Chapter 750:
Maybe it’s the little things that really show what kind of person someone is.
After my shower, I stepped out of the bathroom and suddenly felt a warm trickle run down. So, it was just that time of the month again.
Edward had ointment on his back, so I told him to be careful in the shower and avoid getting his wound wet. He nodded and went into the bathroom. I thought about the scars all over Edward’s back, and couldn’t help but wonder—after taking twenty lashes, was Ryan even worse off? If he really was hurt, would Fiona actually tend to his wounds?
I tossed my hair, forcing those thoughts out of my mind. I’d already chosen Edward, so anything about Ryan was no longer my concern. That night, I snuggled up in Edward’s arms and slept through the night, safe and warm until the sun came up.
The next morning, Jared called and asked where I was. I told him I was in Braylin, and he sounded anxious. “Why are you in Braylin all of a sudden?”
“I’m here to meet Edward’s father,” I answered honestly.
“Victoria, are you out of your mind? You’re not actually thinking of getting married, are you?” Jared’s voice turned sharp.
I gazed at the rising sun, feeling more certain than ever. “Jared, you know what they say—once bitten, twice shy. If I keep letting my fears hold me back, it just means I haven’t really changed. If I want to prove I’m different now, I have to face it head-on and move past it.”
“Victoria, are you really going to marry him?” Jared’s voice suddenly turned rough and low. “No matter what I do, will you never look back at me again?”
“Jared, we’re history now. People have to move on—we can’t keep living in the past.” I didn’t say it to hurt him. In this life, Jared wasn’t as much of a jerk as before.
“It’s over?” Jared’s voice was tight with emotion. “Maybe for you, but for me, I came back because I wanted us to start over. Victoria, why does it have to be like this?”
But even though his voice was full of pain, inside, I felt nothing but calm. “Maybe our fate ended in our previous life. Now, you’re just chasing after something that’s never going to happen. When I was the one who asked for the divorce, that was the moment I decided I’d never look back.”
“We still have Yvonne. She needs you,” Jared suddenly brought up our daughter. “Don’t you ever think about her?”
I let out a soft laugh. “You saw firsthand how she treated me in my previous life, Jared. Honestly, I didn’t ever want to acknowledge her as my daughter in this life. But a mother’s love is inborn—I just can’t let go. She’s changing for the better, step by step. I’ll do what a mother should, and be there for her as she grows up—one more time.”
Jared’s voice grew desperate. “You’re willing to be there for Yvonne as she grows up all over again, so why can’t you give me another chance? Victoria, you used to love me like your life depended on it—you made me your whole world.”
“Jared, my life is my own, and this time, I’m taking it back,” I said, my voice low and steady. Yeah, in my previous life, I loved him so much I lost myself. I watched him flaunt his happiness with Tracy right in front of me, while I was left behind, my heart torn to shreds. But that gut-wrenching pain… I’ve started to let it fade.
Just because I’ve started to forget doesn’t mean the scars are gone.
“Do you really think he loves you? He’s divorced too—how could he possibly give you his true heart? Victoria, maybe he just wants you for your looks. You need to open your eyes,” Jared shot back, his voice tight with anger.
“Beauty is just a kind of leverage. You used to see me as nothing but a pretty face—now I’m simply making use of what I’ve got,” I said seriously.
Jared sucked in a shaky breath, like someone had a hand around his throat. His voice was rough. “If you marry him, being Mrs. Sterling will put you way out of my league. I could never reach you then.”
I smiled. “Nothing’s set in stone yet. It’s way too soon to talk about all that. Maybe this is just a dream…”
“If you ever wake up from this dream, come back to me,” Jared whispered desperately. “Just give me a chance to make things right.”