already waiting in the lobby downstairs.
Jared was in a black suit, looking sharp as ever. Yvonne was bouncing around him, all dolled up in a princess dress with a little backpack. The whole scene felt quite warm.
I got out of my Mercedes-Benz, and the second Jared saw what I was wearing, his eyes narrowed.