Chasing the Unexpected

Chapter 35

“No need, you can have him,” Valarie said flatly.

A man entangled with other women wasn’t worth keeping–it would only cause her grief.

Jacqueline was stunned and couldn’t respond before Valarie turned and walked away.

Fred paled and hurried after Valarie. “Ms. Weir, this is a misunderstanding. At least give Mr. Genge a chance to explain.”

Valarie stopped and looked at him coldly. “Three months ago, he went to Meristate, and I couldn’t reach him for three days. Later, he explained he was busy with work. Was he really busy with work?”

Seeing Fred’s momentary panic, Valarie smirked mockingly. “Now, can you still confidently say this is a misunderstanding?”

She did like Tom, but she wasn’t a fool. She had chosen not to pursue the matter then, hoping to give him a chance, but he had let her down.

“Mr. Genge and Ms. Rainford didn’t do anything. Ms. Rainford’s pet dog died, and she was in a bad state, so Mr. Genge-”

“No need to explain. It’s unnecessary.”

Jacqueline’s confidence in claiming Tom as her boyfriend stemmed from his usual interactions with her. He was so attentive that even a phone call from her could make him send his secretary to assist her, no

matter how busy he was.

Valarie suddenly recalled a time when she sprained her ankle while hiking. Using the last bit of her phone’s battery, she called Tom, who didn’t answer but texted back, saying he was in a meeting without even asking why she had called. When she tried to call someone else for help, her phone died. If not for a kind couple she encountered, she might have spent the night on the mountain.

It was today that she realized Tom wasn’t incapable of caring for someone else’s feelings. It was just that, in his eyes, she wasn’t important enough.

As Valarie left the mall, she sent Tom a message.

Valarie: [Let’s break up.]

She then blocked him.

Seeing Valarie’s red eyes, Nyla said softly, “Valarie, if you want to cry, just cry.”

She didn’t intend to console Valarie excessively. After all, only the person involved truly understood the relationship. From today’s events, it was clear that Tom hadn’t maintained appropriate boundaries with other women, allowing Jacqueline to act so arrogantly.

Valarie wasn’t one to act impulsively. It was best to support her decision silently.

Valarie wiped away her tears and tried to sound upbeat. “Out with the old, in with the new. Plenty of young guys are after me, and younger ones have simpler histories–no messy childhood sweethearts or female confidantes.

“But seriously, what bad luck do we have? One husband cheats, and one boyfriend is involved with another woman.”

Seeing Valarie act tough, Nyla felt a pang of sympathy. “Why don’t you stay at my place tonight?”

Being together was better than overthinking alone.

Valarie shook her head. “No. I’ll get a hotel room and think about what to do next.”

“Are you sure you don’t need me with you?”

“I’m sure. You know me–if I need you, I won’t be shy about it.”

“Alright.”

Nyla didn’t insist and went home after dropping Valarie off at a hotel.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

As she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Clark standing at her door with a glower. She frowned, but he suddenly grabbed her wrist before she could speak and asked icily, “Where did you go the night you didn’t come home?!”