The Housewife's Return To Her Alluring Prime - Chapter 69: Chapter 69

Yvonne heard that Jared had no sympathy for her. She pouted, hung up right away, and went back to pulling weeds. Then, just to get my attention, she yanked up a little flower right in front of me.
I quickly reached for a small black twig nearby. Yvonne hesitated for a moment, then dug a tiny hole and carefully replanted the flower, her big eyes looking at me all aggrieved.
After about ten minutes, Yvonne finally cleared out the little flower bed. She ran over excitedly and said, "Mom, look how awesome I am. I really did it."
"Wash your hands, go upstairs, shower, and eat." I didn't go on and on encouraging her like I used to, or kiss her little face and tell her how great she was. Now, I just gave her orders.
"Okay." Yvonne went upstairs. She showered by herself now, and I also made her wash her underwear. She actually did it, too.
I didn't eat much for dinner. After a short break, I started doing yoga. Yvonne played with my yoga ball nearby, sometimes trying to copy my moves.
"Wow, Mom, can you really get your leg up that high?" Yvonne asked, her face full of amazement.
I had been dancing for over ten years, so my basic moves were always spot on. It was the first time Yvonne had seen me move with such strength, and she was totally mesmerized, just staring at me.
I found myself growing quieter around her, not bothering to explain so much anymore.
Around eleven, I put on my headphones and finished shadowing my Englysian textbook, then got ready for bed.
Then I heard a car engine cut off downstairs. My body tensed up. I quickly shut the door, turned off the lights, and got into bed.
Soon after, I heard footsteps, but they went to the guest room next door.
'Jared must've had too much to drink tonight, and Tracy probably gave him all the emotional support he needed. There's no way he'd come looking for me,' I thought.
I didn't expect anything anymore, so I slept soundly through the night.
When my heart was steady, everything just seemed to go smoother. I just hoped I could face whatever came my way with confidence from now on.
Morning came quietly.
It was one of those bright, early summer mornings that just put you in a good mood. The outfit I picked today was perfect for a side ponytail, so I wove a ribbon through my hair, giving myself a touch of playful charm.
Sunlight spilled in through the window, and the woman in the mirror almost looked ethereal.
That moment made me think back to the summer when I was eighteen, leaning on the windowsill, sketching and daydreaming, my mind completely at ease.
Sometimes I'd poke my head out just to watch the shadows of the trees dancing outside.
It had been a while since I visited my family. In the six years since I got married, I only ever went back for the holidays, always telling myself I was too busy.
I let out a soft sigh. Once Yvonne's summer break started, maybe I would go stay at my parents' place for a few days—no Yvonne, no Jared, just me and a heart full of nostalgia.
"I'll ride with you to the office later," Jared said quietly from behind me. I hadn't even noticed him standing there, buttoning up his shirt.
Honestly, he was starting to get on my nerves.
He had a driver and a whole garage full of cars, but for some reason, he always wanted me to drive him.
But since I was living off him, I didn't really have the right to complain. So I just said, "Sure."
When I came downstairs, Yvonne was animatedly acting out how she fought with the weeds yesterday, waving her hands as she told Jared all about it.
Jared listened with a gentle smile, occasionally handing her a napkin to wipe the corner of her mouth.
As soon as she heard me coming down, Yvonne instantly stopped talking, took a big gulp of gruel, and her cheeks puffed out as she looked at me with a grumpy face.
Jared gently patted her hair, then turned to me and said, "It's good for you to get some physical exercise, Yvonne."
"Dad?" Yvonne's little face was full of grievance.
But Jared just smiled even more charmingly. I couldn't be bothered to join in their banter, so I sat down, and Wendy brought over the special breakfast she had made just for me.
"Mom, what are you eating?" Yvonne immediately leaned over to ask.
"Oatmeal," I answered calmly.
"I want some, too," Yvonne said right away.
"Kids shouldn't eat too much of this. There are too many hormones in it. It's not good for your development," I said.
Yvonne puffed up her cheeks and complained, "Then how come you get to eat it? Dad's an adult too, so why doesn't he get any?"
Jared glanced at me with a smile and said, "I don't need it. It's for your mom to keep up her strength."
Yvonne crossed her arms over her chest, looking super sulky.
This time, I drove Yvonne to school with Jared riding along. They were chatting away in the backseat, and I pretty much kept quiet the whole time.
When we got to school, Jared got out and walked her up to the school gate. Her homeroom teacher came over to chat with him. It looked like they were talking about Yvonne.
Jared was as warm and polite as ever, and you could tell the teacher was reluctant to say goodbye.
Jared came back to the car, opened the passenger door, and got in.
I glanced at his left hand. Sure enough, his wedding ring had mysteriously disappeared again.
Thinking about it, I started fussing with the diamond ring on my own ring finger right in front of him.
"What's wrong now?" Jared frowned.
I said calmly, "Nothing, I'm just sick of seeing this ring. I don't feel like wearing it anymore."
Jared didn't call me vain or anything. He just tried to comfort me, "I'll take you out tonight and get you a new one you actually like. Is this one too tight for you?"
I didn't expect Jared to try to comfort me like that, or to want to spend money on me again.
"Never mind, I've got things to do tonight. No time for shopping," I said as I drove toward the office.
Jared looked like he'd had way too much to drink last night—he was still nursing a hangover. He pressed his fingers to his temples, leaned back against the seat, and before long, he was out cold.
At a red light, I stopped the car and turned to look at him.
Jared's profile was truly something else, prominent brow bone, sharp brow line, and slightly hooded eyes that gave him an air of authority even when he wasn't angry.
His double-lidded eyes made him look even more intelligent. When he wasn't looking at you, he seemed almost peaceful.
I didn't keep staring at him. There was something dangerously captivating about his looks.
As soon as we got to the office, Jared woke up and said, "Just stop at the entrance. I'll have Warner park the car in a bit."
I responded with a simple okay, opened the door, and got out. The moment I stepped out, I saw three cars pulling up behind us. The lead car was a Maybach, and my heart thudded in my chest as I glanced over.
Just as I expected, it was Nathan who stepped out from the back seat.
It had been ages since I'd last seen him, but he was still as handsome and refined as ever.
Jared seemed just as surprised as I was, then he explained, "Mr. Hallman's here for a meeting today."
I looked at him indifferently and said, "Alright, I'll leave you to it. I'm heading over to the hotel to check out the site."
Jared walked around to the driver's side and, out of nowhere, gently brushed a stray lock of hair from my cheek. "Drive safe. If you need anything, call me."
My eyes widened a bit. 'There he goes again with his pointless concern. What a weirdo,' I thought.
"Thanks," I said, not even sparing Nathan a glance as I stepped on the gas and sped right past Jared.