Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared) novel Chapter 940

Valerie sighed, the weight of a seasoned advisor ready to step down as the crown prince ascends echoing in her voice. "I always thought you were pushed out of the Thomas Group against your will."

Even her resignation seemed a last stand of dignity.

It wasn't until the ride back from the Capital, a slip of words from Alyssa, that the truth surfaced.

"Cilian holds Valerie in high esteem," Alyssa had mentioned casually. "Even with Ryder's promotion, Cilian wanted to elevate Valerie to the role of Vice President."

That was a lofty perch, second only to Cilian himself. But Alyssa had chosen to walk away.

She eventually chose the Tim Group.

Valerie furrowed her brow for a moment before speaking. "I want to see with my own eyes that Jared choosing you was his gravest mistake."

Her words carried a trace of triumph, a subtle lift of her eyebrows betraying her facade.

Agnes couldn't help but smile. "After all, you're no saint."

"I wouldn’t say that, Ms. Pritchard," Valerie corrected. "I prefer to see myself as someone who enjoys a challenge. The greater the difficulty, the more it thrills me. I don't just want Jared by my side; I want to be his sole obsession. If I can't erase you from his heart entirely, I'd rather walk away."

"So that's why you didn't stop our reunion?" Agnes asked.

"Yes," Valerie admitted. "On our engagement day, Jared disappeared. The media claimed Sharon's suicide was the cause, but I knew she wasn't enough to trigger such chaos. It had to be something—or someone—more significant. And the only possibility was you. You had returned, throwing his entire world into disarray."

"You don't hate me for it?" Agnes inquired, a hint of curiosity in her tone.