The Housewife's Return To Her Alluring Prime - Chapter 42: Chapter 42

I stood up slowly from that little flirty move and gave Jared a soft smile. "Honey, I just started practicing. You've been traveling for days. You must be wiped out. Why don't you head up to bed?"
I was being sweet and thoughtful, but instead of appreciating it, his face got even more tense. Looked like he'd already taken a shower.
He was on a gray pajama set, and his short hair was still a little damp, kinda messy. It gave him that rugged, grown-man charm that honestly made him look even more attractive.
But honestly, I was over that face. No matter how good-looking he was, I was just tired of it. "Stop practicing and go to bed," he said, his tone heavy, like he wasn't asking, he was telling.
"You go ahead. I'll be up in a bit," I said, trying to keep things calm and avoid pushing his buttons.
But he was still pissed. He turned on his heel and went upstairs without another word. I kept practicing for another half hour. It helped loosen me up. I felt more at ease as I made my way upstairs.
When I walked into the master bedroom and didn't see him there, I kind of smiled to myself. I'd gotten to him. He left because he was that annoyed.
I went to take a shower. As the hot water ran down my shoulders, I realized my mind felt completely clear. I was relaxed, at peace in a way I'd never known in my previous life.
Back then, the later the night got, the more restless I'd feel, like my chest was crawling with ants. I'd wait, hopeful, only to be let down again and again.
Every time I saw that cold look on his face, it crushed me a little more. It drained my spirit day by day.
But now, no expectations meant no disappointments. After I finished showering, I let my long hair fall over my shoulders. The thin straps of my nightgown framed my collarbones just right. My skin looked soft and dewy, like it had drunk up the moisture.
I opened the bathroom door, ready to start my nighttime skincare routine. Then I saw someone lying on the other side of my bed.
I was a little surprised. Jared had been acting weird lately. He was somehow full of energy. I ignored him and went straight to my skincare. After a few minutes of applying lotion, I heard footsteps behind me.
I froze. A cool feeling touched my neck. Then, in the mirror, I saw a thin chain with a teardrop pendant around my neck. "You like it?" Jared leaned down, admiring the view with me in the mirror.
I was wearing a purple silk nightgown. That color was tricky, but it popped against my tender skin. The necklace made the whole look feel kind of fancy.
"Thanks, honey." Jared had just given me a pricey gift. I wasn't about to say no.
"How you gonna thank me?" Jared's voice dropped low and husky. His lips brushed the back of my neck, sending warmth through me.
I shivered. Before I could say anything, he suddenly bent down and scooped me up from the chair. "Give yourself to me."
Lately, Jared's behavior had been so out of character. I remembered how he barely wanted to touch me before. No matter how much I tried, he never responded.
But now, when I didn't want to be close, he was all over me. "Honey, I'm kinda tired."
Even though I just accepted his gift and didn't want to ruin the mood, I thought about all the times he used this excuse to brush me off. I wanted him to feel what that was like.
Jared planted both hands by my shoulders, staring into my eyes with that intense gaze. "Honey." I looked up at him and pleaded, "How about another night?"
He cut me off with a fierce kiss, not letting me say a word. I could feel his anger all over. Weirdly, that made me feel a little satisfied. He got mad just because I stole his line.
When Jared was mad, he got, well, intense in certain ways. Guess I asked for it. He pressed me close and bit my shoulder. His voice was rough. "Victoria, you're my wife. Say something sweet."
"Bro, have mercy." I refused and just shouted some random nonsense.
"Say sweet things right now!" Jared yelled. I bit my lip tightly and refused.
He seemed like he wanted to punish me, but after three tries, he looked drained. He gave up and held me tightly, like he wanted to melt me into himself.
Even though he'd let go, he still looked upset. His chest felt tight, so he kissed me again, hard and frustrated.
I didn't fight back. I let him have his way until he finally released me, his eyes bloodshot. "If something's bothering you, just tell me now," Jared said, gripping my arm. His voice was full of anger.
At that moment, neither of us was dressed. There was no way we could have a real conversation. I quickly pulled the blanket over me. Jared grabbed his pajama top and buttoned it up while staring at me.
"What's got you so upset? You look like you lost your soul. Are you that hurt?" he asked.
Watching Jared lose it like that, I figured it was because I hadn't been paying enough attention. I hadn't been revolving around him like before. His pride and role as head of the family felt challenged.
"Honey, what are you even talking about? I don't get it." The more he pressed for answers, the vaguer I got.
Jared hated that kind of response. He clenched his jaw and sneered, "Don't tell me you think I'm cheating... with Tracy? Just 'cause I took her on the trip, you're jealous? Should I fire her? Would that make you happy?"
I froze. Jared was thinking about firing Tracy for me. But in his previous life, he said she was his trusted assistant, someone who fought alongside him.
I didn't think he would let her go. Besides, Tracy wasn't my enemy right now. I still needed her help to get a divorce.
"Honey, I swear I'm not jealous of Tracy." I held up a finger. "Tracy's super capable. If you fire her, won't the company lose a key player?"
"Then why do you look like that?" Jared was still mad.
I blinked innocently. "Look like what?"
"You... the way you're acting... it's like you don't love me anymore." Jared was so angry, he couldn't even get the words out right.
I paused a second, and then chuckled softly. "Honey, we've been married for years. There's no passion left. I've always seen you as family. Besides, didn't you say there's no spark after all these years? I just want to live peacefully now."
I threw his own words back at him. His face turned red with frustration. Jared stormed out of the bedroom, mad as hell. I lay back on the bed. My mood, which had been pretty good, just got even better.
I didn't care what Jared was mad about or what was bothering him. I only cared about my peace. The next morning, I helped Yvonne get dressed. She was still sleepy, eyes shut tight as I put on her clothes.
When she was ready, she stretched out her arms. "Mommy, carry me downstairs."
I carried her down and set her in her chair. I placed breakfast in front of her. "Eat up."
"Where's Daddy?" Yvonne looked toward the stairs. "Daddy usually wakes up early and goes jogging. Why hasn't he come down today?"
"Don't worry about him. Just eat. After that, I'll take you to school," I said softly. But Yvonne jumped out of her chair and ran upstairs.
Watching her go, I felt mixed emotions. The last time I was sick with a cold, Yvonne didn't even ask how I was. But now, just because Jared skipped breakfast, she was worried.
A few minutes later, Yvonne came back down and sat at the table. She started eating and said, "Daddy said he didn't sleep well last night, so he's resting some more."
"Mm, let him sleep," I said, already knowing why.
Yvonne frowned and added, "Daddy must be tired from his trip. Mommy, I've been thinking. You should go back to work. Daddy's probably too tired earning money all by himself."
I was stunned. Yvonne was making this decision not because she respected me, but because she felt sorry for her dad working so hard alone.
"And also, Mommy, stop buying so many clothes and handbags. Your closet is full. You need to learn to save money," Yvonne said, sounding way more grown-up than her age.