The Housewife's Return To Her Alluring Prime - Chapter 51: Chapter 51

Jared suspected me, but he probably had no evidence, so there was nothing he could do.
Being a proud man, Jared knew I had loved him hopelessly for six years and only recently started behaving oddly. Before this, I was always obedient and sweet towards him.
Jared believed I wouldn't dare cheat on him. He likely thought his neglect had upset me, causing a rebellious streak.
He knew exactly how to soothe my emotions—some sweet talk, a bit of money, some grand promises, and extra attention at night would keep me compliant.
But now, it seemed I wasn't as easy to pacify anymore. He needed to put in more effort, which annoyed him.
"Victoria, you're a married woman with a child. Behave with the dignity expected of you. The company's eyes are watching. You won't embarrass me, will you?" Jared stated sternly, explicitly reminding me not to break marital laws.
My emotions had been stable, but now, I couldn't hold back. I immediately fired back. "You want peace of mind, but do you give me respect? Can you keep things low-key with Tracy?"
Jared's face froze. He expected me to yell and throw a fit. But to me, real despair was calm.
I took a deep breath and turned my back to him. "Jared, please keep your distance from Tracy at work. And if you go to a hotel, choose one far away. That's my biggest concession."
Without waiting for his response, I prepared to leave. But the next second, Jared angrily grabbed me back. My head hit his chin; pain radiated through me as he twisted me around.
"Victoria, how many times do I have to say it? There's nothing between Tracy and me!" Jared shouted furiously.
"Just because there's nothing now doesn't mean there won't be in the future." I had endured enough of their nonsense in my previous life. This time, I wouldn't tolerate a single bit of pain from love.
"There won't be in the future either," Jared said, breathing heavily, his eyes blazing as he glared at me. "Stop fantasizing about me cheating; it's really tedious."
His grip on my arm hurt, and I struggled to break free. Suddenly, Jared lowered his head and kissed me fiercely.
I froze, realizing what was happening, and tried to push him away. But Jared, seemingly fueled by anger, became more relentless and pinned me to his desk, continuing to kiss me.
I wanted to scream at him, thinking, 'What kind of forced romance is this? Who enjoys that?'
"Hey, you two—" The half-open office door swung wide as Tracy stood there, eyes wide in shock. Behind her, two high-ranking executives looked equally stunned.
Jared's face briefly showed embarrassment. His handsome face turned red as he pulled me up and said to Tracy and the others, "Wait for me in meeting room one. Close the door on your way out."
Tracy complied. My lipstick was smudged all over my lips, making me look disheveled.
Jared, both angry and amused, gently wiped a bit of lipstick from my lips. "Victoria, you've been more rebellious lately, but you're also more vibrant. We've got a long life ahead. Let's make it work."
Furious, I slapped his hand away and stormed out of his office, thinking, 'Who wants to make it work with you? All I want is a divorce as soon as possible. My youth is precious too. I won't waste it on a self-proclaimed gentleman.'
As I stepped out, I came face-to-face with Tracy. Her gaze was no longer calm.
Holding her documents, she paused, and as I walked past her, she suddenly said, "Next time, make sure to close the door properly when you're in Mr. Holcomb's office. I don't really want to see you two flirting."
I turned to look at her, thinking, 'Tracy thinks I left the door ajar on purpose so she'd walk in and watch? It ended up stabbing right into her heart. It feels pretty good.'
"Sorry about that. I'll remember it next time. Maybe you should also learn a thing or two about knocking," I said, tilting my chin slightly before heading back to my office.
I thought, 'Tracy must be fuming right now, and probably thinks I'm some scheming villainess. But hey, in my previous life, being oblivious got me nowhere. Why not be a bit more cunning this time?'
Work ended around six. I noticed the light in Jared's office was off; he was leaving.
I pretended to stay busy, deciding to dine out alone tonight so he and Yvonne could eat at home.
A knock on the door broke my focus. Jared stood there saying, "Come have dinner at my mom's place tonight. My sister's back, and Yvonne is already there."
Caught off guard, I immediately replied, "I'm still finishing up here. How about—"
"Victoria, tonight is a family dinner." Jared gave me no room to refuse.
I reluctantly gathered my things, walked over to him, and said, "Let's go."
I insisted on driving myself, and Jared didn't argue. He got into his car, his face cold.
My sister-in-law Quinn was always scheming. She was constantly calculating how to maximize the company's dividends and figuring out how to keep the Holcomb family's money from getting split up by outsiders.
To her, I am that outsider. In my previous life, when Jared wanted a divorce, the settlement agreement was drawn up.
Upon seeing the assets and money listed to be given to me, she schemed within the Holcomb family. In the end, those numbers were slashed by two zeros.
This year, Quinn is twenty-three. She spent three years abroad, part-studying, part-playing. She didn't learn anything substantial but went through boyfriends one after another. She's always wanted to marry someone from a family more prestigious than the Holcomb family.
She even tried to break into showbiz, had some minor cosmetic tweaks, appeared on a few sketchy reality shows, and nearly made it into the entertainment industry. But then some dirt got exposed, and she was knocked back to square one.
Thinking about all this, I realized another thing—since I'd returned to 2014, events were unfolding differently from my previous life. In my old life, I never knew Nathan, and Melissa's first husband wasn't Zachary.
'So, what direction will this life take?' I was uncertain and a bit confused. But one thing was clear—I'm resolute in loving myself.
When I arrived at the Holcomb residence, Jared had already reached there ahead of me. The whole family was sitting cheerfully on the couch, chatting. My father-in-law, James, is still alive, but he and Sally lead separate lives and only appear together for important events.
Recently, he's been following trends, dressing even more fashionably and youthfully than Jared. He's tall and lean, making him look young from the back. But when he turns around, his face shows the toll of years. Still, that doesn't stop him from dating younger women.
Jared managed to arrange for his father to retire at fifty. He runs the company alone, supports various relatives, and gives his parents a significant monthly allowance.
"Victoria's here?" Quinn greeted me with a fake smile. "Sorry, I came back in such a rush this time; I forgot to get you a gift."
I laughed it off immediately. "No worries. Jared gave me a gift the other day."
Quinn turned away, ignoring me and snuggling up to Jared's arm, pouting playfully. "Jared, please say yes to what I mentioned earlier.
"My friend is in a tough spot. Her dad just passed away, and she has to support her entire family alone. Can you let her join the company?"
Her request caught me off guard. Memories of my previous life rushed back—Quinn introducing her friend to the company who then tried to seduce Jared. Tracy went all out against her, and it ended in a messy escape.
I thought to myself, 'Well, looks like the main drama is about to begin. This should be interesting.'