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| pulled my hand away and hid it behind my back. I said coldly, “That's because you weren't the one who got
betrayed. You didn’t get hurt, so of course you think anything's possible.
“But letask you-if | really slept with Ryan, would you ever takeback?”
Jared's eyes flickered with shock. He demanded, “Did you really sleep with him?”
shook my head and sneered, “See? | was just making a point, and you're already pissed. You can’t even stand
the
idea, so don’t stand there tellingto be the bigger person.”
Jared said, “I know you're lying to me. But you don’t have to lower yourself like this.”
“He’s younger than you, and better looking. If anything, I'm the one coming out ahead-how is that degrading
myself?” | retorted with a sneer.
Jared gritted his teeth, clearly at a loss for what to do with me.
| said coolly, “I'm hungry. I'm going to get sbreakfast. Just go.”
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Jared said, “I'm not leaving.” He then suddenly pulledinto a fierce hug, burying his face in my hair. He
muttered, “Victoria, cback to me, please?”
“I'm not coming back, Jared. Clinging like this is beneath you,” | reminded him.
Jared froze, but then he said, “What good is my status if | don’t have you?”
| couldn’t help but laugh at how desperate he was. Jared, always so proud, was acting like a total simp. | said,
“Jared, have you ever thought about it? If we stay together, the Holcomb family will never know peace again.”
Then | shoved him away and added, “Your family will never accept me, and I've already had a public falling out
with them.”
Jared looked at me, stunned, as if he'd just been slapped back into reality.
1 continued, “So, for the sake of family harmony, go marry someone your mom approves of.” With that, | turned
away before he could say anything.
This time, Jared didn’t try to stop me. Maybe he finally realized that love might be just between two people, but
marriage was never just about two people-it was about both families.
He wasn’t about to throw caution to the wind and go against his family just for me. Men were always more
practical-they always thought long-term.
And now, | needed to learn to be just as practical.
When | got home, Ryan cover to me, worry written all over his face.
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12:09 Thu, 21 Augo
Chapter 261
“Why are you here?” | asked as | closed the door behind me.
“I just thought I'd bring you sbreakfast,” Ryan replied softly.
“I'm not a kid, Ryan. 4 can just go downstairs and grab breakfast myself,” | said, arching an eyebrow playfully.
Ryan said, “I know, but | just wanted to do it for you.”
| glanced at him, and he ducked his head, suddenly bashful, unable to meet my eyes.
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| had these bedroom eyes that always seemed to brim with feeling. Sometimes | wasn’t even trying to flirt-they
were just misleading, and it never worked out well for anyone.
“Thanks,” | said softly, then went to boil swater and fix Ryan a cup of morning coffee. | sat down and started
on the breakfast he'd brought over.
“Have you eaten yet?” | asked him.
Ryan shook his head and said, “Nope, | was hoping to eat with you.”
He was so pure, not yet jaded by the world. Everything he said was honest and adorable, and being around him
was just so refreshing.
| could finally understand a bit of what Jared must have felt-there was always something exciting about someone
new.
“Con, sit down and eat with me,” | said.
Ryan beamed and sat down.
Just then, my phone buzzed with a text. | glanced at it-it was from Jared. | couldn't believe he was still sending
The message read: [Victoria, my feelings for you haven't faded-they’re only growing stronger. Please, don't get
involved with him yet. I'll convince my family.]
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