Chapter 10 Starting Over
I looked into Jared’s eyes and saw only genuine sincerity.
He’d been pursuing me for months, and it was clear that he truly cared.
Maybe in the past, I would have been open to giving us a chance. But now, my heart was calm and still, like a lake untouched by even the faintest breeze.
“Mr. Porter, I’m not ready for a relationship.”
I was happy with my life the way it was, I wasn’t ready to let anyone become such a big part of it.
Jared sighed. There was a flicker of frustration in his voice. “You’re shutting yourself off because you haven’t moved on from your last relationship.”
“Maybe,” I confessed.
There was no denying it. Micah’s betrayal had left a deep, lingering wound.
Jared reached out, brushing my hair aside. “It’s okay. I’ve waited for years. Waiting a little longer won’t make a difference,” he whispered.
Just as I was about to speak, his hand was suddenly pushed away.
Before I could fully grasp what was happening, Micah and Jared were locked in a fierce fight.
Piper stood frozen, clearly shocked by the sudden violence.
I rushed forward to break them apart, but fury had overtaken them. They were unleashing fierce, savage strikes.
Each punch landed hard, driven entirely by rage.
It wasn’t until the restaurant staff stepped in that the fight was finally broken up.
Micah’s eyes were bloodshot, and he was glaring daggers at Jared. “Damn it, Jared, you’re just trying to provoke me by getting close to Tabitha, aren’t you?”
For some reason, watching me laugh and talk with Jared ignited a fierce jealousy inside him.
The moment he saw Jared brush my hair back, he snapped and lunged at him without hesitation.
Jared’s expression hardened. “You’re not that important. Besides, haven’t you known all along that I have feelings for her?”
Micah had deliberately pursued me despite knowing how Jared felt, making sure Jared never got the chance to confess.
His face froze for a moment before twisting into a sneer. “I’ll never let you two be together!”
“Whatever.”
Jared glanced at Piper, whose expression had darkened.
“Micah, I didn’t realize you were so sentimental. When you were with Tabitha, you couldn’t stop thinking about Piper. Now that you’re with Piper, suddenly Tabitha’s all you can focus on,” he said with a smirk.
“Shut your mouth!” Micah snapped.
Jared sneered coldly. “Micah, you’ve already picked your first love. Don’t make a fool of yourself trying to meddle where you don’t belong. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.”
Micah’s face went pale.
He reached out toward Piper, but she flinched and stepped back.
Tears brimmed in her eyes. Her eyes were filled with hurt and disappointment.
“If you can’t let go of Tabitha, then I’m leaving.”
Without waiting for an answer, she turned around and took off. Micah was right on her heels.
I looked over at Jared. His face was swollen and bruised. Every mark was a reminder of the fight he’d just endured.
“I’ll take you to the pharmacy to get something for those. And if Micah ever loses it again, don’t hesitate to call the police.”
Seeing my calm expression, Jared let out a relieved sigh.
I’d become so accustomed to his serious demeanor at work that seeing this softer side made me smile.
‘What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
turned and headed toward the pharmacy. Jared matched my pace and whispered, “If that fight with Micah made you smile, then it was worth every
second.”
It was nice to know someone cared about how I felt.
My steps slowed slightly. I wasn’t sure why, but my heart skipped a beat.
After that day, Jared and I started keeping in touch more regularly.
Even Greta caught on. When we went out to eat, she said, “You’ve been smiling a lot more these days. Is there someone special?”
I wasn’t sure how to respond. I felt drawn to Jared, but Micah’s betrayal still held me back.
I knew it wasn’t fair to assume Jared would betray me like Micah did, but the doubt still lingered.
If I held on to that fear, things wouldn’t end well, even if I chose to be with Jared.
After giving it a lot of thought, I decided to end things before my feelings for him got any stronger.
I threw myself into job hunting, but thanks to Micali, every company I was close to signing with pulled out at the last moment.
Fortunately, the money I made from selling my shares was enough to sustain me indefinitely, so there was no need to rush.
Still, wanting to create some space between Jared and me, I resumed applying to different companies.
During my search, I discovered a newly established tech startup that was hiring. The position and salary matched exactly what I wanted.
I sent my résumé, and they scheduled an interview shortly afterward.
Both the interviewer and I were pleased with how it went.
Though I worried something might go wrong before signing the contract, everything fell into place so smoothly it almost felt unreal.
We agreed I’d start on Monday. To celebrate, I took Greta shopping for some new clothes.
At the mall, I unexpectedly ran into Lena and Piper.
Piper was weighed down by a heavy load of shopping bags. Her head was bowed in silence. Lena stood close by, relentless in her criticism.
She ripped into Piper’s fashion sense, accusing her of having unrealistic expectations she couldn’t meet and being reckless with her spending.
Piper just listened quietly, as if this was all too familiar.
Seeing this truly surprised me.
In my memory, Lena was always kind and spoke to me gently.
We had even gone shopping together before. She’d notice when I was tired and suggest taking a break after some time.
Piper looked up, and we locked eyes. Her eyes were blazing with resentment and anger.
I couldn’t help but smirk. Was she seriously blaming me now?
Lena saw me as well, and the harshness she’d shown Piper melted away. She smiled warmly and approached me.
“Tabitha, are you out shopping with your friend?”
I returned her smile politely. “Yes, Ms. Turner.”
She hesitated. A flicker of uncertainty crossed her face.
Sensing what she was about to say, I quickly interrupted, “Ms. Turner, we have some things to take care of soon, so we’ll be heading out shortly. Please, enjoy your shopping.”
With that, I gently steered Greta away.
As soon as I turned away, Lena shot Piper a cold, piercing glare,
“Look at her, then look at yourself. Tabitha supports Micah’s career, but what have you contributed? You squander money and can’t even keep up with the household chores. Sometimes I wonder if Micah was blind to marry you!”
Piper’s anger simmered just beneath the surface, but knowing how much Micah respected Lena, she forced a smile.
“I know you don’t like me, Ms. Turner, but I’m pregnant now. What you say affects the baby inside me too.”
Lena sneered coldly. “If it weren’t for that child, you’d never set foot in the Turner residence–not even if I were dead!”
Monday arrived quickly. As soon as I got to the office, HR called me to the general manager’s office.
I was surprised. “Abigail, do you know why the general manager wants to see me?”
“I’m not sure. Just go in.”
Curious, I entered the room. My jaw dropped the moment I saw Jared.
Chapter 11 Who Says No One Wants Her?
A wave of shock, confusion, and disbelief hit me all at once.
“You… you started this company?” I asked.
Jared didn’t look the least bit surprised to see me. He simply nodded and said, “Have a seat.”
With that, he began explaining the reasons behind starting the company.
Although Jared became chairman of T&P Tech after I sold him a 5% stake, Micah kept stirring up trouble. He was quietly working behind the scenes to
undermine him.
Every decision Jared made was challenged by Micah and a group of shareholders he had persuaded to side with him. As a result, many of Jared’s plans were stalled, and the tension between them kept escalating.
“You don’t have to look so surprised,” Jared said. “Honestly, I’d been thinking about starting something on my own for a while. I just hadn’t taken the leap until now.”
It made sense. T&P Tech wasn’t just Micah’s dream; it had been Jared’s too.
“So, what finally pushed you to do it?”
From what I knew, the company had only been around for a little over a month.
“When I found out Micah betrayed you, I decided to fast–track launching my own company. I wanted to cut ties with T&P Tech for good.”
I blinked. Surprise flashed across my face.
“So… you did it because of me?”
Jared smiled. “Not entirely. I’d been planning to go solo for a while. This just gave me the nudge I needed to finally take the leap.”
I pressed my lips together, unsure how to feel.
After a moment, I couldn’t help but ask, “So… did you create that job offer and salary just for me?”
“Yes, but don’t get me wrong. Your skills absolutely justify it. I advocated for your raise at T&P Tech more than once, but Micah kept shutting me down. “In the end, your dedication earned you a 5% stake in the company, and the dividends from that share increased your earnings far beyond your salary. After that, I stopped pushing the issue.”
I hadn’t realized Jared had done so much for me behind the scenes.
“Thank you, Mr. Porter.”
“You don’t have to thank
- me.
I had
my reasons.
11
Under his intense gaze, I couldn’t keep eye contact. I quickly glanced away, feeling my cheeks flush.
“I… I should get back to work.”
With that, I hurried out of his office. Even sitting at my desk, my face still burned, and my heart pounded wildly in my chest.
All of a sudden, a thought struck me-
-Jared had just spent a fortune buying my shares. How could he possibly have enough left to start a new company? Could it be that… he sold his shares in T&P Tech?
The question gnawed at me, but I knew I’d have to wait until after work to find out.
When the day finally ended, I went straight to Jared’s office and confronted him about his stake in T&P Tech.
He was upfront. He told ine he had sold all his shares, but it was definitely not to Micah.
The buyer was someone I knew well. It was none other than Piper’s ex–fiancé, Sterling,
Sterling came from a wealtlly family that owned multiple companies, so buying Jared’s shares was no challenge.
The thought of Micah having to answer to Sterling made me grin.
Given the bitter history they shared over Piper, Sterling was sure to make Micah’s life difficult at every turn.
I found myself giving Jared a thumbs–up. It was a brutal inove, but one I respected. “So,” Jared said, “how about dinner as a thank–you?”
We ended up eating together, and Jared paid the bill once more, insisting it was to celebrate me joining his When we got back to my apartment, I spotted Micah waiting by the entrance. A frown crept onto my face. The moment he saw Jared’s car, he stormed over. His face was pale, and his eyes burned with fury. “Jared, why the hell did you sell your shares to Sterling? Have you lost your mind?”
company.
Jared stepped out. His expression was calm and composed as he met Micah’s gaze. “T&P Tech isn’t my problem anymore. You should be glad I’m out.”
You knew damn well about the feud between me and Sterling, yet you still gave him your shares. What the hell are you playing at?”
Jared smirked. “He made the best offer, What else was I supposed to do? Sell them to you? Last time I checked, you don’t exactly have that kind of money.
