The Housewife's Return To Her Alluring Prime - Chapter 14: Chapter 14
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"Fine," I replied, closing my eyes to signal the discussion was over.
Like sand, men escaped when held too tightly. Push them too hard, and they'd only push back harder. It wasn't worth the fight.
Play by their rules, and their better nature might show itself. That was when a smart woman could claim her advantage.
I knew Jared from before—knew the only way to get anything from him was to play vulnerable. Let him pity me, and I might just get what I wanted.
The hours at the hospital passed quickly. Before we knew it, evening had arrived. Yvonne's cut turned out to be shallow, so after changing the dressing, the doctor cleared us to leave.
Our usually dramatic daughter actually grew more cautious after the scare.
Yvonne's injury kept her home from school the next day. Though she pleaded for company, I prioritized the hotel negotiations at Jared's company, confident the servants would care for her properly.
Jared frowned when I didn't offer to cancel my plans and stay at home.
This time around, I could no longer fake motherly affection, and Jared's silent stares made it clear he'd marked the change in me.
The powder-blue dress hugged my curves as I perfected my makeup.
Jared's voice came from beyond the bedroom door. "You're really going to the office? Yvonne needs you right now."
"She'll manage." I fastened my earrings. "Six is plenty old to start learning self-reliance."
"You've changed, Victoria," Jared said, his gaze sweeping over me. "There was a time when you'd drop everything the moment Yvonne cried. A single cough would keep you glued to her side for days."
"She's not a baby anymore. Six-year-olds don't need constant coddling. I walked myself to school at that age." Even as I said it, I knew how hollow it sounded.
At six, she was caught between babyhood and childhood—still clinging to me one moment, yet quick to take her future stepmother's side against me the next.
Without another word, Jared disappeared downstairs to comfort Yvonne. The tantrum ended with his promises of a pony for the backyard.
I watched his indulgence with quiet satisfaction. He'd regret spoiling her like this.
In my previous life, he'd handed his entire company to Yvonne. She burned through hundreds of millions in a single year, a testament to her talent for financial ruin.
"Don't you love me anymore, Mom?" Yvonne sniffled from the couch, her injured leg carefully positioned. "You're all dressed up to leave me when I'm hurt."
"Love's more than words, darling," I said, smoothing my dress. "I need to work so we can have nice things. Listen to Joyce and Wendy, and call me if you need anything."
Her six-year-old mind struggled with this twisted economics lesson.
Jared finally emerged from his consolation mission. "We can ride together," he said, eyeing my approach to my own car.
"No, I might need to go out later." I wasn't about to spend time trapped in a car with a man I barely tolerated anymore.
His car disappeared down the driveway without another word.
As I pulled away, a thrill ran through me—this independence would've terrified my past self. Jared's money had kept me comfortable, but I refused to beg for another cent.
Heads turned as I entered the office. My blue dress stood out starkly against the sea of gray suits, sparking whispers behind my back.
My new office sat right next to Tracy's, with only a glass partition separating me from Jared's workspace, giving me a clear view of him at all times.
Jared called me into his office along with several managers.
The two hotels I was inheriting were failing Holcomb family properties—poorly maintained and currently operating at a loss.
The managers' reports confirmed my suspicions—outdated facilities, aging decor, and no viable strategy for improvement. They cited the ongoing losses as justification for withholding further investment.
Jared sat silently nearby, his cold gaze fixed on me.
I recognized his strategy immediately—he intended to saddle me with failing businesses, anticipating my struggle would send me retreating back to domestic life. The ploy was transparent.
But as I reviewed the financials, I noted their prime location near Willow Bay. When the tourism boom came, these properties would be golden.
My first order of business was getting Jared to finance the complete renovation of both struggling hotels.
"Honey," I said, turning with my most charming smile, "would you invest in your wife's first business venture?" I met his gaze without blinking. If a little flirtation secured the deal, I'd play the game.
My confident approach clearly surprised him. "How much do you need?" he asked instead of refusing.
After a quick mental calculation, I held up one finger.
"Ten million?" His eyebrow quirked upward.
"One hundred million," I replied. The math was simple—only by becoming the undisputed industry leader could we justify this investment. Top-tier hotels printed their own money.
The managers' stunned expressions said it all. That kind of investment in failing hotels must have sounded like pure insanity to them.
Jared gave a humorless laugh. "Be serious, Victoria. Why would I pour that much money into guaranteed failures? This proves you've no business sense."
I shrugged, undaunted. "We won't know unless we try."
"A hundred million is serious money," Jared said flatly.
A hundred million was no small sum, yet I knew Jared would gladly spend that exact amount next year on a luxury villa for Tracy, his most pampered songbird.
"If you won't provide the funds, could I take out a loan to invest in these hotels?" I asked calmly.
Jared frowned slightly—he hadn't expected my determination. "Here's thirty million. Do as you see fit," he finally said.
It was less than I'd asked, but still a concession.
"Thank you, dear." With the files secured and a smile that didn't reach my eyes, I made my exit.
The calculations unfolded in my head—saving these hotels would require a solid strategy before any real work began.
It was 2014, and my travels in my previous life had introduced me to extraordinary hotels worldwide. Now I'd use that knowledge to transform these two properties into something extraordinary. All I needed was the right team to refine the vision and amplify their reputation.
Social media was coming into its own this year, and I intended to secure our presence across every major platform. Timing was everything, and being first to market gave us our best shot.
At six o'clock, the sky outside had already darkened. Jared knocked on my office door, making me look up from my paperwork.
"Let's go out for dinner tonight," he said. His invitation caught me completely off guard.
Like sand, men escaped when held too tightly. Push them too hard, and they'd only push back harder. It wasn't worth the fight.
Play by their rules, and their better nature might show itself. That was when a smart woman could claim her advantage.
I knew Jared from before—knew the only way to get anything from him was to play vulnerable. Let him pity me, and I might just get what I wanted.
The hours at the hospital passed quickly. Before we knew it, evening had arrived. Yvonne's cut turned out to be shallow, so after changing the dressing, the doctor cleared us to leave.
Our usually dramatic daughter actually grew more cautious after the scare.
Yvonne's injury kept her home from school the next day. Though she pleaded for company, I prioritized the hotel negotiations at Jared's company, confident the servants would care for her properly.
Jared frowned when I didn't offer to cancel my plans and stay at home.
This time around, I could no longer fake motherly affection, and Jared's silent stares made it clear he'd marked the change in me.
The powder-blue dress hugged my curves as I perfected my makeup.
Jared's voice came from beyond the bedroom door. "You're really going to the office? Yvonne needs you right now."
"She'll manage." I fastened my earrings. "Six is plenty old to start learning self-reliance."
"You've changed, Victoria," Jared said, his gaze sweeping over me. "There was a time when you'd drop everything the moment Yvonne cried. A single cough would keep you glued to her side for days."
"She's not a baby anymore. Six-year-olds don't need constant coddling. I walked myself to school at that age." Even as I said it, I knew how hollow it sounded.
At six, she was caught between babyhood and childhood—still clinging to me one moment, yet quick to take her future stepmother's side against me the next.
Without another word, Jared disappeared downstairs to comfort Yvonne. The tantrum ended with his promises of a pony for the backyard.
I watched his indulgence with quiet satisfaction. He'd regret spoiling her like this.
In my previous life, he'd handed his entire company to Yvonne. She burned through hundreds of millions in a single year, a testament to her talent for financial ruin.
"Don't you love me anymore, Mom?" Yvonne sniffled from the couch, her injured leg carefully positioned. "You're all dressed up to leave me when I'm hurt."
"Love's more than words, darling," I said, smoothing my dress. "I need to work so we can have nice things. Listen to Joyce and Wendy, and call me if you need anything."
Her six-year-old mind struggled with this twisted economics lesson.
Jared finally emerged from his consolation mission. "We can ride together," he said, eyeing my approach to my own car.
"No, I might need to go out later." I wasn't about to spend time trapped in a car with a man I barely tolerated anymore.
His car disappeared down the driveway without another word.
As I pulled away, a thrill ran through me—this independence would've terrified my past self. Jared's money had kept me comfortable, but I refused to beg for another cent.
Heads turned as I entered the office. My blue dress stood out starkly against the sea of gray suits, sparking whispers behind my back.
My new office sat right next to Tracy's, with only a glass partition separating me from Jared's workspace, giving me a clear view of him at all times.
Jared called me into his office along with several managers.
The two hotels I was inheriting were failing Holcomb family properties—poorly maintained and currently operating at a loss.
The managers' reports confirmed my suspicions—outdated facilities, aging decor, and no viable strategy for improvement. They cited the ongoing losses as justification for withholding further investment.
Jared sat silently nearby, his cold gaze fixed on me.
I recognized his strategy immediately—he intended to saddle me with failing businesses, anticipating my struggle would send me retreating back to domestic life. The ploy was transparent.
But as I reviewed the financials, I noted their prime location near Willow Bay. When the tourism boom came, these properties would be golden.
My first order of business was getting Jared to finance the complete renovation of both struggling hotels.
"Honey," I said, turning with my most charming smile, "would you invest in your wife's first business venture?" I met his gaze without blinking. If a little flirtation secured the deal, I'd play the game.
My confident approach clearly surprised him. "How much do you need?" he asked instead of refusing.
After a quick mental calculation, I held up one finger.
"Ten million?" His eyebrow quirked upward.
"One hundred million," I replied. The math was simple—only by becoming the undisputed industry leader could we justify this investment. Top-tier hotels printed their own money.
The managers' stunned expressions said it all. That kind of investment in failing hotels must have sounded like pure insanity to them.
Jared gave a humorless laugh. "Be serious, Victoria. Why would I pour that much money into guaranteed failures? This proves you've no business sense."
I shrugged, undaunted. "We won't know unless we try."
"A hundred million is serious money," Jared said flatly.
A hundred million was no small sum, yet I knew Jared would gladly spend that exact amount next year on a luxury villa for Tracy, his most pampered songbird.
"If you won't provide the funds, could I take out a loan to invest in these hotels?" I asked calmly.
Jared frowned slightly—he hadn't expected my determination. "Here's thirty million. Do as you see fit," he finally said.
It was less than I'd asked, but still a concession.
"Thank you, dear." With the files secured and a smile that didn't reach my eyes, I made my exit.
The calculations unfolded in my head—saving these hotels would require a solid strategy before any real work began.
It was 2014, and my travels in my previous life had introduced me to extraordinary hotels worldwide. Now I'd use that knowledge to transform these two properties into something extraordinary. All I needed was the right team to refine the vision and amplify their reputation.
Social media was coming into its own this year, and I intended to secure our presence across every major platform. Timing was everything, and being first to market gave us our best shot.
At six o'clock, the sky outside had already darkened. Jared knocked on my office door, making me look up from my paperwork.
"Let's go out for dinner tonight," he said. His invitation caught me completely off guard.
End of The Housewife's Return To Her Alluring Prime Chapter 14. Continue reading Chapter 15 or return to The Housewife's Return To Her Alluring Prime book page.